Is it bad to eat alot of fruit?

[Pturski]

Im new to raw and was wondering about this. My favorite fruits are strawberry's and bananas there raw but how much is to much? People say u shouldent eat to much cause its high in sugar. On a side note i felt great today and ive only been raw a couple of days.

[juliebove]

Bananas can be constipating, but some people can eat a lot of them with no problem. Personally I don't feel it's best to eat a lot of *anything* but to vary what you eat.

I don't eat much fruit at all because I really don't like the taste of it and much of it makes me feel really sick if I eat it. But we're all different.

[Veg4Life]

Personally, I think when you are new to raw that you should allow yourself to eat as much of whatever you want (as long as it's raw of course!). As you get deeper into the lifestyle your body will tell you what it wants and if you are eating too much.

I have heard people talk about fruit having too much sugar. I don't worry too much about it. I, myself, don't eat a ton of fruit, but my my kids eat it all day. They are thriving, are hardly ever sick, and fruit is SO much better than the snacks I used to give them before I learned about this lifestyle.

Lastly, back to you being new, fruit saved me when I went raw. It totally satisfied any cravings I had for sugary treats- I say, eat all the strawberries and bananas you want as long as you are feeling good.

My 2 cents. Good luck to you!

[Pturski]

Thanks for your input

[Inca_faerie]

Hi Pturski

In the begining stages of raw it's probably not a good idea to restrict yourself so just go with what you feel like. If you are worried about harmful sugars, I'd say stick to low fructose fruits like canteloupe and pineapple etc. Avoiding over ripe bananas is also a good idea. Are you eating any veggies and salad?

[Pturski]

Hi Pturski

In the begining stages of raw it's probably not a good idea to restrict yourself so just go with what you feel like. If you are worried about harmful sugars, I'd say stick to low fructose fruits like canteloupe and pineapple etc. Avoiding over ripe bananas is also a good idea. Are you eating any veggies and salad?

yea im eating tomatos lettuce greenbeans and spinach. The 3 fruits i eat mostly are blueberries strawberrys and bananas. Im think about just eating fruit for breakfast so i dont eat to much of them.

[Eva]

I'd say have what you want. If you are eating 100%ish raw, your taste buds will guide you. If your body needs strawberries, you'll want them...

The carbs in fruit are not sugar per se, and they are used by your body without causing harm.

As for fruits making a person sick -- sometimes that is simply because they are cleansing and cause detox. This does not usually happen to someone who has been 100% raw for awhile but can happen frequently to people who bounce between "healthy" and "unhealthy" food... or in the beginning of the raw journey.

(Although -- that is not always the case, some people do react to sweeter fruits but not to others.)

[samariah]

if i eat tons of just fruits and not enough greens/veggies i dont feel as good. but if am about 50/50 or eat a little more greens than fruits, i feel great.

[Inca_faerie]

I think your doing great, blueberries are polyphenol rich and incredibly good for you, and strawberries are fairly low sugar. As for me I wouldn't go nuts on the bananas but you should go with your own feelings. Congrats on starting raw!:)

[Pturski]

I think your doing great, blueberries are polyphenol rich and incredibly good for you, and strawberries are fairly low sugar. As for me I wouldn't go nuts on the bananas but you should go with your own feelings. Congrats on starting raw!:)

Thanks ill just stick to one banana a day.

[rockstar135]

Eating too much fruit can cause tooth decay, so it's important to be balanced.

[Ilse W.]

When I make smoothies, I use 3 or 4 bananas, some other kind of fruit, and 2 big handfuls of spinach, plus water. It fills the whole blender and I drink it all throughout the morning. I still lose weight! You really can't overdo raw. There are people who live exclusively on fruit. I've read about people who eat bananas all day long, every day, and are healthy. Your body will eventually let you know what it needs.

[mongodelight]

the worst thing is: fruits are mostly deficient in minerals. That means you re not getting enough minerals from fruits. And if u re eating 4-6 lbs of fruit a day you re appetite on green leafy veggies will decrease. It makes you crave more and only enjoy food with sugar and fat.(after a cooked week all raw dont taste the way it did before, even durian or coconutwater wont pleasure your taste 100%.) Too much cooked make you loose the appetite on raw food. Too much suggery fruit will make you loose your appetite on green leafes.

Like the good stuff is pushin out the bad stuff, The bad stuff kicks out the good. Cigarettes for example pushes out the oxygen in your body. If u re addicted you cant enjoy breathing it most of the time. You start to hate oxygen.

20% green leafy vegetables(dark green are richer in minerals) are surely enough. Why? - because we re surely "naked chimps" and they eat about 20 %, mostly tree leafes. I know that we need some green leafes:rolleyes:

The more green you eat the more you ll like it(if u re eating greens that you like). A few weeks of green leafes every day you will enjoy it like you re enjoying you re fruits.

[raven]

There are many reasons a high fruit diet isn't the way to go. Without knowing your particular issues, it's hard to say how much you should restrict fruit. It's always safe to remain on the side of caution and focus on greens, veggies and low glycemic fruits, such as berries. By the way, tomatoes and green beans are fruit.

Suzy

[gs4life]

just wanted to add that i was told (i believe on this forum) that bananas are only constipating if you eat them unripe. a ripe banana has little brown spots all over them. i have been eating 3-5 bananas everyday and have been feeling great--and NO constipation ;)

[GlimR]

I hope I don't get any rotten peaches thrown at me for this post. It's great to be able to ask whatever questions we need to here and to get such great support...but...after reading this thread what I am left with is that everyone is different and of course you need to do what feels right to YOU. If you don't listen to what feels right to your body all the mixed and conflicting advice folks provide could make a person crazy and not know what to put in their mouths!
Yes, it is about balance and eating greens AND fruit is important. A wide variety insures that your body recieves a broad range of nutrition. We all know greens are great and the more you eat the better. But fruit does provide so many good things, antioxidants, etc..
As raw foodists we have cut so many "fake foods/SAD foods" out of our way of eating and to become a fruitiphobe just takes things to a crazy extreme to me. Alissa's way of living does provide balance and does not restrict foods within the raw realm. Unless you have a specific problem with high gylcemic fruits I say eat them to whatever level you desire them and see how you do.

[GlimR]

btw....Denise is right. Underripe bananas contain more starch and are constipating. Eating underripe fruit is not good! Once the bananas ripen, ie...spotty skin, they contain a higher sugar content, are more easily digested and do NOT cause constipation. People in the SAD world say sugar is sugar but I do not believe that my body utilizes the sugar found in fruit in the same waY it does a hershey bar...that is just nuts.
Someone posted a link to this very informative site but I don't remember who...there is a wealth of information about all kinds of fruit and veggies....below is a link to the page regarding bananas....
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=7

Ok.......*wandering off*

[Raine]

Simply put, fruits are high in calories / low nutrition. Vegetables are the opposite.

[GlimR]

Raine, with all due respect I don't know where people get the idea that fruit is low in nutrition. Fruit is abundant in minerals, vitamins and fiber..all of which are essential to the body....for example.....

One apple provides 4 g. fiber, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium and smaller amounts of iron, copper, manganese and zinc as well as vitamins A,C, E and folate.

All other fruits provide similar benefits. Google antioxident benefits of fruit, etc...there is a wealth of information to be found. Fruit is not junk food but benefits the body and provides essential nourishment that greens do not and likewise greens provide things that fruit does not...it is about balance not about excluding or dismissing one or the other.

[RawYorkCity]

I would hope not, considering I'm living off of dried fruit while here in college! I haven't had any problems (regular bowel movements, consistent energy, ect...) and I go through a bag of dates (sometimes two) a day.

[Raine]

I didn't say fruit is low in nutrition -- I said it was lower in nutrients than vegetables. This statement is well documented by everyone from Jethro Kloss to Harvey Diamond.

If someone is posing a question asking if it's "bad to eat alot of fruit" than that rather depends upon what they are wanting to achieve in their diet. I am a big proponent of balance between the fruits & vegs. Many people on this site are interested in weight loss, so, in that situation, vegs are a better choice.


Raine, with all due respect I don't know where people get the idea that fruit is low in nutrition. Fruit is abundant in minerals, vitamins and fiber..all of which are essential to the body....for example.....

One apple provides 4 g. fiber, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium and smaller amounts of iron, copper, manganese and zinc as well as vitamins A,C, E and folate.

All other fruits provide similar benefits. Google antioxident benefits of fruit, etc...there is a wealth of information to be found. Fruit is not junk food but benefits the body and provides essential nourishment that greens do not and likewise greens provide things that fruit does not...it is about balance not about excluding or dismissing one or the other.

[Eva]

Simply put, fruits are high in calories / low nutrition. Vegetables are the opposite.

I have to disagree with this as well. Fruits are not low in nutrition. I've just been craving -- and ate -- a big avocado mashed with a couple tomatoes. I know it was high in nutrition and nourished my body.

Sometimes I crave veggies, and I eat them.

Sometimes I crave veggies covered in olive oil, and I eat that.

Sometimes I crave green smoothies, and I drink them. Sometimes I don't!

I am 100% raw, barring the fact that some of my spices may not be raw. Everything I eat is full of nutrition. I have very specific cravings that are no longer emotional but instead driven by what my body needs. And it needs everything!

That's the beauty of raw. I don't have to think about weight loss. I DO stay aware of what I am eating and keep a wide variety of food on hand. But I don't ever have to think "Hmmm, fruit has calories. I better eat more veggies." if indeed my body is craving fruit. Calories are good! They give us energy.

[RawSweetie]

I'm noticing how differently the discussion threads work when we speak/share from OUR OWN EXPERIENCE, rather than from cited sources by this expert and that expert. We can all dig in our heels and insist until we're blue in the face that so-and-so's research is correct...but who can argue when I simply share what's worked for me?

Personally, when I pose a question here, I want to hear what others have actualy gone through themselves.

So far, I'm finding that it cuts both ways...too little fruit, esp. juicy, watery fruit, and I feel blechh! Even if I'm eating tons of greens. But if I eat too few greens, I end up feeling off, too--kind of floaty in a way I don't like/possibly am not ready for (i don't know yet). It's my own little balancing act, and honestly, although it's interesting what so-and-so has to say, and of course I'm in a process of educating myself, my own experience always trumps what I read. :D

[rawstrength]

I would hope not, considering I'm living off of dried fruit while here in college! I haven't had any problems (regular bowel movements, consistent energy, ect...) and I go through a bag of dates (sometimes two) a day.

Hi there! I'm also in college and eating lots of dried fruits and nuts. Make sure you grow yourself some sprouts to round out your diet :) . It is easy to grow sprouts in a dorm room, on a window sill or under a light.
Best wishes!
P.S. Dates are so delish. I haven't had any for a long time. I've been on a dried peach and almond kick here myself.

[raven]

Thanks to all for sharing your experiences. I try to have a balanced view based on experience and expert advice. The nutritionists, colonic therapists, raw food experts, etc. I have been counseled by for many years have cautioned against overcomsumption of fruit and recommend little or no fruit if someone has serious health issues. Fruit must also be eaten at the appropriate time and will ferment and create digestive and health issues if eaten before heavier meals are digested. My belief is that unsoaked dried fruits are subject to bacterial overgrowth and contamination and are high in concentrated sugars.

Suzy

[RawKnitster]

I strive to eat a balanced diet. Might not be that successful at it, but I try. I base it loosely on David Wolfe's Sunfood Diet. For an average adult he recommends equal parts chlorophyll (green leafy vegetables), sugars (sweet fruits), fats (fatty fruits, nuts, coconuts, seeds). The percentages of each food group should be based on dry weights. If greens and fruits average about 90% water, then a pound of them equals 1.6 ounces dry weight. So a dry weight portion of nuts/seeds would also be 1.6 ounces. I don't go crazy trying to figure it out, it's just a guideline. Since I want to release weight I'm trying to have a day now and then without any fats.

On the other hand....If I feel like eating canteloupe (or whatever) all day, then that's what I'm going to do.