Does A Healthy Diet Include Lots Of Fruit?

Almost universally, we are told that we should be including more fruit in our diet, which at first glance certainly seems like a good thing. After all, fruits are typically rich in a variety of phytonutrients, fiber and other compounds that are known to be important health-promoters.

However, like most things in nutrition, the advice to include more fruit in the diet should come with some caveats.

The example of fat is analogous here. For years, we were told that all fat was bad, that eating it would make us fat, and that fat would give us heart disease. Now, we know that only certain kinds of fat are thought to be bad, such as trans fats, hydrogenated oils, and some vegetable oils.

Fats from nuts, seeds, fish, avocado, and olives, however, are now known to promote heart health, and even cardiologists and nutritionists encourage consuming these foods.

Even that recommendation, however, comes within some parameters; you would not eat a cup of olive oil, or endless servings of nuts in one day, because fat is high in calories. One simply does not need that many calories.

Similar to the claim that all fat is bad, and that you should avoid it, the claim that all fruit is good and should be indulged in regularly is also short-sighted.

Fruit is typically high in sugar, and we know that sugar is linked to a variety of health problems, including diabetes and obesity, among many, many others. Furthermore, if you are suffering from any sort of fungal issue, including high amounts of sugar––whether it is from processed foods or more “natural” sugar in the form of fruit––is likely only going to exacerbate that underlying problem, and any subsequent health problems you are suffering from as the result. Even though fruit is high in a variety of nutrients, the sugar content in many fruits is cause for vetting how much and what kinds of fruit we include in our diet.

This is not to say that we should avoid eating fruit, entirely. Particularly, on the Kaufmann Diet, there are some sensible caveats to eating fruit.

On Kaufmann 1 of the Kaufmann Diet––which is the most restrictive––a few, specific fruits are included. These include lemons, limes, grapefruits, berries, green apples, avocados, fresh coconut, and tomatoes. These types of fruits are high in nutrients (many of them powerfully anti-fungal) and low in sugar. Anything beyond these fruits is excluded.

As you move into the Maintenance Phase of the Kaufmann Diet, which is the least restrictive, you are allowed to include a great variety of fruits in greater portions into your diet. Moderation, however, is still key, and the sweetest varieties of fruits, such as melons and bananas should still be avoided.

This is a simple guide to including fruit in your diet, whether you are on The Kaufmann Diet or any other diet:

– Stick to the less-sweet varieties of fruits, like the above-mentioned fruits

– Avoid the sweetest varieties of fruits, such as watermelon, orange, bananas, red apples, and other melons

– Include acceptable fruits in the diet in moderation

– Enjoy sweeter varieties of fruits, like pineapples, peaches, or mangos, only as an occasional treat