I don’t know about you, but I have always been drawn towards fruit. Growing up, I definitely had a sweet tooth. I was into all forms of sugar – processed and otherwise. I would call fruit nature’s candy. But then, so much disinfo around fruit has been spread the last couple decades.
As a result, I suffered from a sort of cognitive dissonance. On some level, I knew that not only was fruit good for me but that it offered profound healing benefits. While in school for natural medicine, I was learning of the anti-cancer traits of many fruits. Yet, I thought the sugar in it could make me fat or feed candida. To my detriment, I started completely avoiding it. And, boy, did I miss out.
In this article I address 5 common questions about fruit. I hope to clear up and confusion and inspire you along the way.
Does Fruit have Sugar?
So let’s start by answering the question “does fruit have sugar”? Well, yes. Thank goodness it does. It contains critical glucose that every cell in the human body runs on. Glucose is especially important for the nervous system, adrenals and liver to thrive from. The brain is literally made up of glycogen, which is stored glucose. We can experience things like brain fog and fatigue when we don’t have enough glucose for the brain to function.
We literally cannot survive without sugar. I know, that’s so very different from what most of us have been taught. We crave sugar with good reason. Not only does every cell count on it, but it is necessary for nutrient absorption. No matter what healthy foods you eat or supplements you take, their nutrients cannot be absorbed without the presence of glucose. Somewhere along the way, many of us were convinced that the sugar in candy or cake is the same as that in fruit. They most certainly are now..
The sugars we need to avoid are in junk food like candy, baked goods, and even dairy. Yes, that’s right. Dairy is primarily sugar and unlike the sugar in fruit, dairy does feed the bad guys that cause illness. Fruit is the most healing food on the planet. In addition to the right kind of sugar, it contains essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Anyone suffering from chronic illness or autoimmune conditions can greatly benefit from the medicinal qualities of fruit.
Can Fruit Cause Diabetes?
Because of the sugar in fruit, many people ask “can fruit cause diabetes?”. No. Fruit can actually help heal diabetes! The entire cause of diabetes is largely a mystery to the medical community. But, really, high fat and high toxicity is ultimately at the root. Not sugar and certainly not sugar from fruit.
The liver stores glucose in order to help stabilize blood-sugar in emergency situations. When the liver is filled with toxins, pathogens, and a lot of fats, it’s not able to do this very well. The pancreas weakens when it senses the liver is low in glucose and attempts to gather any bits it can find to push into the cells of the body. Insulin must be present for the critically needed glucose to be absorbed into a cell. High blood fat can literally block or resist this from happening.
Eating a lot less fat and way more natural sugar and carbohydrates from fruit, raw honey, and starchy veggies can help reverse the condition. These foods help lower toxicity and help to restore needed glucose reserves.
Are Fruit Smoothies Healthy?
You probably guessed that I would answer yes, fruit smoothies are healthy. They are a wonderful way to start the day, too. Drinking a fruit smoothie for breakfast helps provide needed glucose, wonderful hydration, and essential nutrients. Fruit smoothies are medicinal. Fruit slows down aging, kills off pathogens, and provides nutrients on a cellular level.
The trick is to keep the smoothie free of added fats like nut milks. As mentioned above, fat can block the glucose from being absorbed and utilized. So stick with fruit and maybe use some orange juice or coconut water to blend it. You cannot go wrong with that. For added benefit, throw in some frozen wild blueberries. They’re one of the most healing, nutrient dense foods on the planet!
What about Fruit Intolerance?
There are a couple versions of fruit intolerance. One is related to what’s called “fructose intolerance”. The real issue here is not the fructose. Instead, similar to diabetes, fat is the culprit. High amounts of fat in the intestines and bloodstream make it difficult for the sugar to assimilate. Perhaps you are someone who has been told this is an issue for you as the result of a test, yet you don’t find issues when eating fruit. These tests are often not accurate and are triggered by other sugars like lactose. If you don’t find you actually have a problem eating fruit, perhaps you’d like to bring it back into your life?
Alternatively, some people find they react when eating fruit because of its medicinal benefits. Someone can eat something like an apple and get a stomach ache and blame the apple. But what happens is the apple is killing off harmful bacteria in the gut. As pathogens are killed off they release toxins and this is often what happens when people think they have fruit intolerance.
Check out this post of mine to learn more about food intolerances.
Why is Fruit Good For You?
Fruit is the most healing food on the planet. When we deprive ourselves of it, we are doing some real damage to the body in the long run. It is especially important to have plenty of fruit in your diet if you suffer from any symptoms or conditions. Fruit can help to heal the very conditions that are plaguing you.
Fruit has the following incredible benefits:
Fights viruses and bacteria
Nourishes the liver, adrenals, and nervous system
Provides critical glucose to every cell in the body
Can help you have a clear mind because your brain actually runs on sugar
Detoxifies and cleanses
Can reverse conditions
Bring on the Fruit!
Trendy high-fat, low-carb diets just perpetuate the idea that we don’t need fruit or that it can harm us. Placing fruit in the same basket as cakes and cookies is dangerous. When people are depriving their bodies of this essential medicine, they can face serious health adversities in the future. On top of that, industries with big money aren’t interested in encouraging us to eat fruit. There isn’t much money to be made from fruit sales. As a result, there aren’t many studies that have been funded to scientifically prove what many of us have experienced for ourselves – that fruit is medicine. All fruit is healing!
Try starting your day with a big fruit smoothie! Don’t be afraid of eating dried fruit either. Just make sure to hydrate plenty as it is dehydrated 😉 Fruit is a major solution to someone dealing with chronic symptoms. It is a Divine gift to us. It is our savior. Without it, true health is next to impossible.
To learn more about using fruit and other whole foods to heal and detox, check out this post. To find out more about the importance of fruit, check out the first Medical Medium book.