Fruit is often considered one of the healthiest foods, and there is widespread encouragement to eat more of it. However, extreme diet trends have emerged in recent years that place fruit at opposite ends of the food divide, challenging the narrative that all fruit is generally “healthy.”
For people on a no-sugar, low-carb, ketogenic diet, most fruits are not suitable, while raw food vegans may eat mostly fruits.
“Fruit has been a trending topic when it comes to nutrition for quite some time now,” registered dietitian and nutritionist Sarah Keathley of Top Nutrition Coaching told Newsweek.
“Many claim that fruit is not healthy, while others claim that a diet consisting only of raw fruit has enormous health benefits.
“Let’s get this straight once and for all. Fruit is healthy and should be eaten in a balanced diet. It provides many essential benefits, such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.”
Keathley said Newsweek that potassium and folic acid in fruits can help nerves and cells in the body function and help tissues grow.
She said antioxidants – beneficial compounds that calm inflammation in the body – such as vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids and polyphenols can reduce the risk of many diseases and aid the body’s recovery and healing process. She added that fruits are an important source of fibre, which supports the body’s digestive system for good gut health.
Despite the general health benefits of eating fruit, the experts we spoke to agree that: Newsweek agreed that some types of fruit are less healthy than others.
“Grapes, bananas, mangoes and pineapples are all high in sugar, compared to berries and plums, which tend to be lower in sugar,” said licensed nutritional therapist Alli Godbold of Feed Your Health Newsweek.
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She added that because all fruits contain some sugar, they are “probably best eaten at meals with other foods, rather than as stand-alone snacks” to avoid spiking blood sugar levels. Blood sugar swings can increase the risk of certain diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes.
Holistic nutritionist Nicole Taylor, a lecturer at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, agrees: “Tropical fruits like pineapple and banana often cause a higher glucose spike.
“This is due to the higher carbohydrate content relative to fiber… For those looking to optimize their blood sugar control (which I recommend for most people), I typically recommend no more than half a banana per day.”
Taylor says that instead of adding bananas to smoothies, people who are concerned about their blood sugar levels can use avocados. They make their drinks creamier, but don’t add any sugar.
“In terms of fruit portion sizes, I recommend limiting tropical fruit consumption to a few times per week,” Taylor says.
Tropical fruits are high in sugar and nutritionists advise limiting their consumption. However, this does not apply to all fruits. There was one category that was enthusiastically recommended by all three nutritionists.
“Berries top the list of healthiest fruits to consume regularly,” Keathley said. “This is because they contain more antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber than other fruits.”
Keathley says blueberries are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and good for blood vessel health. Blackberries and raspberries are high in fiber, so they are good for digestion.
“Berries are incredibly nutritious and lower in sugar,” Godbold said. “They’re a great source of antioxidants and I recommend eating them daily as part of a healthy diet.”
“I usually recommend unlimited berries,” Taylor said. She said blueberries contain compounds that are great for the brain, and cherries are high in vitamin C and rich in beneficial phytonutrients.
“Citrus fruits are also highly recommended as fruits,” Keathley said, explaining that oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes are high in vitamin C.
Another point where experts generally agreed was that whole fruits are preferable to processed fruits.
“Sweetened fruits, canned fruits with sugar, and certain fruit juices may contain higher amounts of added sugar,” Keathley said. “This is sugar that does not naturally occur in whole fruits, which poses a risk to individuals if consumed frequently and in large portions.”
Dried fruits and fruit juices should be consumed in small portions, according to Keathley, because they contain more concentrated amounts of sugar due to processing.
According to Taylor, even pre-cut fruit is “not ideal” because, “Once it’s cut, enzymes begin to break down the cell walls and the quality of the nutrients decreases over time.”
But frozen fruit could be “a great option,” she said, because it’s often picked and frozen when it’s still fresh, and freezing preserves some vitamins and minerals.
According to nutritionists, some people may benefit more from certain types of fruits than others, depending on their health status.
For example, people with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, insulin resistance or an increased risk of diabetes may be better off avoiding fruits that are high in sugar, such as tropical fruits, canned fruits, dried fruits and fruit juice.
Taylor recommended berries for people who want to “address the oxidative damage associated with heart disease” or apples, a source of the sugar fiber pectin, to improve digestion.
Godbold added that people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may benefit from a temporary diet lower in fruits to help the gut heal.
“That’s because the fructose sugar in fruit can easily ferment and contribute to the symptoms,” she explains.
But overall, eating fresh fruit was an important part of a healthy, balanced diet, they agreed.
“The bottom line is, eat everything in moderation,” Keathley says.
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