Does FRUITS make you FAT?

 

Fruits are loaded with nutrients, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and low in fat and calories that contribute to health (eg. decreasing health risks such as heart disease) and possibly retard aging. However, its high sugar content can definitely work against your weight loss progress if large quantities are ingested over an extended period.

 

The sugar in fruit (fructose) yields calories to your diet, but since you need calories to survive, it is still a very good choice. Weight gain occurs when calories consumed are more than those expended. Although many fruits are low in calories, eating a large volume of fruits together with other foods in your normal diet can cause caloric intake to rise if not burned off. The body is unable to identify the source of calories and treat all equally. Fructose is healthier than refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup, containing the same number of calories per serving (4 calories per gram).

 

Similar to galactose and glucose, fructose is a single unit of sugars and starches, belonging to the monosaccharides family. Upon entering the small intestine, it is channeled to the portal vein, and reaches the liver to be processed as blood glucose for circulation in the bloodstream.

 

In general, our bodies utilise glucose in three ways -

 

+ For energy production immediately;

+ When not in use, it is converted into glycogen in the liver or muscles;

- The liver has the capacity to store 100 grams of glycogen, ready for use for the whole body. It is able to make glycogen from fructose, lactate, glycerol, alanine and other three-carbon metabolites.

- The muscles have the necessary enzymes to convert glucose into glycogen and can store between 250-400 grams of glycogen, depending on muscle mass and physical condition. This is only for supply of energy to muscles.

+ When all of the glycogen stores are full, any surplus glucose is converted to fat by the liver and stored as adipose tissue (body-fat) anywhere in the body. Note that fatty acids can be burned as fuel but the fat cannot be converted back to glucose. As fat does not raise insulin levels, it begets a low glycemic response in most instances.

 

“Good” and “Bad” fruits

 

What is Bad?

* Dried fruits. The drying process concentrates the sugar. Forgo dried cranberries and raisins for this reason.

* Tropical fruits. Fruits such as mango and guava tend to have a higher glycemic load — containing high carbohydrates and sugar.

* Fruit juice. Generally, all of the fiber and most of the nutrients have been stripped out in the production process.

* Fried fruits. Fried desserts feature high up on the list of worst foods to eat when you are dipping something in batter that is already high in sugar and fat, and then deep frying it. Avoid pineapple and banana fritters as the layer of batter and the sugary syrup make them fattening.

 

What is good?

* Low-sugar fruits. Examples are avocado, olives, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, apricots and peaches.

* Canned or frozen fruits are good options when fresh produce is not available. However, be careful to choose those without added sugar, syrup, cream sauces or other ingredients that add calories.

 

Other considerations

+ Any food that contains sugar enhances insulin signaling and could theoretically accelerate aging. As insulin is necessary for survival, eating a diet that minimizes insulin signaling is the best way to lose weight and stay healthy. If you incorporate a healthy lifestyle (one that includes fruit) there is no such fear. Also note that fruit slows aging because of its high levels of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

+ Fruit should be part of a well-balanced diet that also consists of vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, beans and healthy fats. Although nutritious, eating too much fruits could lead to weight gain if you exceeded a healthy daily caloric intake. Note that fruit has almost three times the calories per serving as non-starchy vegetables, so it is easier to consume too many fruit calories.

+ Over-eating fruit is more of a concern for people who are overweight or have diabetes and need to reduce or monitor caloric content. For most people who are not overweight, the benefits outweighed any risks from eating more of it.

 

VIVA Corner

If you are not getting them from the diet outlined, then you definitely need to supplement.

VIVA Biofruity – prepared from pomegranate juice and beetroot, is packed with Vitamin B1, B12, folate and niacin to boost energy and reduce stress, and Vitamin C that helps in absorption of iron. With only 30 calorie per serving this refreshing drink is great for people on weight-management program.

 

An ingredient, ribose present in it is a simple carbohydrate that yields energy. One serving of this delicious drink supplies 80% of the RDI for Vitamin C and 40% of the RDI for an array of energizing B-vitamins, as well as a proprietary blend of super antioxidants (eg. grape seed extract, green tea extract, Vitis vinifera extract) and energy boosting nutrients.

HemoBerry is a VIVA powdered drink supplement specifically designed for building healthy red blood cells.

It contains a balanced formula of blood-building nutrition including:

+ Natural Iron (ferrous lactate) for optimum production of hemoglobin and gives a radiant, rosy complexion.
+ Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) to optimize iron absorption.
+ B Vitamins (B6, B12, B5), folic acid and pantothenic acid for enzymatic activity for proper iron utilization and formation of red blood cells.
+ Natural Fruit powders and extracts from cranberry, rosehips, acerola, beetroot and lemon – loaded with phytonutrients and add with natural berries flavours like blueberry and blackberry for delicious taste, natural color and antioxidant power.