Fruit helps to stay healthy
Fruit plays an important role in any diet. With A Lifelong Fit you eat it unlimited for up to 12 hours, with the Sonoma diet you swear off it completely in the first 10 days. What can fruit really do for you if you want to lose a few kilos?
Four persistent fables are debunked. The four simple facts that follow prove that fruit is an easy, indispensable part of any diet.
Myth 1. You can have unlimited fruit
No Unfortunately. But: fruit is and remains the best choice for those with a sweet tooth. An apple instead of a candy bar saves you 200 kcal. You really don’t have to stick to two pieces of fruit a day.
Just don’t eat snacks more than four times a day and take normal portions. A serving of fruit is about 125 grams. Fruit juice provides a lot of calories and less fiber than regular fruit. Drink at most one glass a day.
Myth 2. You should not combine fruit with other foods
Fortunately, that’s nonsense. The Lifelong Fit diet was a hit in the 1990s. According to this diet, it is best to have fruit in the morning and then nothing for a while.
Otherwise it would ferment in your stomach. Even though this diet has been virtually forgotten, many people still think that it is best to eat fruit separately. This has never been scientifically proven.
Combining fruits is recommended. Think of slices of strawberry, banana or apple as a lean spread or in yogurt. If you eat only fruit in the morning, you may be less able to resist temptations later in the morning. A Lifelong Fit then advises “eating a few bananas”. But: bananas also tick if you eat too much of them.
Myth 3. A banana for breakfast? Lost kilos!
No, unfortunately not an absolute truth either. According to the Banana Diet, a hit in Japan, the best way to lose weight is to take a banana in the morning. For lunch and dinner you could then eat whatever you want.
A banana has no magical effect on your metabolism. If you eat more than you need for the rest of the day, you’ll just gain weight.
But: a banana can of course be a tasty, quick breakfast. Just keep a regular brownie sandwich or other low-calorie addition to your breakfast for later. A banana alone is not enough to keep you fit and happy until lunch. In addition, it is important to vary with fruit.
Myth 4. Superfruit is healthier
Pomegranates, Goji and Acai berries are high in antioxidants and are therefore often referred to as ‘superfruits’. The Sonoma Diet also praises the blueberry. These super strains have no particular effect on weight loss.
Moreover, scientists say that the healthy effect of fruit is due to the combination of substances in fruit, not just antioxidants.
Each type of fruit has its own combination of healthy substances. It is precisely by varying that you ensure that you get those substances. That is why it is unwise to eat only blueberries, for example.
Fact 1. Fruit helps to eat low-calorie
Yes, fruit is very easy when you are on a diet. You know for sure that you are making the low-calorie choice with fruit. Muesli bars and other ‘sensible’ snacks often provide more calories than you think.
Fact 2. Fruit satisfies your appetite faster than a croquette
Fruit contains a lot of fiber. Fiber ensures that you feel full faster. Eating fatty foods has the disadvantage that you only feel full after a while, so that you quickly eat too much.
Fact 3. Fruit helps to stay healthy
According to the Nutrition Center, there are strong indications that eating fruit helps against certain chronic diseases. Eating enough fruits and vegetables is said to lower the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
Fact 4. Fruit helps maintain weight
The problem with many diets is that they are too one-sided and needlessly complicated. It wouldn’t be good to stick with them for long because they simply don’t provide everything you need. Fruit provides few calories and much of what your body needs. Replace one unhealthy habit with fruit and you’re already on your way!
