Fruit
and Fat Loss
I've
found most people who seek fat loss to be shocked by firstly,
the negative impact simple sugar has upon fat release, and
secondly by the amount of simple sugars they are ingesting.
They're amazed when they find that the fat free cookies are
loaded with sugar, or that the fat free yogurt with flavoring
has more sugar than some candy bars. I always get a bit of
a knee jerk reaction when I bring up fruit.
I
want to make this abundantly clear. Fruits are healthy! They're
very very healthy! They are rich in micronutrients, vitamins
and minerals. They're loaded with phytochemicals and antioxidants
that ward off disease. They have important fiber and they're
water dense. Yes, from a health standpoint
fruits are wonderful. They are also the natural foods that
will give you the quickest energy boost. Why? Well, because
they create a blood sugar spike.
While fruits are in
fact nutritionally valuable, the simple sugars in fruit can
interrupt fat release just as the simple sugars in ice cream,
jello, or sweetened cola. Many people trying to lose weight
seek to go "low calorie" and since fruits are water
dense, their calorie content is relatively low. A fruit salad
for lunch is standard fare for someone on a diet, and it's
a great way to lock in stored bodyfat.
I mentioned that there's
a knee jerk reaction when I suggest that people trying to
lose fat minimize intake of fruit. "But fruit sugar (fructose)
is natural sugar." That is true. If you think about it
though, the sugar that comes in those little packets that
you put in your coffee come from sugar cane. Sugar cane, in
its raw form, is a combination of vitamins, minerals, fiber,
water, and sugar. Couldn't we say the same thing about fruit?
I'm not saying never
eat fruit, but I am asking you to develop an awareness and
make better choices whenever possible. I'm encouraging people
seeking fat loss to include a fibrous vegetable in every meal,
along with a starchy carb and a lean source of protein. Veggies
are, as fruit, extremely high in those health protecting micronutrients.
It's best to vary your vegetable intake including as many
variations as possible in the course of a day.
If you are seeking
fat loss, and you're apprehensive about cutting back on fruit,
you'd be better off consuming a piece of fruit with a protein.
The protein slows the release of the sugars. In other words,
while a handful of berries might result in a dramatic blood
sugar spike, the spike can be lessened if the fruits are consumed
mixed into some low fat cottage cheese or fat-free yogurt.
Personally, I love
fruit. I eat lots of veggies and when I'm trying to get as
lean as possible I limit my fruit intake to one meal a day,
never consuming fruit by itself. Just don't fall into the
trap of believing that a glass of orange juice for breakfast,
a fruit salad for lunch, an apple as a snack, and a banana
before bed offers a strategy for fat loss.
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