Too Much of a Good Thing?

I will always be the first person to espouse the benefits of a diet high in fruits and vegetables. I don’t eat enough of them myself, but I am always trying to up my intake of them. However, I have also been witness to what happens when you eat TOO MUCH fruit. It’s not necessarily something that everyone should be alarmed about, but if you sometimes wonder whether you’re overdosing on kiwis, this might be a good article for you to read.

You see, no matter how good a food is for you, it’s always possible to eat too much of it. Like all things in life, it’s easy to overboard. Granted, if you can only eat all fruits and veggies or all burgers and milkshakes, then the fruits and veggies isn’t that bad of a choice. However, for the 99 percent of us in America that can choose what we eat, it’s best to ingest a balanced diet. A balanced diet draws from all of the major food groups, and while yes, you should EMPHASIZE fruits and veggies, they shouldn’t have a monopoly on your mouth! For one, the great thing about fruits and veggies is that they’re generally low in calories. This can be great new for people trying to lose or maintain weight, but you shouldn’t forget that in order to live healthily, you do need to maintain a minimum number of calories (which is different for everyone, based on your sex, weight, build, activity level, etc).

Eating all fruits and veggies all day long might feel good for a few days, but eventually, your body will need more calories to sustain itself. Also, don’t forget that fruit is high in sugar. Is it better than the sugar that you find in junk food? Heck yes, but just because it’s not corroding your arteries doesn’t mean that your body isn’t still taking in sugar. And let me tell ya, sugar is sugar is sugar, and if you eat too much of it, there could be disastrous consequences. My uncle actually acquired diabetes due to this. He never touched pop or junk food, but he drank a big glass of orange juice every morning, some grapefruit juice with lunch, and lots of fruit throughout the rest of the day, every day, for years. His doctors said this happens more often than you’d think. It’s worth pointing out that fruit juice (at least the kind you buy at the store) is almost always loaded with extra sugar that wasn’t there when it was originally squeezed, so the juice was a big part of the problem, but the natural stuff didn’t help either. Remember these tips if you love your natural foods. Stay balanced and stay healthy!