We keep letting ourselves get confused over the simplest things. For example, is it possible to eat too much fruit? I bet that deep down you know the right answer. But too many bad media headlines have you doubting yourself.
The short answer: no, there is no such thing as too much fruit! Now for the long answer…
There’s No Such Thing As “Too Much”
Even at TWENTY servings per day, there are no adverse health effects of eating a lot of fruit. Eating more fruit will probably force you to crowd out less healthy choices because all that fiber and water will fill you up!
More Fruit Might Save Your Life
I’m sure I don’t need to list all the benefits of fruit. You know it’s really, really good for you, right? If you are interested, read more here.
The Sugar in Fruit is Not The Problem
Maybe you worry about fruit because of all the recent hype about fructose (a type of sugar). If so, you are not alone. Let’s clear up this dangerous confusion: natural fructose from whole fruit is NOT the problem. Industrial fructose, found in soda, table sugar, and other high fructose corn syrup-containing products, is the type you should avoid.
The Problem is “Not Enough” Instead of “Too Much”
The average American eats less than half the recommended amount of fruit each day. (In other words, most of us have a long way to go before we should worry about overdoing it). The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommended a minimum of just ONE serving of fruit per day, and 75% of Americans weren’t even doing that! Just like our unwarranted obsession with not enough protein, our obsession with too much is also completely unwarranted.
The Bottom Line
When you sense that you might be getting lost in the weeds, pull yourself out and look at the big picture. Is fruit really the problem? If you are struggling with a chronic disease or health issue, do you think that less fruit is truly the answer? I think you’ll find that you already know the answer. But villainizing fruit makes a pretty catchy media headline, doesn’t it?
