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Give Fruit a Chance
Considering that purposeful misinformation is possible, and even likely, let us look into the myths and lies around the subjects of fruit, nutrition, and health. The following are the top five most common misleading statements you are likely to hear.
Myth #1 “Fruit will make you fat.” – This position holds that our body absorbs fruit sugars too quickly, and will turn them to fat if they aren’t used immediately.
Myth #2 “Fruit causes high-blood-pressure.” – A simplified concept generalizing that all fruit has a high glycemic index, which spikes blood sugar levels, leading to high-blood-pressure.
Myth #3 “Fruit causes diabetes.” – A spin-off from Myth #2, which assumes that a continued spiking of blood sugar levels will lead to type 2 diabetes.
Myth #4 “Fruit causes Candida overgrow.” – The basic reasoning here is that, since sugar is a food source for Candida, the more fruit we eat, the more Candida will grow.
Myth #5 “Fruit causes cavities.” – This myth may be as old as the tooth fairy, pointing that because bacteria in our mouth feeds on sugar, the more fruit we eat, the more cavities we’ll have.
There are more myths, lies, and misleading information spread by doctors, lobbyist, and nutritionist. These people might claim consumption of fruit leads to sugar addiction, liver damage, metabolic dysfunction, and elevated triglyceride levels. Some say fruit consumption is a risk factor for heart and kidney disease. Others take it a step further saying fruit is as addictive as heroin.
We can’t deny that there might be some truth to these statements. Some of this information comes from reliable sources and well studied professionals who have done years of research on these topics. At the same time, we know humans make mistakes and sometimes exaggerate, or lie, to satisfy their own personal agenda.
There are additional factors not taken in consideration when these type of statements are made. For example, even though bacteria feeds on sugar, ingesting foods with high fiber content, such as fruit, stimulates saliva flow, which is a natural defense against cavities. Not only does saliva wash away food particles and clean our mouth, but also neutralizes the acids that harm our teeth. It may be impossible to get the absolute truth, and experiences vary from person to person, depending on countless variables.
