Is fruit good for you, or just empty calories?

[Special K]

I like to eat fruit and was wondering if people here consider it a good food or just empty calories. Some fruits have micronutrients and antioxidants, but when you get down to it, the majority of calories in fruit come from fructose, a sugar. Granted many fruits have low GI values and therefore have minimal effect on insulin levels, but does that really change the fact that the majority of fruit is just sugar?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

First of all, the term "empty calories" refers to something having no nutritional content besides calories. That means no vitamins, no minerals, no antioxidants. So firstly by that definition, no - fruits aren't empty calories. Secondly, they are a great source of several things: vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibers, and calories. The fiber in the fruit makes it so both the fructose and the sugar content overall doesn't have a negative effect on the body. Fructose in the context of fruit is not the evil that it is when processed. Fructose itself doesn't effect insulin at all, having a GI of 0. GI isn't a good indicator of the healthiness of a food. But really, fruit is great for you. The fiber nixes all the crap effects that processing results in. Eat 2-4 pieces a day and you'll feel better than ever. That's a promise.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Fructose itself doesn't effect insulin at all, having a GI of 0. GI isn't a good indicator of the healthiness of a food. But really, fruit is great for you. The fiber nixes all the crap effects that processing results in. Eat 2-4 pieces a day and you'll feel better than ever. That's a promise.

If fructose has a GI of 0, then why would all fruits not have a GI of 0 as well? If you look at this list of fruit's GI values link, some of them are quite high. If this is not coming from the fructose, then where is it coming from? I thought insulin was released in response to any sugar, not just glucose.

 

[KingGheedora]

Yes, fruit is good for you for the same reasons you and SociallyChallenged already mentioned. Most fruits have 1:1 ratio of glucose to fructose, which is why they don't have a GI of 0.

The wiki article on fructose has a table showing the amount of fructose and glucose in several fruits and vegetables.

The sugar contents of common fruits and vegetables are presented in Table 1. In general, in foods that contain free fructose, the ratio of fructose to glucose is approximately 1:1; that is, foods with fructose usually contain about an equal amount of free glucose. A value that is above 1 indicates a higher proportion of fructose to glucose, and below 1, a lower proportion. Some fruits have larger proportions of fructose to glucose compared to others. For example, apples and pears contain more than twice as much free fructose as glucose, while for apricots the proportion is less than half as much fructose as glucose.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: KingGheedora
Yes, fruit is good for you for the same reasons you and SociallyChallenged already mentioned. Most fruits have 1:1 ratio of glucose to fructose, which is why they don't have a GI of 0.

The wiki article on fructose has a table showing the amount of fructose and glucose in several fruits and vegetables.

The sugar contents of common fruits and vegetables are presented in Table 1. In general, in foods that contain free fructose, the ratio of fructose to glucose is approximately 1:1; that is, foods with fructose usually contain about an equal amount of free glucose. A value that is above 1 indicates a higher proportion of fructose to glucose, and below 1, a lower proportion. Some fruits have larger proportions of fructose to glucose compared to others. For example, apples and pears contain more than twice as much free fructose as glucose, while for apricots the proportion is less than half as much fructose as glucose.

Ah, OK. For some reason I was under the impression that the fructose was the only sugar found in fruits.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: KingGheedora
Yes, fruit is good for you for the same reasons you and SociallyChallenged already mentioned. Most fruits have 1:1 ratio of glucose to fructose, which is why they don't have a GI of 0.

The wiki article on fructose has a table showing the amount of fructose and glucose in several fruits and vegetables.

The sugar contents of common fruits and vegetables are presented in Table 1. In general, in foods that contain free fructose, the ratio of fructose to glucose is approximately 1:1; that is, foods with fructose usually contain about an equal amount of free glucose. A value that is above 1 indicates a higher proportion of fructose to glucose, and below 1, a lower proportion. Some fruits have larger proportions of fructose to glucose compared to others. For example, apples and pears contain more than twice as much free fructose as glucose, while for apricots the proportion is less than half as much fructose as glucose.

Ah, OK. For some reason I was under the impression that the fructose was the only sugar found in fruits.

Nope. Fructose is only a slight part of the fruit sugar. Fructose doesn't stimulate insulin release. There is only one transporter that actually uses insulin for glucose out of a pretty good amount. Eat fruit. It's good for you.

 

[JellyBaby]

Fruits are really good for you, many are packed with vitamin C and other nutrients as SC already said. It's best to buy fresh from the produce section and avoid canned fruits (if you buy canned, make sure the fruit is not packed in syrup because that means extra, unneeded sugar).

Some of the lowest glycemic index (GI) fruits: cherries, plums, grapefruit, peaches, and strawberries. Most fruits are under 70 though.

Also take time to wash/scrub fresh fruit to remove pesticide residues. I also buy a good share frozen and use it for fruit smoothies, flavoring water sometimes and just for snacks. You can also find some good deals on very fresh fruit at your local farmer's markets.

 

[Kaido]

Sugar is sugar. I don't care where it comes from. Fruit is better for you than a cookie, but it still has sugar in it. Fruit has vitamins and fiber and all that, but to say that the sugar doesn't matter is like stirring a teaspoon of dog poop into a gallon of ice cream and saying it doesn't matter, that the benefits outweigh the cons. Yes there are benefits, but if you're worried about sugar, just take that into consideration. With that said, yeah, fruit is good for you, so include it in your diet, just don't eat a ton of it and expect to be super-healthy. Look at all of the serious bodybuilder's diets - vastly more fruits, veggies, and complex carbs than fruits. The whole "I'm eating healthy because I'm eating a ton of fruit" thing is a joke because, aside from all the good stuff that comes in fruit, you're still putting a lot of sugar into your body. You have to be moderate about it.

I say sugar is sugar because I crash when I have medium or large amounts of sugar, even sugar from fruit. If I have like a whole piece of fruit or two with my breakfast, I'll get dozy, same as if I ate a cookie. To my body, it doesn't matter where it comes from. So yes, eat fruit. Just don't overdo it. Don't drink 3 fruit smoothies a day and think you're eating really healthy, because you've also just put in a lot of sugar into your tank. Not knocking the health benefits of fruit, just pointing out that it should be more of a...minor part of your diet than a focus like lean protein, complex carbs, good fats, etc.

Oh my gosh, this place has infected me. Quick, where's a twinkie...

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Kaido
Sugar is sugar. I don't care where it comes from. Fruit is better for you than a cookie, but it still has sugar in it. Fruit has vitamins and fiber and all that, but to say that the sugar doesn't matter is like stirring a teaspoon of dog poop into a gallon of ice cream and saying it doesn't matter, that the benefits outweigh the cons. Yes there are benefits, but if you're worried about sugar, just take that into consideration. With that said, yeah, fruit is good for you, so include it in your diet, just don't eat a ton of it and expect to be super-healthy. Look at all of the serious bodybuilder's diets - vastly more fruits, veggies, and complex carbs than fruits. The whole "I'm eating healthy because I'm eating a ton of fruit" thing is a joke because, aside from all the good stuff that comes in fruit, you're still putting a lot of sugar into your body. You have to be moderate about it.

I say sugar is sugar because I crash when I have medium or large amounts of sugar, even sugar from fruit. If I have like a whole piece of fruit or two with my breakfast, I'll get dozy, same as if I ate a cookie. To my body, it doesn't matter where it comes from. So yes, eat fruit. Just don't overdo it. Don't drink 3 fruit smoothies a day and think you're eating really healthy, because you've also just put in a lot of sugar into your tank. Not knocking the health benefits of fruit, just pointing out that it should be more of a...minor part of your diet than a focus like lean protein, complex carbs, good fats, etc.

Oh my gosh, this place has infected me. Quick, where's a twinkie...

I agree that everything should be eaten in moderation, but using bodybuilders as an example is a bad idea. Bodybuilders have extreme diets and are not normally as healthy as they could be because of it.

The thing I do with fruit is balance it with some sort of fat. I usually eat my banana or apple with peanut butter. I eat a pear with a cheese stick. I'll eat some grapes with a handful of raw sunflower seeds. That takes the edge off of it and slows digestion so the effects of the sugars are minimal while I still get the good vitamins and such. Maybe try that and you won't get so dozy. I say eat more fruit no matter what. People usually have a hard time eating too much fruit. Four pieces a day is great if you do it right.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Kaido
Sugar is sugar.

We have quite a few threads on this forum debating just this - glucose, fructose, sucrose, HFCS and the various combinations do not all have identical effects on your body. And when you take into account that the sugars can be "packaged" very differently - for example, surrounded with fiber as in fruit - not all sugar is really the same.

Originally posted by: Kaido
Look at all of the serious bodybuilder's diets - vastly more fruits, veggies, and complex carbs than fruits.

Heh. Bodybuilders are not great role models for healthy eating for the average joe. We're not all trying to dip below 8% bodyfat, so the same considerations don't apply.

Originally posted by: Kaido
The whole "I'm eating healthy because I'm eating a ton of fruit" thing is a joke because, aside from all the good stuff that comes in fruit, you're still putting a lot of sugar into your body. You have to be moderate about it.

No argument about eating things in moderation. Eating fruit alone is not going to work, just like eating just meat or just fat all day. However, there is no reason to avoid fruit and they offer plenty of benefits (vitamins, fiber, etc) to make them worthwhile. In fact, whole fruits are a much source of carbs/sugars than the all the processed crap most people eat.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: Kaido
Sugar is sugar. I don't care where it comes from. Fruit is better for you than a cookie, but it still has sugar in it. Fruit has vitamins and fiber and all that, but to say that the sugar doesn't matter is like stirring a teaspoon of dog poop into a gallon of ice cream and saying it doesn't matter, that the benefits outweigh the cons. Yes there are benefits, but if you're worried about sugar, just take that into consideration. With that said, yeah, fruit is good for you, so include it in your diet, just don't eat a ton of it and expect to be super-healthy. Look at all of the serious bodybuilder's diets - vastly more fruits, veggies, and complex carbs than fruits. The whole "I'm eating healthy because I'm eating a ton of fruit" thing is a joke because, aside from all the good stuff that comes in fruit, you're still putting a lot of sugar into your body. You have to be moderate about it.

I say sugar is sugar because I crash when I have medium or large amounts of sugar, even sugar from fruit. If I have like a whole piece of fruit or two with my breakfast, I'll get dozy, same as if I ate a cookie. To my body, it doesn't matter where it comes from. So yes, eat fruit. Just don't overdo it. Don't drink 3 fruit smoothies a day and think you're eating really healthy, because you've also just put in a lot of sugar into your tank. Not knocking the health benefits of fruit, just pointing out that it should be more of a...minor part of your diet than a focus like lean protein, complex carbs, good fats, etc.

Oh my gosh, this place has infected me. Quick, where's a twinkie...

I already get sufficient protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs, yet I still need more calories per day to reach my total. I like the taste of fruit and would rather eat a few pieces of fruit throughout the day to reach my caloric total as opposed to more oats, rice, vegetables, etc. I do see your point about people thinking they are "eating healthy" just because they eat some fruit.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: Kaido
Sugar is sugar. I don't care where it comes from. Fruit is better for you than a cookie, but it still has sugar in it. Fruit has vitamins and fiber and all that, but to say that the sugar doesn't matter is like stirring a teaspoon of dog poop into a gallon of ice cream and saying it doesn't matter, that the benefits outweigh the cons. Yes there are benefits, but if you're worried about sugar, just take that into consideration. With that said, yeah, fruit is good for you, so include it in your diet, just don't eat a ton of it and expect to be super-healthy. Look at all of the serious bodybuilder's diets - vastly more fruits, veggies, and complex carbs than fruits. The whole "I'm eating healthy because I'm eating a ton of fruit" thing is a joke because, aside from all the good stuff that comes in fruit, you're still putting a lot of sugar into your body. You have to be moderate about it.

I say sugar is sugar because I crash when I have medium or large amounts of sugar, even sugar from fruit. If I have like a whole piece of fruit or two with my breakfast, I'll get dozy, same as if I ate a cookie. To my body, it doesn't matter where it comes from. So yes, eat fruit. Just don't overdo it. Don't drink 3 fruit smoothies a day and think you're eating really healthy, because you've also just put in a lot of sugar into your tank. Not knocking the health benefits of fruit, just pointing out that it should be more of a...minor part of your diet than a focus like lean protein, complex carbs, good fats, etc.

Oh my gosh, this place has infected me. Quick, where's a twinkie...

I already get sufficient protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs, yet I still need more calories per day to reach my total. I like the taste of fruit and would rather eat a few pieces of fruit throughout the day to reach my caloric total as opposed to more oats, rice, vegetables, etc. I do see your point about people thinking they are "eating healthy" just because they eat some fruit.

I have no idea why Kaido is anti-fruit, but people who tend to eat fruit do tend to eat healthier than those who don't. Fruit is not exactly something most have to worry about.

 

[Kipper]

Originally posted by: Special K

I already get sufficient protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs, yet I still need more calories per day to reach my total. I like the taste of fruit and would rather eat a few pieces of fruit throughout the day to reach my caloric total as opposed to more oats, rice, vegetables, etc. I do see your point about people thinking they are "eating healthy" just because they eat some fruit.

You should see what some of the people I work with eat on a daily basis. In comparison to some of those diets, a few pieces of fruit a day can be like night and day.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
I have no idea why Kaido is anti-fruit, but people who tend to eat fruit do tend to eat healthier than those who don't. Fruit is not exactly something most have to worry about.

Oh, I'm not anti-fruit, just making the point that massive fruit intake doesn't necessarily equate to "healthy". I've actually got more than one friend who started eating a ton of fruit (as pretty much their ONLY earth-grown food intake), thinking it's healthy, but all they really did was up their sugar intake. All of them are still overweight. That's the point I meant to make

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Kipper

Originally posted by: Special K

I already get sufficient protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs, yet I still need more calories per day to reach my total. I like the taste of fruit and would rather eat a few pieces of fruit throughout the day to reach my caloric total as opposed to more oats, rice, vegetables, etc. I do see your point about people thinking they are "eating healthy" just because they eat some fruit.

You should see what some of the people I work with eat on a daily basis. In comparison to some of those diets, a few pieces of fruit a day can be like night and day.

Yeah...I call it "McDonalds Salad Syndrome" I had a few friends at my last job who would get wrapped up in the exciting idea of 'eating healthy!' and go down to McDonalds and buy a salad. Like once or twice a month. Eating one meal is not healthy haha. A different group all got into fruit...lots of fresh fruit! Farmer's market! Juicing! Blending whole juice! Fruit smoothies 2 or 3 times a day! All are still 30-50 pounds overweight.

I'm over-explaining this, haha. I was just going off on a tangent that too much fruit intake doesn't equal healthy, it really needs to be balanced. All done!

 

[KingGheedora]

Agree with you Kaido, and with SC and brikis as well. No one in the thread was advocating high fruit diets before you popped in, so it came off like you were anti fruit at first. But you're right, eating an abnormally high amount of fruit isn't that good for you. At least with fruit you'd be getting more fiber and nutrients than if you were eating a ton of stuff with refined sugars in it. It's just easier to over consume sugar from processed foods than it is to do so from fruits.

I have a friend who kind of has the same mindset that you describe in your co-workers. He's constantly asking if some food is good for you. Last time was "is hummus healthy?". It's a little bit annoying when people think certain foods are "good" and others are "bad", and then go on to overconsume the good -- eat a whole container of hummus with pretzels. "I thought pretzels were healthy though". I don't bother correcting people about this kind of thing unless they ask me for advice, which they never do. If people are receptive to advice they'd probably do research on their own anyways. They wouldn't listen if i volunteered tips to them. anyways, that's sort of beside the point. Fruit is not empty calories.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: KingGheedora
Agree with you Kaido, and with SC and brikis as well. No one in the thread was advocating high fruit diets before you popped in, so it came off like you were anti fruit at first. But you're right, eating an abnormally high amount of fruit isn't that good for you. At least with fruit you'd be getting more fiber and nutrients than if you were eating a ton of stuff with refined sugars in it. It's just easier to over consume sugar from processed foods than it is to do so from fruits.

I have a friend who kind of has the same mindset that you describe in your co-workers. He's constantly asking if some food is good for you. Last time was "is hummus healthy?". It's a little bit annoying when people think certain foods are "good" and others are "bad", and then go on to overconsume the good -- eat a whole container of hummus with pretzels. "I thought pretzels were healthy though". I don't bother correcting people about this kind of thing unless they ask me for advice, which they never do. If people are receptive to advice they'd probably do research on their own anyways. They wouldn't listen if i volunteered tips to them. anyways, that's sort of beside the point. Fruit is not empty calories.

Yeah...my other buddy does the fruit & veggie thing now, but typically eats out for 2 or 3 of his 3 daily meals. I have another one who got into the whole Acai berry thing...still doesn't eat too great, but drinks (and sells) Acai berry juice like it's going out of style lol. He's totally and completely convinced that it's made him super healthy because he's eating/drinking a "super food" every day

It's all about consistency...it's like having a cheat meal...I can have a "cheat" meal whenever I want, not just "once a week" or something, because I eat healthy the majority of the time. I was giving a lady at work the info on my diet and she was like okay, how many cheat days do I get over X time period, and can I do Y and Z and blah blah blah. Doesn't work that way, haha. It's not about exceptions, it's about making some general rules. As long as you follow them most of the time, and make them into habits, then it's fine. I haven't really seen that level of, ah, intensity or focus on specifics really work for anybody for an extended period of time, it just takes too much work to really do that every day.

Yeah sorry OP, didn't mean to sidetrack you thread :laugh:

 

[SP33Demon]

Fruit juice alone, like others have mentioned, is what you want to stay away from. Go for the actual fruit and you'll be fine. Apples, Oranges, cherries, strawberries, pears, plums, peaches, raisins are all tops on my list.

 

[Koing]

Fruit juice is worthless. If you want a fruit drink get a 100% fruit smoothie with no additives or eat fruit.

Koing

 

[shubh09]

Fruits, eaten raw or consumed as fresh juice are an excellent way to retain and balance moisture level in a body. The low level of sodium in fruits plays an important role for people who avail of salt free diet. Fruits like apple, lemon, orange and pomegranate aid in proper functioning of the heart. Nutrients in apple, date and mangoes sharpens memory, prevents exhaustion, hysteria, insomnia and mental tension.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: shubh09
Fruits, eaten raw or consumed as fresh juice are an excellent way to retain and balance moisture level in a body. The low level of sodium in fruits plays an important role for people who avail of salt free diet. Fruits like apple, lemon, orange and pomegranate aid in proper functioning of the heart. Nutrients in apple, date and mangoes sharpens memory, prevents exhaustion, hysteria, insomnia and mental tension.

Actually, fruit juice is just like drinking a soda practically. It is processed sugar essentially. It is not a good way to get your hydration. It is a good way to get your liver messed up and to screw with your metabolism though.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Just a moment, are you all suggesting Tom Selleck telling me about the wonders of Florida Orange Juice is lying?

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: shubh09
Fruits, eaten raw or consumed as fresh juice are an excellent way to retain and balance moisture level in a body. The low level of sodium in fruits plays an important role for people who avail of salt free diet. Fruits like apple, lemon, orange and pomegranate aid in proper functioning of the heart. Nutrients in apple, date and mangoes sharpens memory, prevents exhaustion, hysteria, insomnia and mental tension.

Actually, fruit juice is just like drinking a soda practically. It is processed sugar essentially. It is not a good way to get your hydration. It is a good way to get your liver messed up and to screw with your metabolism though.

How is 100% pure fresh fruit juice much different from consuming the actual fruit? I can understand the pre-processed, sugar-added fruit drinks that are sold at the grocery store, but is pure fruit juice really bad for you? I assume that putting whole fruit in a blender with a smoothie doesn't change the nutritional content of the fruit.

 

[KingGheedora]

Throwing a fruit in the blender is creating a smoothie, not 100% juice. With the juice alone you aren't getting the fiber, and probably some other nutrients are left in the fruit as well. 1 glass of OJ is equivalent to 8 or 9 oranges. No one eats that many oranges. So it's much easier to get a higher dose of sugar from juice than it is from eating the actual fruit.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: shubh09
Fruits, eaten raw or consumed as fresh juice are an excellent way to retain and balance moisture level in a body. The low level of sodium in fruits plays an important role for people who avail of salt free diet. Fruits like apple, lemon, orange and pomegranate aid in proper functioning of the heart. Nutrients in apple, date and mangoes sharpens memory, prevents exhaustion, hysteria, insomnia and mental tension.

Actually, fruit juice is just like drinking a soda practically. It is processed sugar essentially. It is not a good way to get your hydration. It is a good way to get your liver messed up and to screw with your metabolism though.

How is 100% pure fresh fruit juice much different from consuming the actual fruit? I can understand the pre-processed, sugar-added fruit drinks that are sold at the grocery store, but is pure fruit juice really bad for you? I assume that putting whole fruit in a blender with a smoothie doesn't change the nutritional content of the fruit.

If you put it in the blender and drink the whole thing, you include the fiber that was in the fruit. However, if you use a sort of juicer that removes all the fiber/pulp, then that results in a sugar drink. It has vitamins and antioxidants, sure; but it's not any better than Gatorade in reference to the effects of the sugars on your body. So yes, I will tell you 100% pure fresh fruit juice is not good for you. It lacks the fiber that helps slow digestion, which makes the metabolism of the fructose less harsh. It doesn't dump a whole bump of VLDLs into your bloodstream. It slows it and times it a bit better, making a much more moderate response.