Eating fruits and other vegetables is one of the main recommendations of doctors and nutritionists for a healthy life. Along with physical exercise and stress management, including this class of foods in meals can prevent the onset of diseases and mitigate the effects of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension.
The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends that, to maintain a balanced diet, the consumption of fruits and vegetables should represent 400 grams per day — the equivalent of five servings.
Even though it is a natural food and considered healthy the amount of calories in each of them, the ideal time to consume them and the combination with other types of food can confuse anyone trying to create a balanced eating plan.
According to Durval Ribas Filho, nutritionist, president of the Brazilian Association of Nutrology (Abran) and member of The Obesity Society, from the United States, fruits generally have a low caloric content, interfering with satiety and not promoting weight gain. . “But it all depends on the amount of calories a person eats, whether in the form of fruit, carbohydrates, proteins or fats,” he says.
Benefits of consumption
Fruits bring benefits when consumed in recommended amounts.
They help control diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, obesity, the health of the intestinal microbiota, strengthening the immune system, maintaining weight and even preventing skin aging.
In addition, they have fibers that slow down the absorption of carbohydrates — increasing the feeling of satiety —, vitamins, minerals and a large amount of water, which helps with the feeling of satiety, being an ally in weight loss strategies.
Five servings daily
According to WHO recommendations, updated in 2023, people over ten years of age should consume at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day, excluding potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava and other tubers.
Camila Gomes Pinto Romano, nutritionist specializing in weight loss and phytotherapy, says that she recommends including fruits at times when they are easiest to consume. “For example: with breakfast, as an afternoon snack, accompanied by natural yogurt with granola or nut paste, or after dinner,” she says.
However, in excess, fruits can make you fat, even though they have a low calorie content. Because they contain fructose — a natural sugar —, when consumed in an amount beyond the recommended amount, they can contribute to the calorie count of a diet exceeding what is necessary to maintain the body’s activities and generating weight gain.
“Which also applies to any other food when we think about healthy eating,” said Camila.
Disease control
Fruit consumption should be observed with greater caution in cases of diseases such as diabetes. According to the Ministry of Health, this is a health problem that affects approximately 7% of the population in Brazil and is caused by insufficient production or poor absorption of insulin, a hormone that breaks down sugar molecules and transforms them into energy.
Those who have this disease should invest in combining fruits with other foods to control glycemic spikes — a rapid increase in blood glucose levels — after meals.
Fruits can be divided into high, moderate and low glycemic index — the latter group being considered the best for people with diabetes. With this high index, for example, are: banana, grape, mango, fig, plum , among others. The group with the lowest index includes blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, kiwi, melon, apple, orange among others.
For diabetics, fruit intake should be combined with fiber-rich foods such as oatmeal, chia or sugar-free granola.
Durval Ribas Filho comments that the association controls blood glucose levels, especially after a meal, and prevents the occurrence of insulin surges — spikes in insulin release. “When you drink 100% whole grape juice, for example, ideally it should always be accompanied by another food,” he says.
He explains that the star fruit , in particular, should also be consumed with caution by people with kidney diseases, such as chronic renal failure. This happens because this fruit has a substance called caramboxin — a toxin that, in these patients, can cause adverse neurological effects.
Does fruit juice make you fat?
The shape in which the fruit is presented can also change the amount of calories and, consequently, their impact on a balanced diet. In a juice, for example, a fruit like orange can have three units consumed quickly.
Teenagers and adults should drink no more than 8 ounces of whole fruit juice per day, according to US nutritional guidelines, and this should not be seen as a healthy way to quench your thirst.
The same happens with dehydrated and crystallized foods, which modify the composition of the fruit. “The water is removed, increasing the concentration of sugars and fiber. When consuming, you must be careful not to ingest a much larger quantity than you would normally eat fresh”, comments Camila. “But they can still be included in a healthy diet”, she adds.
Source: CNN Brasil
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