Just fruit for breakfast?
When do you eat fruit? Are we suppose to eat or not eat fruit? Doesn’t fruit have too much sugar? If you eat fruit won’t you crave sugar all day? Due to conflicting information out there, these are some of the MANY questions I receive regarding fruit.
If we go back in time as hunters and gatherers, we would look for fruit in the warmer climates and warmer times of year to help with cooling, hydration, minerals, and support the sweet tastebuds on our tongues. Fruit is meant to be eaten seasonally and regionally. Many of my clients shun fruit from a logical standpoint. I can not discount fruit or fruit juice anymore because I can remember a fresh glass of passion fruit juice on the island of Lanai to this day that fed and nourished me in so many aspects.
So, I did an experiment a couple of weeks ago to see if my blood sugar crashed on fruit and fruit juice. It started with a friend bringing me a bag of fresh citrus from her neighbors yard. The color of these blood oranges and tangerines were so bright that how could I resist. I haven’t had a glass of “orange juice for so long”. As we squeezed this liquid sunshine, I could hear my logical mind start to analyze if I should have protein or fat with it to stabilize my blood sugar. Instead of trying to over think it all, I just drank the juice and was Wow’d. I felt nourished, hydrated, and guess what…SATIATED. I didn’t want anything else, just the juice. Was it my body that was satiated and my mind was trying to take me out of the present moment? Yep.
For the next few days, I experimented and ate more fruit that I “normally” do. I didn’t experience one blood sugar crash.
*Definition of blood sugar crash: Where you feel light headed or low energy and need a quick fix to raise your blood sugar or energy. Not a Diabetic reaction.
I felt super great and also noticed some detoxification effects. I wouldn’t recommend this in cold weather, if you are on medications, or a Diabetic. However, if you have heaps of fear around fruit and use your mind too much, then PLEASE give fruit some love.
A few fruit combining suggestions are:
- Eat melons alone. Try not to combined melons with other fruits, vegetables, proteins, or fats. This can cause your digestive tract stress.
- Try citrus prior to meals. We have mentioned adding lemon water into your morning routine first thing in the morning, now play with some other citrus 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to meals. Such as, limes, kumquats, mandarins, tangerines, grapefruit, and ugli fruit.
- Add citrus to Sun Tea. I am on a Sun Tea kick. I have been using peppermint sun tea and adding basil and it cooks in the sunshine. After you can squeeze a bit of citrus and top off with a splash of bubble water for fun.
- Balance high sugar fruits with fats. If you add in dried fruit or higher sugar fruits such as bananas, dates, and figs, balance those with a healthy fat such as nuts or nut butters.
- Add fruit if you crave salty. In the warmer months, you may be needing more electrolytes and minerals, thus the body craves salt. Try to add some fresh fruit to support your body to hydrate, cool and rebalance electrolytes.
Let me know if you try an experiment or need support as you jump in.
Hope you are having a sweet summer,
Heather Fleming, C.C.N
