You're missing out on an orchard full of excellent nutrition—vitamins, minerals, fiber, flavonoids, polyphenols, and other unfamiliar-sounding compounds that are incredibly beneficial for you—if your idea of fruit is sugar-coated Froot Loops or a bottle of 5% "genuine fruit juice." When the fruit bowl on your kitchen counter is empty, you're also setting yourself up for some undesirable side effects.
Fruit is a delicious delight, which could be why you're avoiding it—fructose, or natural sugar, as a sweetener. Bad. Right? Not in the least. Maybe you don't eat fruit because you think it's too pricey or spoils too soon, and it's not worth your time or money to include it on your shopping list. But let us show you how mistaken you are.
Fruit is an antioxidant-rich, high-fiber superfood. Every day, the American Heart Association suggests consuming four to five servings of fruit. According to the American Cancer Society's nutrition guidelines for cancer prevention, fruits (and vegetables) should be included with every meal and snack.
Why is there such a focus on fruit? Because research suggests that when your body is unable to reproduce, it may undergo undesirable alterations. According to nutritionists, here are some of the negative consequences of making fruit illegal.
1. Increase in Body Weight
When you eliminate an entire food group, such as fruit, you risk replacing it with less nutritious. This is a fantastic alternative if you're stocking up on vegetables rather than fruit. What if there isn't enough fresh fruit to satisfy your hunger, and you end up at a fast-food drive-thru?
Fruit is excellent for weight loss for more reasons than just the fact that it replaces terrible foods. Fruit is high in water and fiber, both of which help us feel satisfied and prevent overeating. Researchers tested how eating an apple, applesauce, or apple juice before a meal affected fullness in a study published in Appetite. Because of the fiber in the solid fruit, eating the apple before lunch lowered food intake by 15%, or around 187 calories, and affected satiety considerably more than the pureed fruit or the juice.
2. Muscle Pain
Do you know how your muscles feel 12 to 48 hours after heavy exercise? DOMS. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is an acronym for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. You could make your DOMS worse and stay longer if you avoid eating fruit (for example, if you're on a low-carb keto diet and don't even eat low-carb fruits).
Berries and cherries appear to be the best fruits for minimizing DOMS. Blueberries effectively reduced inflammation and exercise-induced muscle damage following a vigorous leg workout, according to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. In the study, ten women consumed a blueberry smoothie or a placebo 5 to 10 hours before a workout and then again 12 to 36 hours afterwards. Researchers discovered that the blueberry smoothie expedited muscle recovery to normal strength by assessing blood biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity up to 60 hours after exercise, with a faster drop in oxidative stress occurring at 36 hours post-exercise. According to other studies published in Antioxidants in Sports Nutrition studies involving runners, Tart cherry juice reduces post-run muscle discomfort, delays tiredness, and enhances muscle repair.
3. Hypoglycemia
Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, during exercise, can cause fatigue and lightheadedness. By eliminating fruit, you're missing out on one of the simplest and quickest ways to replenish the fuel (glycogen) in your muscles, which you'll need to keep going strong during your workout. Fruits are high in healthy carbs, making them an excellent source of rapid energy that won't leave you bloated when you start exercising. Fresh fruit also contains fiber, so it's less likely to produce blood sugar spikes and crashes.
4. Strong Cravings
Sweet cravings are a fascinating and frequently neglected side effect of not eating enough fruit. Chocolate cravings are a good example, according to Trista Best, RD, a registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements. "Magnesium is abundant in chocolate, as well as fruits like bananas and avocado. You will crave chocolate if your body is deficient in magnesium." Fruit includes micronutrients and plant components that the body requires for good health and function. "We could be creating a vitamin shortfall if we don't get these nutrients from fruit," she explains, which can lead to desires for less healthful meals.
5. Exercise-Induced Respiratory Problems
According to Antioxidants in Sports Nutrition studies, athletes on a barren diet may have more respiratory difficulties, including worsening exercise-induced asthma. According to the findings, athletes who consume a high-antioxidant diet may be protected from airway inflammation caused by training and pollution. Those powerful inflammation-fighting antioxidants can also be found in veggies. However, experts advocate eating a wide array of whole foods—both fruits and vegetables—to acquire the most variety of nutrients.
6. An Unhealthy Stomach
Your gut is filled with bacteria, both beneficial and dangerous, that have an impact on your digestive and immune systems. Your gut microbiota can become unbalanced if you don't receive enough fiber and plant-based vitamins called polyphenols from fruits and vegetables. According to scientists, many ailments and diseases, including allergies, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and obesity, are linked to disrupting this precise microbiota balance. It is, however, simple to rebalance your stomach. In one study, women who ate two apples every day for two weeks rose the number of beneficial bacteria in their intestines. The researchers attribute the enhanced microbiota to pectin contained in apple peel.
7. Gas, bloating, constipation, and other digestive issues
Gastrointestinal disorders ranging from nausea to reflux, when gastric acids irritate the esophagus, are all possible adverse effects of having your gut microbiome overrun by harmful bacteria due to not consuming fruit fiber. "In the intestines, fruit fiber serves as a prebiotic by feeding the healthy gut bacteria," adds Best. Too many harmful bacteria in the body can cause gas, bloating, constipation, and even chronic inflammation, which can harm your immune system and cardiovascular health. However, "as little as two servings of fruit each day can ameliorate many of these concerns and improve general health and well-being," according to Best. If you don't like fruit, she recommends pairing a banana with peanut butter, making a smoothie with various berries, or eating baked apples with cinnamon.
8. High Blood Pressure & Muscle Cramps
These two issues may appear unconnected, yet low potassium levels in the body can exacerbate them both. Potassium relaxes blood vessels, decreases blood pressure, lessens the risk of stroke, and prevents muscle cramping. Potassium is abundant in fruits. Bananas, oranges, melons, grapefruit, and dried fruits like prunes and dates provide the most nutrients. If you don't receive enough potassium from fruits, you'll need to consume many veggies to acquire enough of this essential vitamin. According to research in the United Kingdom, another component of select fruits, flavan-3-ols, a group of molecules that promote vascular function, can help decrease blood pressure. Apples, grapes, pears, and berries provide the most nutrition.
9. Aging Skin
If you don't eat fruit, you're missing out on antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for skin health. "Imagine not eating berries, which are high in Vitamin C and aid with collagen repair and immunity," explains Vanessa Rissetto, RD, registered dietitian nutritionist and co-founder of Culina Health. Collagen is a protein that provides structure and plumpness to your skin.
Despite being a proponent of fresh fruit, Rissetto advises caution: "I think when WW assigned 0 points to fruit, it gave the impression that you could eat as much fruit as you wanted without it having an impact," she says. "However, too much fruit may cause blood sugar problems, so we're just trying to figure out how fruit impacts our blood sugar and how to keep our glucose levels stable when we eat it."