Too much of a good thing? The Scoop on Fruit & Weight Loss Plateaus!

Many people have asked me if fruit can contribute to weight gain or if too much fruit is a bad thing.  The short answer is yes; eating too much of anything will cause weight gain or prevent weight loss- fruit is no exception. Fruits and vegetables, which are higher in water and fiber and lower in calories than other foods, are less likely to cause weight gain or prevent weight loss, as you would have to eat much larger portions to consume too many calories. However, fruit has almost three times the calories per serving as non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, and asparagus, so it is easier to consume too many fruit calories, which can interfere with weight loss, especially if you are battling to loose those last 5-15 pounds or have hit a pleateau.  Let's face it, it is easy to over-indulge on fruit for several reasons; it is sweet, it tastes good, and because so many people in our culture consume little to no fresh fruit and it is touted with many health benefits; we often think if a little is good, then more must be best.  Eating fruit daily can be great for your health, but just like anything, too much can be counter-productive to your weight loss plans.  Many people on weight loss meal plans, think of fruit as a "free food", meaning they can have unlimited quantities without measurable impact on weight loss, and are unknowingly consuming up to 250-500 extra calories a day, which could prevent them from losing one pound of fat every two weeks- this becomes critical when you are battling the dreaded plateaus that happen to all of us!  Consider limiting your fruit servings to a maximum of three per day to break through your weight loss plateau, while at the same time increasing your intake of non-starchy vegetables to combat hunger.  For example, if you have hit a weight loss plateau and your routine is a morning snack of 2 cups mixed fruit salad, try 1/2 cup of strawberries on a bed of spinach with just a dash of balsamic vinegar.   Also, be sure that your serving sizes are correct, and that you are not eating even more than you realize. One serving of fruit is roughly equal to approximately ½ cup, but serving sizes vary.   In addition, for weight loss, try to stick with fresh or frozen fruit only. Skip the dried fruit, fruit cups and fruit juice, all of which are higher in calories or lower in fiber and easier to over-consume. Regarding sugar, while the sugar in fruit, known as fructose, is healthier than refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup, it still contains the same number of calories per serving (4 calories per gram) so again, it cannot be consumed in unlimited quantities if you are watching your weight.

That brings us to the the glycemic index.  This is an often referred to scale in weight loss, but often misunderstood. The Glycemic Index (GI) is a numerical scale used to indicate how fast and how high a particular food can raise our blood glucose (blood sugar) level. A food with a low GI will typically prompt a moderate rise in blood glucose, while a food with a high GI may cause our blood glucose level to increase above the optimal level. An awareness of foods' Glycemic Index can help you control your blood sugar levels, and by doing so, may help you prevent heart disease, improve cholesterol levels, prevent insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes, prevent certain cancers, and achieve or maintain a healthy weight.

A substantial amount of research suggests a low GI diet provides significant health benefits. So, it's worth taking a look at the basic principles of a low GI way of eating. The value can vary slightly from person to person and from one type or brand of food and another. Despite this slight variation the index provide a good guide to which foods you should be eating and which foods to avoid. Your body performs best when your blood sugar is kept relatively constant. If your blood sugar drops too low, you become lethargic and/or experience increased hunger. And if it goes too high, your brain signals your pancreas to secrete more insulin. Insulin brings your blood sugar back down, but primarily by converting the excess sugar to stored fat. Also, the greater the rate of increase in your blood sugar, the more chance that your body will release an excess amount of insulin, and drive your blood sugar back down too low.Therefore, when you eat foods that cause a large and rapid glycemic response, you may feel an initial elevation in energy and mood as your blood sugar rises, but this is followed by a cycle of increased fat storage, lethargy, and more hunger- sometimes referred to the sugar high and sugar crash!  This often leads to a condition called metabolic syndrome.  Although increased fat storage may sound bad enough, individuals with diabetes (diabetes mellitus, types 1 and 2) have an even worse problem. Their bodies inability to secrete or process insulin causes their blood sugar to rise too high, leading to a host of additional medical problems.The theory behind the Glycemic Index is simply to minimize insulin-related problems by identifying and avoiding foods that have the greatest effect on your blood sugar. There are times, however, when high glyceic index foods are diserable.  For example, for non-diabetics, after strenuous physical activity (such as distance running, swimming, or prolonged cardiovascualr exercise), insulin also helps move glucose into muscle cells, where it aids tissue repair. Because of this, some coaches and physical trainers recommend high-GI foods (such as sports drinks) immediately after exercise to speed recovery.

 The glycemic index range is as follows:

 Low GI = 55 or less Medium GI = 56 - 69 High GI = 70 or more

 Glycemic index levels range from 0 to 100. Pure sugar has a glycemic index of 100, while water has a glycemic index of 0. A glycemic index over 70 is considered high, while foods from 56 to 69 have a medium glycemic index. In general, those following a GI diet try to eat a majority of foods with a glycemic index under 55. This prevents dramatic fluctuations in blood sugar levels following a meal. So let's look at some fruits and how they rank on the gylcemic index scale.  Remember, this score is for one serving of each given fruit:

Food             Cherries, 20 medium	GI Value 22
Grapefruit, 1 whole	25
Prunes, pitted 4 medium	29
Apricots, dried, 8 halves Blackberries, 1 cup	30 32
Apple (medium size)	38
Peach, canned in juice	38
Pear, fresh (small)	38
Plums, 3 medium	39
Strawberries & Raspberries, 1 cup	40
Orange, Navel (medium)	42
Peach, fresh (1 large)	42
Pear, canned	43
Grapes, 25 small	46
Mango, 1/2 cup	51
Banana, 1 small	52
Fruit Cocktail, 1/2 cup	55
Papaya, 1-1/2 cup	56
Raisins, 3 TBSP	56
Apricots, fresh, 4 medium	57
Kiwi, just ripened, 2 medium	58
Figs, dried, 2 medium	61
Apricots, canned	64
Cantaloupe	65
Pineapple, fresh, 1/2 cup	66
Watermelon, 1/20 melon	72
Dates, dried, 4 medium	103

 

Eating fresh fruit is certainly an important part of any healthy meal plan as fresh fruits are rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and many other important health boosting components.  They do have a place in your weight loss plan, but they can be a significant contributor of sugar and calories if you treating them as a "free food" that can be consume in unlimited quantities.