Can you eat too much fruit? And how much fruit a day is that?

1. We all learn from an early age that fruit is healthy. Yet not everyone agrees! It is also regularly claimed that fruit is actually a fattener that you should avoid if you want to lose weight.

2. We all learn from an early age that fruit is healthy. Yet not everyone agrees! It is also regularly said that fruit is actually a fattener that you should avoid if you want to lose weight.

1. Who should you believe in such a case? Is fruit an unlimited choice, or can you also eat too much fruit? In this blog we look at the arguments for both positions and we discuss how much fruit per day is really responsible.

Benefits of fruit

1. First let's see where the well-known advice of two pieces of fruit a day actually comes from. The reason for that standard is very simple: fruit is simply very healthy. We list some important reasons below!

2. Let's first see where the well-known advice of two pieces of fruit a day actually comes from. The reason for that standard is very simple: fruit is simply very healthy. We list some important reasons below!

1. Different fruits are rich in important vitamins and minerals. Citrus fruits and berries are high in vitamin C, strawberries are rich in folic acid, and bananas provide potassium. The more you alternate with fruits, the more varied the palette of nutrients you will get.

1. In addition, fruit contains phytonutrients: additives in plants that can boost your health even in very small amounts. Examples are flavonoids and polyphenols. These types of substances are probably largely responsible for the healthy effects of plant foods.

2. In addition, fruit contains phytonutrients: additives in plants that can boost your health even in very small amounts. Examples are flavonoids and polyphenols. These types of compounds are probably largely responsible for the healthful effects of plant foods.

1. Third, fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which performs many important functions in your body. For example, they help you feel full after a meal. Fiber is also very important for your digestion, because it keeps your intestinal flora healthy.

1. We do not yet know the reason for a number of benefits of fruit. Statistical research shows that two pieces of fruit a day lowers the risk of diabetes, certain types of cancer and other conditions. It may have something to do with those phytonutrients, but we're not quite sure yet!

Is fruit fattening?

1. Then why should you be able to eat too much fruit when it is so healthy? One of the most common warnings, especially on diet sites, is that fruit is a 'thicker'. Where did that story come from, and how seriously should you take it?

2. Then why would you be able to eat too much fruit when it is so healthy? One of the most common warnings, especially on diet sites, is that fruit is a 'thicker'. Where did that story come from, and how seriously should you take it?

1. One of the reasons that fruit is known as fattening is that it contains sugars. And that's right: fruits contain fructose, also called fruit sugar. Just like glucose, fructose produces insulin, which can store fat.

2. The reason that fruit is known as fattening is, among other things, that it contains sugars. And that's right: fruits contain fructose, also called fruit sugar. Like glucose, fructose creates insulin, which can store fat.

1. But while fructose is a fast sugar, fresh fruit isn't necessarily. The many fibers inhibit the absorption of sugars in your body! With that, an apple really doesn't have the same effect as a handful of candy in between.

1. In addition, sugar doesn't make you fat in the end. You get fat if you eat more calories than you burn. Now it is true that sugar can cause you to eat more - partly because of the fluctuations in your blood it causes. But especially if you choose sugars with a lot of fiber, that chance is pretty small!

1. So the only way fruit can be fattening is if you eat so much fruit that it exceeds your calorie requirement. And that would be quite an achievement. Contrary to popular belief, fruit does not contain that many calories at all…

1. The most energy-dense fruit is the avocado, with about 200-250 calories each. However, not many people eat avocados as a fruit. Other relatively high-calorie fruits are the banana (90 calories each), the pear (80 calories each) and the mango (135 calories each - but you have to eat a whole mango ... ).

1. In other words: even with two large servings of fruit you will hardly exceed 200 calories. The chance that you will gain weight from an apple in between is therefore very small, if the rest of your diet is in order.

1. So, is it wise to eat fruit if you want to lose weight? Despite all the horror stories you hear: yes. It can actually be very helpful. As a snack, fruit can keep you from indulging in other, unhealthy snacks. And that certainly helps to get or stay on the right weight.

1. In addition, those sugars can also prove very helpful in weight loss. The reason for this is that you just need an energy boost every now and then. Just before exercising, just to give a good example. Eating fruit at such a time gives your muscles all the fast carbohydrates they need.

Too much fructose

1. When you read it like this, the answer to the question “How much fruit a day” might just seem like “As much as possible!” However, that is not the case. quite the case. Eating too much fruit can indeed lead to more negative consequences.

1. One of the reasons for this is the type of carbohydrate that is relatively common in fruit: fructose. This is one of the many forms of sugar, in addition to glucose, for example. However, it is processed differently by the body: your liver has to convert it into glucose before it can be absorbed.

1. This means that it is relatively stressful for your body if you eat a lot of fructose. When it comes to reasonable quantities, you will not be affected. However, if you eat fruit in between meals throughout the day, it can lead to problems. Abdominal pain, diarrhea and bloating are, for example, the aforementioned consequences.

Acids in fruit

1. Furthermore, fruit contains a relatively high amount of acids. In principle, they are also not unhealthy. Your tooth enamel is slightly affected when you eat fruit, but it is dissolved by your body on its own. The only requirement is that you give your teeth some time to recover.

1. That's exactly where things go wrong when you eat too much fruit. Your tooth enamel always does not have enough time to 'recover' again, so that each additional piece of fruit forms a larger deposit. In the long run, that puts a lot of strain on your teeth.

What is too much fruit?

1. It differs a bit from person to person how much fruit a day is still healthy. For example, some people are more sensitive to fructose than others. In principle, however, you are always safe with 2-3 pieces per day.

1. Incidentally a little more is not immediately too much fruit. However, do you usually eat more than 3-4 pieces of fruit per day? And do you suffer from all kinds of small ailments for which you cannot immediately find a cause? Then it may be worth cutting back on your fruit consumption.

1. A common pitfall here is dried fruit. You have to be a little more careful with this than with fresh fruit. Because they are dried, they are also a lot more concentrated. And that means they also contain significantly more sugars and calories per serving.

1. Shouldn't be a problem - just keep in mind that one dried apricot has about the same nutritional value as a whole fresh apricot. So make sure you don't accidentally end up in a calorie surplus because you eat handfuls of raisins every day.

1. One last comment: those two pieces of fruit must be real pieces. A glass of fruit juice does not have the same benefits, whatever the packaging may promise! It may contain some vitamins, but the fiber is all gone. And these are precisely such important ingredients, which are responsible for many of the health benefits.

1. In addition, the sugars in fruit juice are absorbed much faster, resulting in an unhealthy sugar peak. Do you really prefer to drink your daily servings of fruit? Or do you think fruit does not taste very good? Then make a smoothie. That's a great way to mask the taste and still get the beneficial nutrients.

How much fruit per day?

1. Eating too much fruit is definitely possible, although you have to drive it pretty crazy. In short, you can use the following guidelines:

1. How much fruit do you eat per day? And have you ever experienced drawbacks from too much fruit? We'd love to hear from you in the comments!