Fruits- How much should you have per day?

What benefits do they offer?

One of the first lifestyle changes I suggest to all my clients is to start every meal with a cup of fruits first.

This is not only a great way to ensure that you eat a minimum of three servings of fruits per day, but also ensure you ‘pre-load calories’.

The concept of pre-loading…

We often tend to overeat due to something called leptin resistance. Basically, the satiety hormone leptin does not trigger the brain enough so you feel satisfied and ‘full’ to decide to stop overeating.

One way to boost leptin resistance is through phytosterols and fiber found in fruits. Thus, you are less likely to overeat, if you start your meals with a fruit first.

What are some other cool things fruits do…

• Fruits are a brilliant way to improve overall health and reduce the risk of diseases. Along with essential vitamins and minerals, fruits are also high in fibre and low in calories. In addition, they provide a variety of health-boosting antioxidants, including healthy flavonoids. This is unique to plants and perticular anti- oxidants found in fruit are unique to fruits.

Scientific data supporting the beneficial health effects of consuming adequate levels of whole fruits has been steadily growing.

• Moreover, eating fruits can also reduce a person’s risk of developing chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancer, inflammation, and diabetes (yes! diabetes). Citrus fruits and berries may be especially significant for preventing such diseases.

• Additionally, most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium and calories with zero traces of cholesterol.

• Dietary fibre found in fruits is also essential to reduce the risk of diseases and proper bowel functions. Fibre helps to lose weight, clean your gut and reduce inflammation.

• Pectin fibre is present in great abundance in fruits like apple. It takes a longer time to digest and suppresses hunger by making you feel full.

What does science say?

A 2018 study analysed the benefits of whole fruits in ‘Whole Fruits and Fruit Fiber Emerging Health Effects’. Its primary aim was to examine the increasing number of health benefits associated with the adequate intake of whole fruits, especially fruit fibre, throughout the human lifecycle.

Some potential health benefits found were, protection against colonic gastrointestinal health like constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, promoting long-term weight management, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, enhancing psychological well-being, and higher bone mineral density in children and adults.

In another study, women who ate three or more servings per week of strawberries and blueberries, both known for their high anthocyanin content, had a lower risk of heart attack than those with lower intake.

One study published in 2015 found that children who ate whole apples were 30% less likely to be obese than those who did not. The correlation between dietary fibre found primarily in fruits and body weight was also examined in a 2005 study.

As you are reading this, go and grab a fruit!

Trust this helps,

Roshni Sanghvi.

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