The Healthiest Way to Satisfy a Sweet Tooth

Jul 15

Fruit has long been touted as part of a healthy diet, and, yet only 1 in 10 adults eat the minimum recommended amount of fruit per day: 1½ to 2 cups.(1)

This is likely due in part to our present national obsession with low-carb eating, as some deem fruit to be unhealthy because of it’s sugar content. Yes, fruit contains sugar; that’s what makes it taste sweet. But are fruits unhealthy sweets? What does the evidence tell us?

General nutritional characteristics

Most fruits are rich in both water and fiber while being low in fat, all of which contribute to them being low-calorie foods. Fruits are an excellent source of several under-consumed essential nutrients: potassium, vitamin C, folate and fiber. Pectin is a well-known, well-studied major soluble fruit fiber which helps to lower cholesterol levels and promote healthy gut microbiota.(2) Fruits also provide B vitamins and the minerals calcium, manganese and magnesium. Most fruits are low in sodium and all are cholesterol free. Fruits are also a very rich source of a vast array of powerful, health-promoting antioxidants and phytochemicals.

It’s the whole package that makes the difference in how the sugar in fruit affects the body. Fruit sugar is diluted with water and accompanied with fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals. This is the reason why the higher fiber fruits (citrus fruits, berries, cherries, fruits with pits and cores) are low glycemic, meaning they cause a lower, slower rise in blood glucose and insulin levels.

Health Benefits(2)

Higher fruit intake (~2-3 fruits/day) is associated with improving the gut microbiome by increasing health-promoting bacterial species and beneficial short-chain fatty acid production, while decreasing levels of pathogenic bacteria.
Higher fruit intake is associated with lower inflammatory biomarkers.
Increased fruit intake is associated with decreased waist circumference (i.e., decreased belly fat), lower BMI, decreased risk of weight gain and decreased risk of overweight and obesity, even in older age women where postmenopausal weight gain is highly likely.
Higher fruit intake can lower total and LDL cholesterol, and is associated with decreased risk and death from both coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Higher fruit intake, especially higher fiber fruits (oranges, grapefruit, peaches, plums, apricots, bananas, apples, pears, grapes, prunes, raisins, blueberries) is associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, lower HbA1c, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR (a measure of insulin resistance).
Among individuals with diabetes, regular fresh fruit consumption is associated with decreased risk of developing diabetic complications.
Higher fruit intake is associated with decreased risk of hypertension and stroke, and reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure more effectively than vegetables, especially in the middle-aged and elderly.
Increased fruit intake is associated with decreased risk of colorectal cancer and lung cancer, especially in smokers.
Emerging evidence suggests higher fruit intake is associated with decreased risk of anxiety and depression.
Two servings of fruit a day promotes regularity and helps relieve symptoms of constipation.
Higher intake of fruit is associated with increased odds of successful aging, longer telomere length and decreased risk of premature death.

Recommendations

Since the recommended daily fruit intake of 1½ - 2 cups a day is a minimum, feel free to enjoy more than that, unless your doctor has told you not to.

If you prefer not to measure your fruit, just aim for eating 3 different fruits a day, either fresh or frozen unsweetened. Besides eating at breakfast with cereal, fruit makes a nutritious sweet snack, dessert and addition to all different kinds of salads.