There is no robust evidence to back up these claims. The idea of consuming a fruit-only or fruit-heavy diet might appear a healthy option at first glance, but there are potentially many problems with this form of restrictive eating.
There are clear and significant physical health issues to consider when the human body is provided with a largely fruit-based diet. Following this eating pattern excludes essential food groups and nutrients that the body needs to maintain normal health. While most fruit is considered to be healthy and nutritious , a diet that almost solely relies on fruits will be deficient in nutrients, including protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B including vitamin B12 and D, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids.
Deficiency in these nutrients can have significant health implications including rickets and osteomalacia a softening of the bones , anaemia and issues with bones, muscles and skin. Put simply, fruit does not contain all the nutrients the body needs. In addition to what is missing in a fruitarian diet, the high levels of fructose have to be considered.
Fructose is a simple sugar, like glucose, but the human body processes it very differently. Fructose is metabolised solely in the liver. Excess fructose consumption can cause fat buildup in the liver , leading to insulin resistance in the liver and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
While there is controversy as to whether fructose from fruit is as bad as fructose syrup , which is added to foods to sweeten them, experiments in rats fed a high fructose diet showed similarities to human fatty liver disease. Studies have found that the fiber present in kiwi has a massive impact on not only aiding digestion, but in improving how well your body absorbs nutrients. There's also evidence that it helps alleviate the pain of constipation, reduce bloating and discomfort, and increase overall gut health.
Studies from Massey University suggest it's an enzyme called actinidin that allows kiwis to be an invaluable addition to any diet. Thanks to the presence of that enzyme, regularly snacking on a kiwi will help make your entire digestive tract more efficient, from start to finish. And another study from the Taipei Medical University went even farther, finding that after adding kiwi to their diet for four weeks, participants who suffered from irritable bowel syndrome IBS saw improvement in their symptoms.
You definitely don't have to be a vegetarian or a vegan to enjoy some meat-free meals, and if you're looking to expand your cooking repertoire to more fruit- and veggie-centric dishes, you should look into keeping jackfruit in your kitchen.
Jackfruit is some super weird stuff: according to the AP , it's catching on big-time as a meat substitute. That's because when it's not yet ripe, it can be shredded just like you'd shred pulled pork or chicken. The idea of fruit as the main component in a savory dish might sound weird, but it's got a neutral flavor, absorbs whatever seasonings you want to use, and has a texture that holds up.
It's super versatile, too: use it in gyros or tacos, make some faux crab cakes, use it in dips or soups, or even pile it on pizza.
There's still more good news: it's good for you, too. Medical News Today says that jackfruit is full of vitamins and nutrients, and that it's also been found to help lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and balance blood sugar levels. It even supplies the body with what it needs to maintain the health of skin, bones, and blood vessels. It's even full of good fiber that can help keep you regular. That's a lot of good stuff packed into this tropical fruit. We know, we know But you should definitely pick one up at the grocery store for a late-night snack, or even breakfast.
They're packed full of goodness. According to the BBC's GoodFood , pomegranates contain about three times the amount of antioxidants that you'll get in either green tea or red wine. Studies have also suggested that pomegranates can help fight inflammation, and lower your blood pressure and risk of heart disease.
When another study looked at whether or not a daily glass of pomegranate juice might help improve memory, results were promising. Healthline calls pomegranates one of the healthiest fruits in the world, and that's a pretty big claim. The reason, they say, is that pomegranates contain two unique compounds: punicalagins and punicic acid. That's what gives them most of their health benefits, and it's possible there's still more to be discovered: pomegranates have even been linked to an increased success rate in fighting certain types of cancers.
Still wondering if it's worth it? Here's a tip to make getting all those seeds out easier: score the skin, and break the fruit into quarters. Submerge in a bowl, and start gently breaking it apart.
The seeds will sink and the inedible pith will float. Easy peasy! You may want to think twice before eating a ripe banana for breakfast. Unlike some fruit, bananas contain mostly carbs. In fact, 93 percent of their calories come from carbohydrates.
Also, they contain up to 16 percent sugar. Unfortunately for ripe banana lovers, the healthy starches found in unripe bananas, which actually act more like fiber than carbohydrates, turn into sugar as a banana ripens. In the process, the banana becomes more and more sugary. Instead of picking up a banana on your way to work, consider grabbing an apple or a grapefruit.
They will fill you up without loading your bloodstream with sugar. Or, if you can't resist that banana, eat a smaller, greener one. Like bananas, mangoes have a larger percentage of sugar than other fruit, which is why they taste so sweet. One cup of mango contains calories and 23 grams of sugar! With all of the fruits available that have a lower sugar content, you may want to stay away from mango, especially if you're trying to lose weight. If you can't bear to cut them from your diet completely, eat them sparingly.
For example, instead of making a mango smoothie, use a base of pineapple and put in a few small slices of mango for taste. Due to their small size, cherries are also easy to scarf down by the dozen. But, like mangoes and grapes, cherries contain a higher sugar content than many other fruits. One cup of cherries contains This makes them a poor fruit choice for diabetics and dieters. FODMAPs are found in many fruits and vegetables and create gas and bloating because they're difficult to digest.
Instead of packing a bag of cherries to take with you to work, make a berry mix instead. That way you'll be satiated without the sugar overload and bloating. Coconuts are in vogue right now, but they aren't as healthy as people want to think. In fact, one cup of shredded coconut contains a whopping calories, of which are from fat. This makes it one of fattiest fruits around. Instead of putting shredded coconut on your oatmeal, consider sprinkling in some blueberries instead.
Your waistline will thank you. You've probably heard that cranberries and cranberry juice are the perfect, all-natural cure for a UTI, but according to the Journal of the American Medical Association , there's no evidence that cranberries actually make a difference when it comes to urinary tract health.
The belief was that cranberries lowered the pH of urine, but recent studies have shown that the substance usually credited with doing this — hippuric acid — isn't present in high enough quantities to have any real impact. In fact, consuming too many cranberries might actually increase your risk for certain types of kidney stones.
Cranberries have a high amount of oxalates that can translate to an increased risk of calcium oxalate stones. There's another problem with cranberries, too.
Not only are they extremely high in calories — a third of a cup contains about calories and half a gram of fat — but many kinds of dried cranberries contain a huge amount of added sugar. That same third of a cup can have 26 grams of sugar, more than the 24 grams of daily sugar recommended for women.
Have you ever found yourself eating an entire bag of grapes in one sitting? It is like a sponge for fat and seasonings that can easily spike calories and sodium in your body. One cup of raisins contain more than calories, similarly 1 cup cashews contains more than calories. Hence most dry fruits are quite unhealthy for those who are counting calories.
Considered as fruit and nut both, coconut is high in saturated fat that can easily spike cholesterol-raising calories in the body. So if you are already suffering from high cholesterol, you must avoid coconut.
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