Fruit continues to get a bad reputation online due to its sugar content. At least once a month somebody asks me if it’s ok to eat fruit or if it’s bad for weight management, acne, blood sugar control, etc. I love when my patients ask me this question because I get to clear up a lot of fear-mongering myths about fruit.  

For years studies have demonstrated the benefits of fruit intake in all sorts of areas of health - both mental and physical. Yes, fruit contains sugar, however it also contains many wonderful plant chemicals that benefit health. Your favourite sugary candy might have sugar, butter, flour, artificial colour, and not much else going for it. Fruit, on the other hand, has sugar, fibre, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory chemicals. Many of these ingredients have a potent and positive impact on health. 

A large 2020 systematic review study on the association between fruit and vegetable intake and mental health showed that both fruits and vegetables benefit mood and anxiety levels. This may be especially true for berries and citrus fruit (although we still need more research before deciding if one type of fruit is better than another).

In terms of physical health, fruit has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, perimenopausal hot flashes, endometriosis and so much more.

Keep in mind, many studies assess fruit and vegetable intake together so it’s not clear whether you would get the same benefit if you only ate fruits alone and no vegetables. Research points to the benefits of consuming both fruits and vegetables. It certainly does not show that fruit should be removed from our diets.

If you’re concerned about the impact that fruit has on blood sugar, you can take comfort in the fact that even reliable organizations such as Diabetes Canada recommend fruit intake as part of a diabetes-friendly diet. Fruit may actually help with blood sugar control and reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Those with concerns about blood sugar control may want to emphasize lower glycemic index fruits such as apples, berries, oranges, pears and cantaloupe. Higher glycemic index fruits that can be minimized include overripe, brown bananas, watermelon and fruit in juice form. Again, this won’t be relevant for everyone - only those who are being advised to control their blood sugar.

Of course, if you notice some sort of negative response to a fruit or to fruit in general, that’s worth taking note of and mentioning to your naturopathic doctor or other healthcare provider. 

Ultimately, fruit is a healthy part of the diet for both mental health and overall health. Nowadays people are being told to eliminate so many different foods from their lives. Sometimes this advice comes from a reliable source and sometimes it doesn’t. Take comfort in knowing that, unless you’ve been clearly told by a healthcare provider to avoid it, fruit is a nutritious and valuable part of the diet for most people.