<p>The proverb “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” supports the folk wisdom that consumption of fruits has identifiable health benefits. But what happens when you eat a dozen apples? You call the doctor right away. Consumption of fruits in excess and beyond moderation is what is called over-fruiting. So, is it bad for your health to eat a lot of fruits?</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Sugar rush</strong></p>.<p>Although consumption of a lot of fruits in adults is encouraged as long as it is a part of a healthy diet, one often forgets that fruits contain fructose — sugar for the layman. And it is no secret that sugar in excess is harmful to you, and that’s the main concern. No denying that fruits pack fibre as well, but they also lack essentials required for a balanced nutrition.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Smoothies & juices</strong></p>.<p>A popular way of consuming fruits is through juices. But is it a healthy way? Probably not. When fruit is consumed in juice format, one loses out on the fruit fibre and other antioxidants and phytonutrients that are bound to fibre. In case of smoothies, you blend the entire fruit retaining the essentials, although you will still get that peak in your insulin. But to be honest, both of these processes either remove or destroy the stringy bits of insoluble fibre that help limit the rapid absorption of sugar in the small intestine.</p>.<p><strong>Magic of two</strong></p>.<p>How much fruit should one consume? Fruits are included in a healthy diet as they pack fewer calories. But like any other food, fruits too can be binged upon and that leads to caloric excess, which will in the long run lead to weight gain. One shouldn’t go beyond two cups of whole fruit in a day as it is sufficient to provide you with the necessary energy for the day as it packs in moderate sugar and essential nutrients.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Pair it up</strong></p>.<p>Fruits by themselves consist of fibre, sugars, and few essential nutrients. But on its own, the nutritional value of fruits is too low. Pair your fruits with carbs, protein or fat-based foods to get balanced nutrition for healthy development of the body. Also, pairing up fruits with other foods slows down the insulin spike as opposed to just fruit based diet. Popular options for pairing fruits include milk, yoghurt, oats, muesli, nuts and seeds.</p>.<p><strong>Diarrhoea</strong></p>.<p>Heavy fruit consumption comes with some downsides. Unsupervised and excess of whole fruits may give you diarrhoea. So the next time you go binge-eating on your favourite fruits, be prepared for a terrible morning the day after.</p>.<p><em><span class="italic">(The author is adviser, integrative lifestyle<br />& nutrition, Purenutrition.me)</span></em></p>
<p>The proverb “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” supports the folk wisdom that consumption of fruits has identifiable health benefits. But what happens when you eat a dozen apples? You call the doctor right away. Consumption of fruits in excess and beyond moderation is what is called over-fruiting. So, is it bad for your health to eat a lot of fruits?</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Sugar rush</strong></p>.<p>Although consumption of a lot of fruits in adults is encouraged as long as it is a part of a healthy diet, one often forgets that fruits contain fructose — sugar for the layman. And it is no secret that sugar in excess is harmful to you, and that’s the main concern. No denying that fruits pack fibre as well, but they also lack essentials required for a balanced nutrition.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Smoothies & juices</strong></p>.<p>A popular way of consuming fruits is through juices. But is it a healthy way? Probably not. When fruit is consumed in juice format, one loses out on the fruit fibre and other antioxidants and phytonutrients that are bound to fibre. In case of smoothies, you blend the entire fruit retaining the essentials, although you will still get that peak in your insulin. But to be honest, both of these processes either remove or destroy the stringy bits of insoluble fibre that help limit the rapid absorption of sugar in the small intestine.</p>.<p><strong>Magic of two</strong></p>.<p>How much fruit should one consume? Fruits are included in a healthy diet as they pack fewer calories. But like any other food, fruits too can be binged upon and that leads to caloric excess, which will in the long run lead to weight gain. One shouldn’t go beyond two cups of whole fruit in a day as it is sufficient to provide you with the necessary energy for the day as it packs in moderate sugar and essential nutrients.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Pair it up</strong></p>.<p>Fruits by themselves consist of fibre, sugars, and few essential nutrients. But on its own, the nutritional value of fruits is too low. Pair your fruits with carbs, protein or fat-based foods to get balanced nutrition for healthy development of the body. Also, pairing up fruits with other foods slows down the insulin spike as opposed to just fruit based diet. Popular options for pairing fruits include milk, yoghurt, oats, muesli, nuts and seeds.</p>.<p><strong>Diarrhoea</strong></p>.<p>Heavy fruit consumption comes with some downsides. Unsupervised and excess of whole fruits may give you diarrhoea. So the next time you go binge-eating on your favourite fruits, be prepared for a terrible morning the day after.</p>.<p><em><span class="italic">(The author is adviser, integrative lifestyle<br />& nutrition, Purenutrition.me)</span></em></p>