Five Good Reasons To Eat Fruit Every Day

More and more people are walking through my door, unsure of whether fruit is good, bad, or somewhere in between. Fear around sugar and fructose has led to growing hesitancy with fruit. As does the growing number of popular ‘diets’ banning or at least restricting it. 

So is fruit still an integral part of a healthy diet? Absolutely! The weight of evidence is still clear on the overwhelming benefits.

Here are 5 good reasons to eat fruit every day. 

1.     It makes you live longer. That is according to one of the biggest studies of fruit and vegetables ever conducted. In 2014, researchers looked at the diets of over 800,000 people, which in terms of scientific studies, is huge! Amazingly for every extra serve of vegetables or fruit a person consumed, it resulted in a 5% drop in risk of premature death. We all know that vegetables are important for a long a healthy life, but it seems fruit is just as important!

2.     It’s the perfect energy source. Fruits fructose content, which is usually the source of concern, is a good reason why it provides fuel. One serve of fruit has 10-15g of fructose, which is enough to supply fuel for our muscles and brain, but not too much that our body must work hard to store it. Fruits natural fibre ensures that its sugar is released into our bloodstream gradually, which is also ideal for more prolonged energy. 

3.     It’s delicious! There is no healthier way than eating fruit to provide us a little hit of sweetness. 

4.     It’s great for our gut. With so much research centred on the microbiome these days, and its role in inflammation and chronic illness, fruits soluble fibre is an important fuel source for healthy bacteria. Scientists have identified prebiotics and fibre as being integral for gut health, and fruit has both, in spades!

5.     It’s can help regulate blood pressure. Studies have consistently shown that eating at least 3 serves of fruit each day, can help lower blood pressure (for those with hypertension). 

How to get the most out of fruit

Fruit has plenty going for it, but too much of a good thing is never a good thing. This certainly applies to fruit. It’s best to limit fruit to one serving at a time (which is approximately the size of your fist). Spreading fruit across the day is the way to go. 

Importantly, most of fruits benefits are when it’s eaten whole!