Fruit is so much more than nature’s sweet treat, they are packed with essential vitamins and nutrients, it would be almost sinful to deem them unhealthy, or would it?
BUT…
Over the last 12,000 years or so we have taken fruit and created monsters out of them, cross breeding fruits into bigger, sweeter and juicer foods than their original ancestors.
In the early 1800’s we began refining sugar to create treats and so the sweet tooth began. Fast forward a few hundred years and we are suffering from chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and gut dysbiosis to name a few….
Many non-organic fruits are sprayed with glyphosate, an extremely dangerous herbicide. They are waxed and dunked into chemicals to control ripening for exportation and extended shelf life. We are no longer fueling our body, we are damaging not our guts, our organs and minds too.
How to choose the best fruits for you:
Choose organic when you can and even better, choose local- Here is a list of the dirty dozen ( Always choose organic) and the clean fifteen ( deemed as safe):
If you happen to suffer from:
- Diabetes: You want to eat fruits with a higher glycemic index in moderation: Pineapple, Mango, Bananas, Grapes, Watermelon. ( Dried fruit too)
- Kidney disease: You want to watch out for your potassium intake. Fruits high in potassium: Guava, Kiwi, Bananas, Cantaloup, pomegranate, apricots, honey dew melon, cherries, papaya, plums, dried apricots.
- High cholesterol: And you are taking statins ( or blood thinners) to lower cholesterol, you cannot have grapefruit.
- Gout: You will want to avoid fruits high in fructose such as apples, pears, watermelon, grapes, mango, banana, pineapple.
- IBS: You will also want to avoid fruits high in fructose as this may aggravate symptoms.
You can’t go wrong with berries but especially dark berries like, blackberries, blueberries even currents because they are high in anthocyanin’s which have incredible protective benefits! They are powerful antioxidants, they protect cognitive decline and boast anti-inflammatory properties. Berries are also low in sugar which is ideal for most people.
We should be consuming fruit everyday as mother nature intended, never shy away! Find fruits that work for you!
If you need any guidance or have questions about your diet, please reach out and book a discovery call.