Are All Fruits Created Equally? #FedUpChallenge
/Fruits provide many essential nutrients, but not all fruits are created equally. The domestication of fruits has led to the production of larger, sweeter fruits with lower fiber content. As you watch your sugar intake over the next ten days, try to be aware of the sugar content of the different varieties of fruit you consume.
Low sugar fruits include all berries, avocados, apricots, cantaloupe, sour cherries, figs, grapefruit, guava, lemons, limes, olives, oranges, peaches, plums and watermelons. Fruits lower in sugar tend to grow well in temperate or sub-tropical regions. Berries are a great choice, as they are especially low in sugar, and packed with antioxidants - molecules which neutralize harmful free radicals in the body.
High sugar fruits include apples, bananas, sweet cherries, dates, grapes, kiwis, mangoes, pears, pineapples and pomegranates. Of these, pineapple is a good option because although its overall sugar content is high, its fructose content is quite low. Pineapple also contains bromelain, which acts as a natural anti-inflammatory.
Try to stick to no more than three servings of low sugar fruits, or two servings of high sugar fruits daily. The fatty fruits - avocados and olives - are exceptions, and can be consumed liberally, as they contain minimal sugars and provide healthy sources of fat. Be sure to eat local, organic fruit whenever possible to minimize the pesticides you take into your body. For current rankings of pesticide levels in produce, see the EWG's Dirty Dozen/ Clean Fifteen: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list.php
#FedUpChallenge
See tomorrow’s blog to learn how the body metabolizes fructose compared to glucose.
