Eating Fruit

I meet so many people who say they don't eat fruit because it has too much sugar. My experience with fruit, on the other hand, has been an incredibly positive one. I changed my diet to include mostly fruits and vegetables for a few reasons. I thought my digestion could be better, I lacked energy, and I wasn't sleeping consistently. So, it was definitely an experiment. Here, I'll share how eating fruit changed my health (and life) for the better.

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How Eating Fruit Can Change Your Health (and Life)
Adapt Your Palate to Enjoy The Flavors of Fruit
How and Where to Buy Fruit
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Consider This

Fresh late summer stone fruit in a bowl on the counter along with figs from the tree

How Eating Fruit Can Change Your Health (and Life)

I make and drink a fresh green juice first thing every morning. And, then I look forward to the best fruit the season can offer. Besides being delicious, the downstream effects are all positive.

Hydration: After fasting overnight, fresh cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices are a perfect source of hydration. They contain water of course. But, also vitamins and minerals that help to maintain proper fluid and mineral balance in the body's cells. This combination will leave you feeling balanced and satiated.
Fiber: The fiber in fruit increases satiety, helps maintain stable blood sugar levels, and improves digestion. The fiber in fruits and vegetables serve as a food source for the beneficial bacteria in the colon. This helps maintain bowel health. Fiber intake is also linked to lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and obesity.
Nutrients: Fruits and vegetables contain concentrations of vitamins, especially vitamins C and A, minerals, electrolytes; and phytochemicals. (Phytochemicals are natural chemicals that plants create to protect themselves from the environment, disease and predators. They are most abundant in colorful fruits and vegetables. They're interesting from a health perspective because of their antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties).
Gut health: Drinking vegetable juice and eating fruit first thing in the morning improves digestion. In fact, eating fruits and vegetables can protect colonic gastrointestinal health across a spectrum of symptoms: It can:
- Promote long term weight management
- Reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
- Defend against colorectal and lung cancers
- Improve odds of successful aging
- Reduce the severity of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Enhance psychological well-being.

A beautiful bowl of cherries in varying shades of red

How Fruits Can Change Your Life (Continued)

Energy: Fruits contain natural sugars that break down into glucose to be used for energy by the body. The fiber and antioxidants sustain energy levels and keep blood sugar levels stable. And, fruits are packed with nutrients and minerals that provide energy. Oranges, for example, contain vitamin C, which can help reduce oxidative stress and prevent fatigue.
Immune system boost: Your body uses and absorbs nutrients more efficiently when they come from whole food sources like fruits and vegetables, rather than processed foods or supplements. Chronic systemic inflammation can lead to reduced life span because it increases the prevalence of various diseases like obesity, diabetes, and some cancers. The ability of fruits and vegetables to protect against the development of these chronic conditions is well documented. The literature, including this meta analysis suggests that a higher intake of fruits and vegetables decreases inflammation and enhances immune cell populations.
Balance and calm: Drinking fresh green juice and eating fruit can help you feel balanced, calm and clear-headed. It keeps you satiated, confident and positive. I've heard people say that there's too much sugar in fruit, but hopefully, after reading this page, you'll realize that fruit is a package of nutrients that includes fiber, antioxidants and micronutrients that actually make fruit one of the most balanced foods of all.
Deliciousness: Some days, I just say to myself, "This piece of fruit is just so crazy good. What could be better?" I look forward to summer fruits the most but love fruits from every season. There are so many and they are all delicious in their own specific ways. There's never a dull moment appreciating the deliciousness of fruit.

Adapt Your Palate to Enjoy The Flavors of Fruit

In my experience (and opinion), local farmers grow the best fruits. They are bred for flavor and picked ripe. Industrial-grown fruit, on the other hand, are bred to resist insects, withstand travel over long distances, and look uniformly pretty on the supermarket shelf.

Seasonally grown fruit flavors are delicate. It's impossible to really experience their subtlety fully if you often eat highly flavored, spicy or rich foods and especially if you regularly eat hyper-palatable ultra-processed foods made with flavor enhancers, additives, and artificial colors to excite your tastebuds and light up the pleasure sensors in your brain.

This is because, our palates adapt to the flavors we eat regularly. If you eat highly seasoned foods all the time, the flavor of plain - unseasoned - fruits and vegetables seem bland in comparison.

If you want to appreciate the juicy explosion of flavor when you bite into a ripe peach, the tangy citrus burst of an orange right off the tree, or the refreshing pop of a sweet cherry, you have to pivot away from highly seasoned foods and shift to foods that are prepared simply to let the flavors of the main ingredients shine through. Over time, you'll find that the flavors of foods you've never really appreciated before will start to taste a little better. And better and better over time.

When I did this, I also noticed that my digestion was better without all the seasonings. Plus, cravings I had had for certain foods started to go away. I hate thinking about food when I'm trying to concentrate on something else, so this was a huge win for me.

Fruits and vegetables from the Farmers Market in late August

How and Where to Buy Fruit

Fruits are best when allowed to ripen on the vine or tree and then sold and eaten within days. That's also when their flavor and nutrition are at their peak. Here are steps to take to find, store and enjoy the best.

Adjust your expectations when buying fruit at the supermarket: At first, I didn't think twice about buying fruit at the supermarket. Over time though, I found that too often the fruit I bought was spoiled, flabby, or lacked the vibrant taste fruit should have. I learned that fruits and vegetables grown for distribution to supermarkets are bred to be picked before they're ripe and ripened with chemicals in climate controlled warehouses. They're bred to resist pesticides, insects and disease and to withstand the rigor of being shipped long distances without bruising. They are not bred for flavor.
Shop at farmers markets or a local family farms: Farmers markets, local family farms and Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) programs grow and sell high quality fruits and vegetables. Look for the Farmers Markets near you and visit the ones within a reasonable minute drive.
Buy only as much as you can eat in 3-5 days: Fruits and vegetables that haven't been sprayed with pesticides and are picked ripe are perishable. They have a high water content and are constantly changing after harvest.

How to Store Fruit to Extend Freshness

Fruits and vegetables are moisture- and nutrient-rich. They are exactly the type of natural environment that bacteria love. Here's how to extend the life of your produce.
- Keep produce dry: Wipe away noticeable dampness before storing and check daily.
- Keep produce cool: Refrigeration is one of the most effective ways to extend the shelf life of produce. The cold temperature slows the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that can cause spoilage. Make sure that the temperature of your refrigerator is between 35°F and 38°F (1.7°C and 3.3°C).
- Store fruits and vegetables separately: Fruits and vegetables produce different gases that can accelerate the ripening process and cause spoilage. Some fruits and vegetables, such as apples, bananas, and potatoes, emit ethylene gas, which can cause other fruits and vegetables to ripen and spoil more quickly. To prevent this, store ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables separately from other produce.
- Don't cut until you're ready to eat: Do not wash your fruits and vegetables or cut them up until you plan to eat.
Check out this interactive food storage guide. I've found it hugely helpful in extending the life of my fruits and vegetables!