Is Fruit Good or Bad for Your Health? The Sweet Truth

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Is Fruit Good or Bad for Your Health? The Sweet Truth

“Eat more fruits and vegetables.”

This is probably the world’s most common health recommendation.

Everyone knows that fruits are healthy — they are real, whole foods.

Most of them are also very convenient. Some people call them “nature’s fast food” because they are so easy to carry and prepare.

However, fruits are relatively high in sugar compared to other whole foods.

For this reason, you might wonder whether they are truly healthy after all. This article sheds some light on the subject.
Excessive Sugar Is Bad, But Its Effects Depend on the Context

A lot of evidence has shown that excessive intake of added sugar is harmful (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

This includes table sugar (sucrose) and high-fructose corn syrup, both of which are about half glucose, half fructose.

One reason that excessive added sugar intake is harmful is the negative metabolic effects of fructose when consumed in large amounts.

Many people now believe that because added sugars are bad, the same must apply to fruits, which also contain fructose.

However, this is a misconception. Fructose is only harmful in large amounts, and it’s difficult to get excessive amounts of fructose from fruit.

Summary

Evidence suggests that fructose can cause harm when consumed in excess. However, there is not enough fructose in fruit to cause concern.

Fruit Also Contains Fiber, Water and Significant Chewing Resistance

Eating whole fruit, it is almost impossible to consume enough fructose to cause harm.

Fruits are loaded with fiber, water and have significant chewing resistance.

For this reason, most fruits (like apples) take a while to eat and digest, meaning that the fructose hits the liver slowly.

Plus, fruit is incredibly filling. Most people will feel satisfied after eating one large apple, which contains 23 grams of sugar, 13 of which are fructose (4).

Compare that to a 16-ounce bottle of Coke, which contains 52 grams of sugar, 30 of which are fructose, and has no nutritional value (5).

A single apple would make you feel quite full and less inclined to eat more food. Conversely, a bottle of soda has remarkably poor satiety and people don’t compensate for the sugar by eating less food (6Trusted Source).

When fructose hits your liver fast and in large amounts, as is the case when you drink soda, it can have adverse health effects over time.

However, when it hits your liver slowly and in small amounts, as is the case when you eat an apple, your body is well adapted to easily metabolize the fructose.

While eating large amounts of added sugar is harmful to most people, the same does not apply to fruit.

Summary

Whole fruits take time to chew and digest. Because of this, you feel fuller and your body can easily tolerate the small amounts of fructose.

Fruits Contain Lots of Fiber, Vitamins, Minerals and Antioxidants

Of course, fruits are more than just watery bags of fructose.

There are lots of nutrients in them that are important for health. This includes fiber, vitamins and minerals, as well as a plethora of antioxidants and other plant compounds.

Fiber, especially soluble fiber, has many benefits, including reduced cholesterol levels, slowed absorption of carbs and increased satiety. Plus, studies have shown that soluble fiber can help you lose weight (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

What’s more, fruits tend to be high in several vitamins and minerals that many people don’t get enough of, including vitamin C, potassium and folate.

Of course, “fruit” is an entire food group. There are thousands of different edible fruits found in nature, and their nutrient compositions can vary greatly.

So, if you want to maximize fruits’ health effects, focus on ones that are rich in nutrients. Try fruits with more skin.

The skin of fruits is usually very rich in antioxidants and fiber. This is the reason that berries, which have greater amounts of skin, gram for gram, are often considered healthier than larger fruits.

It is also a good idea to switch things up and eat a variety of fruits because different fruits contain different nutrients.

Summary

Fruits contain large amounts of important nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, minerals and various antioxidants and plant compounds.

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Most Studies Show Health Benefits

Multiple observational studies have shown that people who eat more fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of various diseases.

Many of the studies pool together fruits and vegetables, while some only look at fruits.

One review of nine studies found that each daily portion of fruit consumed reduced the risk of heart disease by 7% (11Trusted Source).

Also, a study including 9,665 US adults found that a high fruit and vegetable intake was associated with a 46% lower risk of diabetes in women, but there was no difference in men (12).

Furthermore, one study that looked at fruits and vegetables separately found that vegetables were associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, but this didn’t apply to fruit (13).

Many other studies have shown that eating fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of heart attack and stroke — the two leading causes of death in Western countries (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

One study looked at how different types of fruit affect the risk of type 2 diabetes. Those who consumed the most grapes, apples and blueberries had the lowest risk, with blueberries having the strongest effect (16Trusted Source).

However, one problem with observational studies is that they cannot prove that the associations they detect are direct causal relationships.

People who eat the most fruit tend to be more health conscious, less likely to smoke and more likely to exercise.

That said, a few randomized controlled trials (real human experiments) have shown that increased fruit intake can lower blood pressure, reduce oxidative stress and improve glycemic control in diabetics (17, 18Trusted Source).

Overall, it seems clear from the data that fruits have significant health benefits.

Summary

Plenty of evidence shows that a high fruit intake is associated with a lower risk of serious diseases like heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Eating Fruit Can Help You Lose Weight

It’s often forgotten that fruits are incredibly filling.

Because of their fiber and water contents and the extensive chewing involved in eating them, fruits are very satiating.

The satiety index is a measure of how much different foods contribute to feelings of fullness.

Fruits like apples and oranges are among the highest scoring foods tested, even more filling than beef and eggs (19Trusted Source).

This means that if you increase your intake of apples or oranges, you will likely feel so full that you will automatically eat less of other foods.

There is also one interesting study that demonstrates how fruits can contribute to weight loss (20Trusted Source).

In this six-month study, nine men ate a diet consisting only of fruits (82% of calories) and nuts (18% of calories).

Not surprisingly, these men lost significant amounts of weight. Those who were overweight lost even more than those who were at a healthy weight.

Overall, given the strong effects that fruits can have on satiety, it seems beneficial to replace other foods, especially junk foods, with fruit to help you lose weight over the long term.

Summary

Fruits like apples and oranges are among the most filling foods you can eat. Eating more of them should lead to an automatic reduction in calorie intake and ultimately, weight loss.

When to Avoid Fruit

Even though fruit is healthy for most people, there are some reasons why others may need to avoid it.

One is intolerance. For example, eating fruit can cause digestive symptoms in people with and intolerance to FODMAPs.

The other reason is being on a very low-carb or ketogenic diet. The main goal of these diets is to reduce carb intake sufficiently for the brain to start using mostly ketone bodies for fuel instead of glucose.

For this to happen, it’s necessary to restrict carbs to under 50 grams per day, sometimes all the way down to 20–30 grams.

Given that just a single piece of fruit can contain more than 20 grams of carbs, it’s obvious that fruits are inappropriate for such a diet. Even just one piece of fruit per day could easily knock you out of ketosis.

Summary

The main reasons to avoid fruit include a relevant intolerance or being on a very low-carb or ketogenic diet.

Fruit Juices and Dried Fruits Should Be Limited

Even though whole fruits are very healthy for most people, avoid binging on fruit juice or dried fruit.

Many of the fruit juices on the market aren’t even “real” fruit juices. They consist of water mixed with some sort of concentrate and a whole bunch of added sugar.

But even if you get 100% real fruit juice, keep your intake moderate.

There is a lot of sugar in fruit juice, about as much as a sugar-sweetened beverage.

However, there is no fiber and chewing resistance to slow down consumption, making it very easy to take in a large amount of sugar in a short period of time.

Similarly, dried fruits are very high in sugar, and it’s easy to eat large amounts of them.

Smoothies are somewhere in the middle. If you put the whole fruit in the blender, it’s much better than drinking fruit juice. Still, eating the whole fruit is best.

Summary

Although eating whole fruits is very healthy, the same isn’t necessarily true for fruit juice and dried fruit. Both are high in sugar and easy to overeat.

The Bottom Line

Fruit is healthy for most people.

While excessive sugar intake can be harmful, this doesn’t apply to whole fruits. Rather, they are “real” food, high in nutrients and satisfyingly filling.

If you can tolerate fruit and you’re not on a low-carb or ketogenic diet, by all means, eat fruit.

Try eating more whole fruits as part of a healthy, real-foods-based diet to enjoy their health benefits.
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Sweet, brightly colored citrus fruits bring a burst of sunshine into winter days. But citrus fruits are not only flavorful and pretty — they’re also good for you.

This class of fruits includes lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit, as well as many more hybrids and varieties.

They have a bunch of health benefits, from boosting immunity to fighting cancer.

Read on to find out 7 reasons to eat citrus fruits.
What Are Citrus Fruits?

Citrus fruits grow on flowering trees and shrubs. They are characterized by a leathery rind and white pith that encases juicy segments.

They’re native to Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia and possibly Southeast Asia (1Trusted Source).

Nowadays, they are cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates all over the world. Major production hubs include Spain, Brazil, China, the US, Mexico and India (1Trusted Source).

Interestingly, nearly a third of all citrus fruits are used to make juice (1Trusted Source).

You can find all kinds of citrus fruits year round. The peak season for oranges and grapefruits in the Northern Hemisphere is between mid-December and April.

Here are some popular varieties of citrus fruits:

Sweet oranges: Valencia, navel, blood orange, cara cara
Mandarins: Satsuma, clementine, tangor, tangelo
Limes: Persian, key lime, kaffir
Grapefruit: White, ruby red, oroblanco
Lemons: Eureka, Meyer
Other kinds: Citron, sudachi, yuzu, pomelos

Read on for 7 reasons to add these fruits to your diet.

1. They’re Rich in Vitamins and Plant Compounds

Citrus fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, a nutrient that strengthens the immune system and keeps your skin smooth and elastic (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).

In fact, just one medium orange has all the vitamin C you need in a day (6).

Citrus fruits also have good amounts of other vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly, including B vitamins, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and copper (7Trusted Source).

Additionally, they are rich in plant compounds that have various health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

These compounds include over 60 varieties of flavonoids, carotenoids and essential oils, and they are responsible for many of citrus fruit’s health benefits (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).

Summary:

Citrus fruits are very nutritious, offering a host of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds that help keep you healthy.

2. They’re a Good Source of Fiber

Citrus fruits are a good source of fiber. Just one cup of orange segments contains four grams of fiber (6).

To put that in perspective, it’s recommended that you consume 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you eat. It’s estimated that only 4% of men and 13% of women in the US get that amount (9Trusted Source).

Fiber has several health benefits, including improving digestive health and aiding weight loss.

Oranges are particularly high in soluble fiber, the kind of fiber that helps lower cholesterol levels (10Trusted Source).

Compared to other fruits and vegetables, citrus fruits are unique in that they have a higher ratio of soluble to insoluble fiber (11Trusted Source).

Summary:

Citrus fruits are good sources of soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol and aids digestion.

3. Citrus Fruits Are Low in Calories

If you’re watching your calorie intake, citrus fruits are a good choice.

They’re low in calories, yet their water and fiber contents help fill you up.

Here’s how many calories the main kinds of citrus fruits contain (6, 12, 13, 14, 15):

1 small clementine: 35
1 medium orange: 62
1/2 pink grapefruit: 52
1/2 white grapefruit: 39
Juice from 1 lemon: 12

What’s more, a 2015 study that looked at people’s eating habits and weight over 24 years found that eating citrus fruits was linked to weight loss (16Trusted Source).

Summary:

Citrus fruits are low in calories, making them a smart choice for people seeking to lose or maintain their weight.

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4. They May Reduce Your Risk of Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are painful mineral crystals.

They can form when your urine is very concentrated or when you have higher-than-normal amounts of stone-forming minerals in your urine.

One type of kidney stone is caused by low levels of citrate in urine.

Many fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits, can raise the levels of citrate in your urine, lowering the risk of kidney stones (17Trusted Source).

Drinking citrus juices and eating these fruits can offer a natural alternative to potassium citrate supplements.

According to data on American eating habits over the last 40 years, kidney stones are more common in people who eat fewer citrus fruits (18Trusted Source).

Summary:

Eating citrus fruits may help lower the risk of kidney stones in some people by raising citrate levels in urine.

5. They May Help Fight or Protect Against Cancer

Many studies have linked citrus fruits to a reduced risk of certain cancers (1Trusted Source).

In one study, people who ate one grapefruit or drank one serving of grapefruit juice daily had a lower risk of lung cancer (19Trusted Source).

Other studies have suggested that citrus fruits may also protect against esophageal, stomach, breast and pancreatic cancers (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).

These fruits contain a host of plant compounds, including flavonoids, that may help protect against cancer (8Trusted Source).

Some of these flavonoids act as antioxidants and may block the expression of certain genes that are responsible for some degenerative diseases, including cancer (8Trusted Source).

Citrus fruits may also help fight cancer by suppressing cancers, blocking the formation of new cancers and making carcinogens inactive (8Trusted Source).

Summary:

Citrus fruits have been widely studied for their protective effects on a variety of cancer types.

6. They Contain Nutrients That Boost Heart Health

Eating citrus fruits could be good for your heart.

In fact, a Japanese study found that people who ate higher amounts of these fruits had lower rates of heart disease and stroke (24Trusted Source).

Furthermore, a 2017 review suggests that grapefruits are linked to a decrease in systolic blood pressure (25Trusted Source).

Several compounds in citrus fruits can improve markers of heart health.

For example, their soluble fiber and flavonoids may improve cholesterol levels by raising “good” HDL cholesterol and lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (7Trusted Source).

And many of the flavonoids in citrus fruits, including one called naringin, are strong antioxidants that benefit the heart in several ways (26Trusted Source).

Summary:

Many compounds in citrus fruits can benefit heart health by improving cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure.

7. They May Protect Your Brain

The flavonoids in citrus fruits may help ward off neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, which result from the breakdown of cells in the nervous system.

In part, these diseases are caused by inflammation.

Flavonoids found in citrus fruits have anti-inflammatory capabilities that are thought to help protect against the chain of events that causes the nervous system to deteriorate (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source).

Specific types of flavonoids, including hesperidin and apigenin, have been shown to protect brain cells and improve brain function in mice and test-tube studies (27Trusted Source).

Several studies in older adults have also shown that citrus juices may boost brain function (29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).

Summary:

Citrus fruits and juices may help boost brain function and protect the brain from neurodegenerative disorders.

The Downside of Citrus Fruits

While the overall picture of citrus is pretty rosy, there are a few potential downsides.
High Amounts Could Cause Cavities
Eating lots of citrus fruits or juices could increase the risk of cavities. That’s because the acid in citrus fruits erodes tooth enamel (32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source).

This is a particular risk if you sip on lemon water all day long, bathing your teeth in acid.

Interestingly, certain compounds in citrus peels may combat the bacteria that cause dental cavities, although more research is needed to see how that information could be used (34Trusted Source).
Fruit Juice Isn’t as Healthy as Whole Fruit
While orange and grapefruit juices contain lots of vitamin C and other nutrients often found in whole citrus fruits, they’re not quite as healthy.

That’s because a serving of juice delivers much more sugar and way less fiber than a serving of whole fruit (6, 35).

There are a couple reasons why that’s a problem.

First, more sugar per serving translates to more calories. Drinking fruit juice and other high-calorie beverages can cause you to gain weight (36Trusted Source).

Second, when your body takes in large amounts of fructose (the type of sugar in fruit juice), it is quickly absorbed into your bloodstream and delivered to your liver (37Trusted Source).

If your liver gets more fructose than it can handle, it turns some of the extra fructose into fat. Over time, those fat deposits can cause fatty liver disease (38Trusted Source).

Getting fructose from whole fruit is not a problem, given that you’re getting a smaller amount at a time. Plus, the fiber found in fruit buffers the fructose, causing it to be absorbed more slowly into your bloodstream.
Grapefruit Can Interact With Certain Medications
Eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice can be a problem if you take certain medications.

There’s an enzyme in your gut that reduces the absorption of certain medications. Furanocoumarin, a chemical in grapefruit, binds to this enzyme and keeps it from working properly.

As a result, your body absorbs more medication than it’s supposed to (39Trusted Source).

Furanocoumarin is also found in tangelos and Seville oranges (the kind used for marmalade).

There are several prescription and over-the-counter drugs that are affected by grapefruit, including (40Trusted Source):

Some statins, for high cholesterol, including Lipitor and Zocor
Some calcium channel blockers, for high blood pressure, including Plendil and Procardia
Cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant drug
Some Benzodiazepines, including Valium, Halcion and Versed
Other medications, including Allegra, Zoloft and Buspar

Summary:

While citrus fruits are generally healthy, they can have some drawbacks. Their acid can erode tooth enamel and grapefruit can interact with some medications.

The Bottom Line

There are many reasons to eat citrus fruits.

They’re nutritious and contain plant compounds that can protect against a variety of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, brain dysfunction and kidney stones.

But aim to consume whole fruits, rather than a lot of fruit juice, as its high sugar content can lead to problems.

Overall, citrus fruits are healthy, low in calories and convenient to eat. Most people could benefit from adding more citrus to their diet.
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