Fruits play an important role in a healthy diet.
In fact, diets rich in fruit are associated with all sorts of health benefits, including a decreased risk of many diseases.
However, some people are concerned about the sugar content of fruits and fear that consuming them in excess may be harmful.
So how many servings of fruit should you eat each day to be healthy? And is it possible to overeat? This article explores current research on the topic.
Table of contents
Fruits are rich in important nutrients
The nutrient composition of fruits varies greatly between types, but all varieties contain important nutrients.
For starters, fruits tend to be high in vitamins and minerals. These include vitamin C, potassium, and folate, of which many people don't get enough (1, 2).
Fruits are also high in fiber, which has many health benefits.
Eating fiber may help lower cholesterol, increase feelings of fullness, and contribute to weight loss over time (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).
Additionally, fruits are rich in antioxidants, which help fight free radicals that can damage cells. A diet rich in antioxidants may help slow aging and reduce the risk of disease (9, 10, 11).
Because different fruits contain different amounts of nutrients, it's important to eat several to maximize their health benefits.
Summary: Fruits are rich in important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Eat lots of different types to get the most benefits.
Eating fruit can help you lose weight
Fruit is nutrient-dense and relatively low in calories, making it a great choice for those looking to lose weight.
Plus, they're high in water and fiber, which helps you feel full.
For this reason, you can usually eat fruit until you are satisfied without consuming a lot of calories.
In fact, several studies indicate that fruit consumption is associated with lower calorie intake and may contribute to weight loss over time (12, 13, 14, 15).
Apples and citrus fruits, like oranges and grapefruit, are among the heartiest (16).
It's also important to note that whole, solid fruits are much more filling than pureed or juiced fruits, which you can usually eat without feeling full (17).
Studies show that drinking lots of fruit juice is linked to increased calorie intake and may increase the risk of obesity and other serious illnesses (18, 19, 20, 21, 22).
In other words, avoid drinking a lot of fruit juice and prefer whole fruits.
Summary: Eating whole fruits can help you consume fewer calories and lose weight over time. However, drinking fruit juice can have the opposite effect.
Eating Fruit May Reduce Your Risk of Disease
Research consistently shows that diets rich in fruits and vegetables are associated with a lower risk of many serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28).
Although many studies look at fruit and vegetable consumption as a whole, a few study the benefits of specific fruits.
A review of nine studies found that each additional serving of fruit eaten each day reduced the risk of heart disease by 7% (29).
Another study showed that eating fruits like grapes, apples, and blueberries was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (22).
Citrus fruits, in particular, may increase citrate levels in urine, which reduces the risk of kidney stones (30).
Increased fruit consumption may also help lower blood pressure and reduce oxidative stress, which may reduce the risk of heart disease (31).
Eating more fruits and vegetables is also associated with improved blood sugar control in people with diabetes (32).
Summary: Many studies indicate that fruit consumption is associated with a lower risk of many serious diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Is fruit safe for people with diabetes?
Most dietary recommendations for diabetics suggest eating plenty of fruits and vegetables (33).
Current nutrition recommendations recommend that people with diabetes consume 2 to 4 servings of fruit per day, the same rate as the general population (34).
Yet, some people limit their food intake because they are concerned about their sugar content.
However, studies show that when sugar is consumed in stallion fruit, it has very little effect on blood sugar (35).
Additionally, fruits are high in fiber, which slows the digestion and absorption of sugar, improving overall blood sugar control (36).
The fiber in fruits may also reduce insulin resistance and help protect against type 2 diabetes (37, 38).
Fruits also contain polyphenols, which have been shown to improve blood sugar control (39, 40).
Additionally, eating more fruits and vegetables has been linked to lower levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in people with diabetes (41).
That being said, not all fruits are created equal. Some of these raise blood sugar more than others, and diabetics are encouraged to monitor their blood sugar after eating to determine which foods they should limit.
Summary: Fruit contains sugar, but its fiber and polyphenols may actually improve long-term blood sugar control and protect against type 2 diabetes.
What about people on a low-carb diet?
Some people consider eating 100 to 150 grams of carbs per day to be "low-carb." Others work to develop nutritional ketosis and reduce their carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams per day. This type of diet is called a ketogenic diet and goes beyond the standard low-carb diet.
The average fruit contains between 15 and 30 grams of carbohydrates. So how much fruit to eat depends entirely on how many grams of carbohydrates you want to consume each day.
Needless to say, there isn't much room to include fruit on a ketogenic diet.
This is not to say that ketogenic diets are unhealthy. In fact, following a ketogenic diet can help you lose weight and may even help fight several diseases (42, 43, 44, 45).
Of all fruits, tend to be the lowest in carbohydrates. So if you're counting carbs, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries are all great choices.
At the end of the day, fruits are very nutritious, but they don't contain essential nutrients that you can't get from other foods, like vegetables.
If you choose to follow a ketogenic diet and severely limit your carbohydrate intake, it's best to avoid fruit, as long as you get these nutrients from other foods.
For everyone else, fruit can and should be part of a healthy, low-carb diet.
Summary: Fruit can be a healthy part of a low-carb diet. However, people following a very low-carb ketogenic diet may want to avoid fruit.
Is it possible to eat too much fruit?
It has been established that fruit is good for your health, but "too much" can be harmful? First of all, by eating stallion fruits, it’s quite difficult to eat too much. This is because fruit is very high in water and fiber, making it incredibly filling, so much so that you'll likely feel full after a bite.
This makes it very difficult to eat large amounts of fruit every day. In fact, fewer than 1 in 10 Americans experience minimum daily fruit recommendation (46).
Although it is very unlikely to eat large amounts of fruit every day, a few studies have examined the effects of eating 20 servings per day.
In one study, 10 people ate 20 servings of fruit per day for two weeks and experienced no adverse effects (47).
In a slightly larger study, 17 people ate 20 servings of fruit per day for several months without adverse effects (48).
In fact, researchers have even discovered possible health benefits. Although these studies are small, they suggest that the fruit is safe to eat.
At the end of the day, if you eat fruit until you feel full, it's almost impossible to eat "too much." Nonetheless, it is important to note that fruit should ideally be eaten as part of a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of other whole foods.
Summary: For the average person, fruit is safe in almost any quantity. Unless you have an intolerance or are following a very low-carb or ketogenic diet, there's really no reason to limit your intake.
How much fruit is optimal?
While it's possible to eat healthily by eating very little or a lot of fruit, the ideal amount is somewhere in the middle.
The general recommendation for fruit and vegetable consumption is at least 400 grams per day, or five 80-gram servings (49).
An 80 gram serving is equivalent to a small piece the size of a tennis ball. For fruits and vegetables measurable by the cup, a serving is approximately 1 cup.
This recommendation stems from the fact that eating five servings of fruits and vegetables daily is associated with a lower risk of death from diseases such as heart disease, stroke and cancer (50).
A large analysis of 16 scientific studies showed that eating more than five servings per day provided no additional benefits (50).
However, another systematic review of 95 scientific studies found that the lowest disease risk was 800 grams, or 10 daily servings (51).
Remember that these studies looked at both fruits et vegetables. Assuming half of these servings come from fruit, you should have between two and five servings each day.
Recommendations from different health authorities vary slightly, but generally appear to be consistent with current research.
For example, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines recommend that the average adult consume two servings of fruit per day, while the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that adults consume four to five servings of fruit per day.
Summary: Most studies show health benefits with two to five servings of fruit per day. However, there seems to be no harm in eating more than that.
The final result
Eating whole fruits promotes health and can reduce the risk of many serious diseases.
Unless you are following a ketogenic diet or have some sort of intolerance, there is no reason to limit the amount of fruit you eat.
Although most studies suggest that the optimal amount is two to five servings of fruit per day, there doesn't seem to be any harm in eating more.
