UGH! How do you explain that the sugar in fruit isn't good for ME??? I can eat berries if I choose to but just don't right now.
My MIL is on a diabetic diet and eats a banana every day and so asks me too if I can have a banana. I just said, "no, it has alot of sugar and I just can't eat sugar right now" I also told her that I am really trying to stay away from sugar and carbs and I've lost 17 lbs so far. No comment from her ~~ <--eyeroll
She's been overweight before but never obese and naturally is quite tiny (size 5 shoe!)

Sure, fruit can be good for you. That's why I eat cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, peppers, and berries here and there.

Ask her what nutrients are available in sugary fruit that aren't available in vegetables.

*crickets chirping*

AngelaLynn, Maybe this will help explaining why you want to stay away from fruit with your mother in law.

Is Too Much Fruit Bad?
http://experiencelife.com/contribut...much-fruit-bad/

For years the authorities have told us that we should be consuming a lot of fruits and vegetables. While eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables is better than one consisting of processed, refined and fast foods, as fruits are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, there are a number of potential health hazards associated with too much fruit consumption. Instead, we should be eating a lot of vegetables and a moderate fruit intake.

Fructose is a simple sugar found in fruit, and is metabolized into fat by the liver. Diets high in fruits have been linked to metabolic and endocrine issues. Fructose has shown to increase the risks of high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, and kidney disease, as well as feed cancer cells.

Fructose is absorbed differently by the body than other sugars like glucose. Glucose increases insulin production, allowing the sugar in the blood to be transported into cells, providing them with energy. Glucose also regulates appetite and fat storage by increasing leptin production, and decreases production of ghrelin, which helps regulate food intake. Fructose, however, does not stimulate insulin or leptin production the same way and does not suppress ghrelin.

Because sugars and refined foods elevate blood sugar levels, they are linked to insulin resistance. Even though fructose doesn’t affect blood sugar levels in the same manner and increase insulin production like glucose or sucrose, diets high in fructose are also linked to insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas which, as mentioned earlier, acts as a transport mechanism allowing glucose and nutrients to be pumped into the cells.

As cells become resistant to insulin, they in a matter of speaking close the door of the cells, not allowing insulin to do its job and transport blood glucose and other nutrients into the cells. As those cell doors close, glucose continues to flow through the blood, and because it has nowhere else to go, it’s stored as fat, leading to diabetes and obesity. In addition, because the nutrients are blocked from entering the cells, nutritional deficiencies occur on a cellular level.

Fructose has been also linked to metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome, which has become a worldwide epidemic health problem, is characterized by obesity (especially abdominal fat), hypertension, insulin resistance and abnormal lipid profiles. As the consumption of fructose has increased in the past 35 years, by about 500%, rates of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes have also increased.

Fructose also gets converted into triglycerides very easily, and we all know that elevated triglyceride levels are linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

In 2010, the journal Cancer Research published a study showing the way different sugars are metabolized and the effect they have on cancer cells. While glucose feeds cancer cells, fructose is easily metabolized by cancer cells to increase proliferation. Cancer cells use fructose for cell division, which in turn speeds up the growth and spread of cancer.

Studies also show that fructose elevates uric acid levels in the kidneys. High uric acid levels increase risk of gout, a form of arthritis, as well as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and kidney stones. It’s important to note that normal uric acid levels are about 3.5-4mg/dl. Uric acid levels higher than 4 are a key indicator that one might suffer from fructose toxicity.

Now, it’s important to mention that fructose in liquid form, like juices, sodas, etc. will have a much greater impact on uric acid levels, as it is a much more concentrated form than when eaten in fruit, as the fiber and other nutrients in the fruit will slow the absorption somewhat. However, eating an abundance of fruit is still linked to elevated uric acid levels.

Also, the adult liver can only metabolize about 2-3 Tbsp. of fructose daily. The rest is stored as fat around the liver, leading to fatty liver disease, similar to that present in alcoholics. Fructose also gets converted into triglycerides more efficiently than glucose, which we all know, elevated triglyceride levels are linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

Magnesium and other essential vitamins and minerals are depleted from the body by fructose. This may actually accelerate bone loss and increase symptoms of muscle cramps, chronic pain and poor sleep. Fructose also creates internal inflammation in the body, which can partly be responsible for joint pain, as well as impede one’s recovery from exercise and decreased immune function.

The stomach is full of bacteria, both good and bad. The good bacteria are one of the main parties responsible for immune health. Fructose, however, feeds the bad bacteria, causing it to grow and multiply. When stomach flora balance is off, it causes Candida to grow. Candida is a systemic yeast infection that when not managed, can cause a myriad of health issues to occur.

Some of the symptoms of Candida are yeast infections, constant fatigue, brain fog, bad breath, abdominal pain, increased food allergies, constant sweet cravings, joint pain, fungus, rashes like eczema, and depression.

Again, there is a difference between eating fresh fruit in its whole form versus fruit drinks and other sugars like High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Fresh fruit, as mentioned earlier, is full of vitamins, minerals and flavonoids, all of which have a plethora of health benefits. Many flavonoids are shown to have an impact on antioxidative activity, free-radical reduction, and coronary heart disease prevention as well as contain anti-cancer properties.

While moderate fruit consumption will bring a number of those health benefits to otherwise healthy individuals and athletes, there are many that should avoid fruit consumption all together. Those who need to be careful about their fruit intake are people with high insulin levels, or those who suffer from any of the following:
•Overweight
•High Cholesterol
•High Blood Pressure
•Diabetes
•Yeast Infections

Fruit juice, fructose sweetened foods and beverages and HFCS, however, should be avoided by all. They will bring a high concentration of fructose to the blood, potentially leading to all the health hazards previously discussed. It’s worth mentioning that juicing, though we’ve been told is incredibly healthy, is not recommended, unless the pulp and other cellular material from the fruit are contained in the juice.

Athletes who otherwise eat a very clean diet, but consume a lot of fruit may not have the immediate negative impact that the average person eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) might have, but over time, as activity decreases, that high fruit consumption may lead to those same physiological imbalances. On the other hand, if that athlete’s main goal is body fat reduction, then limiting, or even avoiding fruit is highly encouraged.
In regards to timing one’s fruit intake, eating fruit earlier in the day or post workout would be preferential over eating it right before bed. It would not be advisable to consume fruit alone, be sure to add, at the very least, a lean protein source with that piece of fruit, and even some healthy fats like raw nuts or nut butters, healthy oils or omega 3s, in order to help slow the absorption of fructose.

Below is a list of the healthier fruits one should consume:
•Coconut – antiviral, antibacterial, normalize body lipids, healthy fat
•Berries – antioxidant protection, excellent source of vitamin C, carotenes, zinc, calcium, magnesium, high in fiber, low in sugar
•Papaya – rich in antioxidants like carotenes and flavonoids, high in vitamins B and E, folate and fiber, great source of potassium and magnesium, rich in papain (enzyme that helps with digestion), immune system support, anti-inflammatory properties
•Avocado – excellent source of raw monounsaturated fat which is easily burned for energy, high in potassium (twice that found in a banana), great source of folate, vitamins C and E, riboflavin and B6
•Mango – rich in carotenoids and vitamins B and C, calcium, iron, potassium, selenium, folate and zinc
•Pineapple – contains bromelain (enzyme which aids in digestion, reduces inflammation and anti-cancer), rich in antioxidants, provides immune support, great source of manganese, thiamin and riboflavin (all of which are important for energy production)

I think when people are told they should eat more fruits and vegetables, they think they're interchangeable. The vegetable portion of that statement gets overlooked.

My husband does not eat fruit. He just does not prefer it. It's just a simple 'no thank you'.

I eat fruit, consuming what's in season and tasty.

No one should have to explain anything. Some people are just not into sweet fruit and don't follow any specific diet regimen.
There's no need to get into explanations.

Notice that this piece is touting mangoes and papaya, which despite the nutrients are very high in sugar. So what is "healthy" depends on your point of view.

Excellent Video explanation you can use to answer by the wonderful Dr Sarah Hallberg..or send it to Mom.

http://fitteru.us/2015/07/tutor-ses...on-a-lchf-diet/

All her tutorials are good and her TEDTalk brilliant so look around her entire website. And if your Mom is on a diabetic diet, then she really should watch the TEDtalk first! http://youtu.be/da1vvigy5tQ

Ps: Banana has about 28 g of carbs and 3 g fiber, so 25 net carbs.
Divide that by 5 = equals eating 5 teaspoons of sugar!
Your body treats all non-fiber carbs the same, becoming sugar. A healthy human has only about 1 teaspoon of sugar in their blood, so a banana can be problem if not insulin sensitive. Eat one and test your BG 1,2, and 3 hours later to see how you handle it.

That was very surprising to me also, but the article had so many other good points, I hated not to share it.

Great video Janet. Dr. Hallberg does a good job explaining the topic without resorting to a cookie cutter one size fits all type of answer.

I agree with several of the comments above that what one eats is a choice and unless asking for advice or input - no one else's business. Of course, family often don't care if we want their "help" or input. For me, when it's family I find it easiest to smile, nod, and move on. Long term results by eating what is best for yourself will always be the best answer in the long run.

Oh my mistake! I read that too fast and saw MOM not MIL !...she is in a special category of family tread lightly.
but I get a little crazy about people on the ADA diabetes diet eating 45-65% of calories as carbs...and thinking it is healthy! A banana a day for a diabetic is suicide.

Perhaps your MIL would be willing to read Dr. Bernstein's "Diabetes Solution: The Compete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars."

Dr. B hasn't eaten fruit in years and is how old? In his 80s? He recommends some vegetables out of caution - it's possible they have things our bodies need. So once I assimilated that view, I eat vegetables & occasionally berries or rhubarb just because I like them. I get a flavor kick & relatively few carbs. The other night I had 6 gooseberries as part of my lc meal. They went well with the meat - slightly sweet & slightly tart.

Dr. B's book can be found on Amazon for just a few bucks. I think I paid about $3 for my copy.

For the most part, I've stopped trying to explain. I eat what I eat, and it's really not open to commentary from other people. I don't judge them for what they eat.

Occasionally I will eat a little fruit (usually berries - less than once a week), but I can get the same nutrients and a lot less sugar from veggies. If I'm in the mood to explain, that is what I say.

Yes, fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals, but so do animal foods, and often in a more assimilable form.

http://www.health-alternatives.com/...tion-chart.html

I certainly am not saying this statement is wrong, but this particular phrase, in ANY article, always rubs me the wrong way. How many things "which we all know" are accepted here on this board?

- statins reduce heart disease
- diabetics NEED to have carbs with every meal
- eating fat makes you fat
- saturated fat causes heart disease
- eating cholesterol-rich foods raises your cholesterol
- your brain needs carbs to run on
- you need carbs for energy

Well I could go on I suppose. But I hate that "which we all know" phrase in the popular press.

I don't eat a lot of fruit but will occasionally. I'm currently on vacation at my summer home in New Brunswick, Canada, and we have five acres of wild blueberries on our property. If I ever get the nerve to go out and battle with the nasty mosquitoes you can bet I'm going to pick and eat some! But I'm waiting for a nice windy day which tends to keep the bugs away.

I actually don't know that fructose being easily converted into triglycerides vs. glucose is the problem here. Critics of low carbohydrate will often cite studies showing that fructose is only a problem if overconsumed. And even then, unless the diet is very low fat, that actual amount of fructose that's directly synthesized into triglyceride is pretty small. The usual problem is more that dietary carbohydrate is displacing dietary and body fat as a fuel source. Eat glucose--insulin goes up. Fat is trapped in fat cells. Eat fructose--the liver gets lots of fructose. Fructose doesn't have the same effect on the pancreas as glucose--insulin doesn't go up so much. So that effect of trapping fat in the fat cells--not so much. The liver is exposed to lots of carbohydrate--and maybe a higher load of free fatty acids than it would have been if glucose had been eaten instead of fructose. So it does what a liver does when exposed to high levels of free fatty acids and carbohydrate at the same time--turns those free fatty acids into triglycerides.

And of course the more quickly absorbed carbohydrate is, the less time the fat cells have to do their job of temporarily lowering blood levels of free fatty acids in preparation for the coming carbohydrate load, another obvious problem with sugar.

You can see why people oversimplify. But it's still possible to simplify without actually being incorrect.




This is technically true, but we're usually talking about several grams of triglyceride being synthesized directly from fructose itself. So it's true, but the implication--that the high levels of triglyceride in an insulin resistant person's blood stream is largely composed of triglyceride synthesized from fructose--may be false. Instead, someone could just say "excess fructose consumption tends to increase triglyceride production," still an easy read, not wasting people's time with excessive detail, and with the advantage of probably actually being true.