What’s your take on eating fruit?
Yep, I’m talking to you, Fruity-Fruity Cocoa Pop.
Are you of the mindset that eating fruit is okay, but it’s not your sole focus in life?
Or are you mindful of the amount of fruit you eat?
Let’s make it simple:
Are you eating enough fruit?
Do you know how many servings of fruit you SHOULD be eating each day?
I had no clue, so I assumed that I was probably right on track.
Ah, the way we rationalize our choices is a farcical display of ridiculousness and absurdity, isn’t it?
According to the FDA, adults should be eating two servings of fruit every day.
Well, that’s easy enough, right?
Hang on…THIS JUST IN!
The American Heart Association says that adults should be eating four to five servings of fruit, per day.
Wait a minute.
What the…WHAT???
And also, diabetic folks have to be careful, because fruit is loaded with natural sugar, which could wreak havoc with their insulin levels.
I know…you may be sitting there thinking, “Just give me a number of how many fruit servings we should be eating per day, and I’ll roll with that.”
That’s exactly right where I was, too.
Get this…!
There is no dang exact number of fruit servings we each should be eating every day!
Every division, association and/or gubment (<– an actual word that I just made up) entity has it’s own fruit-serving designation.
Awwwwww…Come on, Man!
I just about said, “Eff fruit altogether. I’m going back to potato chips & french fries, because potatoes are a vegetable!”
Now, hold it…let’s not throw the fruit bowl out with the banana peels.
I’m no doctor, but I’m assuming that SOME FRUIT is better than no fruit.
Being “pro math,” I decided to take the data, average it out and roll with that average number, as to how many servings of fruit I should be eating every day.
Wanna know what I came up with?
Adults should be eating 3.8 servings of fruit every day.
Some days I roll with 2 servings and call it good, and other days I’ll eat five.
The way I see it, as long as I’m averaging more than three servings of fruit each day, I’m on the good side of fruit consumption.
I’ve noticed a couple of things, since I started eating more fruit.
My cravings for refined sugar are less, since I’m ingesting more natural sugar.
When I eat fruit, I’m not as hungry as I used to be.
If I eat fruit as a “late night snack,” I sleep better.
And yes, you’ll poop better, too.
(You know you were wondering!)
Like I said, I’m not a doctor or nutritionist.
You do what works for you.
If you do decide to eat more fruit, but you’re not a big fan of fruit to start with, here are a couple of tricks that work for me:
Chocolate or caramel dipping sauce:
It’s not necessarily the healthiest option, but you are eating fruit.
Mix it up with something sharp or tart:
Apples and grapes pair well with sharp cheeses. I cut up a honeycrisp apple and few slices of extra sharp cheddar and then alternate bites; Eat an apple slice, then eat a slice of cheese.
Dried Fruit:
You’ll find these prepackaged in the grocery store; Mango, cranberries, watermelon, banana chips, strawberry and pineapple. They taste like candy, but you’re eating fruit.
Raisins:
Now, I put raisins in my salads, and in oatmeal. They’re good in cereal, too.
Dehydrated fruit:
If you own a dehydrator, you can easily make your own fruit leathers (you may know these as “Fruit Roll Ups”). Doing this takes almost no effort, and you control how much sugar (if any) goes into the leathers. Honey is a great alternative for added sweetness, if you decide to make your own.
Add fruit to your dessert:
Having a bowl of ice cream? Cut up two peaches and add them to your favorite bowl of creamy, delicious, vanilla-bean goodness. Eating a couple of brownies? Add a cup of raspberries, blackberries or strawberries. Got a craving for sherbet? Peel, cut and add a tangerine or two. You get the idea!
Fruit for breakfast:
Add some berries and/or fruit slices to your yogurt, waffles, pancakes, smoothies, oatmeal or cereal. Have a couple of fruit-and-grain bars for breakfast. Fruit for breakfast is a great way to start the day! If you’re having a full breakfast, make sure you’ve got some fruit on your plate.
Obviously, how many servings of fruit you should be eating each day depends on a variety of health factors for every individual.
I’m not a doctor, but I think increasing our fruit intake provides a whole host of healthy benefits.
And yes, you’ll be sinking the Bismarck on a regular basis, too.
More soon,
-A