When dieting remember fruits have calories too!

Fruit: Questions and

Concerns

By NancyClark, MS, RD

Posted on NaturalStrength.com on May 20, 2006

The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark, MS, RD May 2006

“I know I should eat more fruit. I just don’t do it…”
“I’ve stopped drinking orange juice; too much sugar.” …
“Should I buy organically grown fruit…?”

Some athletes wisely devour lots of fruit, believing it to be among the
healthiest of food choices. But other athletes mistakenly avoid fruit,
seeing it as an evil source of sugar and carbs. If you are confused
about the role of fruit in your sports diet, keep reading!

Should I eat less fruit to reduce my carb intake?

No! Athletes need carbs to fuel their muscles. Despite popular belief,
carbs are not fattening. (Excess calories are fattening.) Nor do carbs
cause diabetes. (Lack of exercise and excess body weight are two main
contributors to diabetes.) Carbs should actually be the foundation of
each sports meal and snack.

The carbs in fruit are of two types: sugar and starch. The starch in
fruit converts to sugar with ripening. For example:
– a green banana with some yellow is 80% starch and 7% sugar.
– a mostly yellow banana is 25% starch and 65% sugar.
– a spotted and specked banana is 5% starch and 90% sugar.
The sugar in fruit is neither unhealthful nor evil. Unlike refined white
sugar, fruit sugar is accompanied by a plethora of health-protective
nutrients: vitamin C, folate, potassium, fiber, and phytochemicals that
improve healing, aid in recovery after exercise, and reduce the risk of
high blood pressure, cancer and constipation. You should eat more fruit,
not try to stay away from it!

Is fruit a smart choice for dieters?

Yes, fruit is a smart choice for everyone. Yet, dieters who believe
fruit to be “calorie-free” fool only themselves. The average piece of
fruit from a grocery store is about 100 calories. Eating four or five
pieces of fruit a day can easily add 400 to 500 calories to your
intake….healthful calories, but never the less, calories you need to
count if weight is an issue.

Are some fruits better than others?

All fruits are good for your health, and some are more nutrient-dense
than others. Some of the best fruits include oranges/citrus fruits,
bananas, melons, berries, kiwi and mango. When choosing fruit, look for
different colors of the rainbow: red berries, orange mango, white
banana, yellow pineapple, green kiwi … each color contains different
health-protective nutrients.

I’ve heard today’s fruits have less nutritional value..?

While some studies have shown a small decline in a few of the nutrients
in today’s produce, the overall picture shows we have a huge abundance
of many varieties of fruits from which to choose. By simply eating an
additional piece of fruit, we can more than make up for any possible
decline in nutritional value.

How much fruit should I eat?

According to the new Food Pyramid (www.myfoodpyramid.gov), you should
target at least two cups of fruits per day. (The old Food Pyramid stated
“four servings” but, due to confusion about serving size, the new guide
now better defines the appropriate intake: two cups.) You can easily hit
this target at breakfast: simply enjoy cereal with banana (1 cup) + 8
ounces (1 cup) of orange juice. Voila … baseline fruit-duty done for
the day!

Should I buy organically grown fruit?

Organically grown fruits tend to have lower levels of pesticide residues
than their conventionally grown counterparts. Be aware some fruits have
more pesticides than others (and wash all fruits very well). The safest
fruits include banana, mango, papaya, kiwi and pineapple. The fruits
highest in pesticides include apples, cherries, imported grapes,
nectarines, peaches, pears, raspberries and strawberries. If you can
afford to do so, buy organic versions of these high-pesticide fruits.
You’ll have to pay more—perhaps double for strawberries.
Your best bet is to buy organic fruits in season at the local farmers’
markets. By doing so, you will support your local farmers and also pay a
reasonable price. Plus, it’s nice to meet the people who grow your food.

How can fruit fit into my food budget?

Fresh fruit can be expensive for athletes on a budget. That is, if you
need 3,000 calories a day, a 300-calorie snack of apples (3 medium-large
apples) might cost you about $2, while 300 calories of carbs from
pretzels might cost only $0.60. Yet, fruit bargains do exist—
• dried fruit. 300 calories (~1/2 cup) of raisins costs about $0.65.
Dried fruits are rich in carbs, fiber and potassium.
• canned fruit. 300 calories of canned peaches (a 16-oz. can) might cost
$1.30. Rest assured, canned fruits retain most of their nutritional
value and are known to be low in pesticides.
• frozen berries and other fruits. Frozen strawberries are about half
the price of fresh ones—and perfect for smoothies.
• bananas. A veritable bargain: 300 calories for about $0.80. If you
hesitate to buy bananas because they tend to “go bad on you” before you
get around to eating them, take note. You can store bananas in the
refrigerator: the peel will turn black but the banana will stay fresh
and fine. Better yet, peel ripe bananas, cut them into chunks, freeze
the individual chunks on a flat tray, and then store them in a zip-lock
bag in the freezer. Perfect for bite-size, ice-cream-like snacks or
smoothies.

How can I get myself to eat more fruit?

For many athletes, breakfast is an appealing time to enjoy fruit; cereal
topped with banana or berries is an obvious choice.
• With snacks, some athletes fail to choose fruit because it’s “not
enough.” That is, when you are hungry, 100 calories of an apple doesn’t
satisfy the appetite. The solution is to enjoy protein-fruit
combinations: apple + (lowfat) cheese, banana + peanut butter, raisins +
nuts.
• Think smoothies: Blenderize 1/2 cup of milk or juice, a banana (frozen
chunks for a thick and frosty texture), (frozen) strawberries or
whatever fruit is around, plus peanut butter, dry milk (for protein),
graham crackers, cinnamon, vanilla … be creative!
• If you like to stock up on snacks that don’t spoil, check out the new
Tropicana FruitWise bars made from 99% fruit. Handy!
• For a post-exercise refresher, cut up a juicy, potassium-rich
orange—far healthier than an orange-flavored sports drink.
• Serve orange sections at your child’s soccer game. Today’s kids—as
well as adults—need to be brought back to fruit.

Sports dietitian Nancy Clark MS, RD counsels casual and competitive
athletes in her private practice at Healthworks (617-383-6100), the
premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill MA. Her Sports Nutrition
Guidebook offers more information about fruit and healthy eating for
active people. It is available via www.nancyclarkrd.com or by sending
$23 to PO Box 650124, W Newton MA 02465.

SIDEBAR
Vitamin C in Commonly Eaten Fruits

The recommended intake (DRI) for vitamin C for women is 75 milligrams
(mg) per day, and for men, 90 mg.

Apple, 1 medium 8 mg
Banana, 1 medium 10
Blueberries, 1 cup 20
Cantaloupe, 1 cup 75
Honeydew, 1 cup 45
Kiwi, 1 medium 75
Orange, 1 medium 70
Peach, 1 medium 5
Pear, 1 medium 7
Pineapple, 1 cup 20
Raisins, ¼ cup 1
Strawberries, 1 cup 80

Nancy Clark, MS, RD
Sports dietitian, consultant, speaker

www.nancyclarkrd.com (Books, presentations)
www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com (RI, MA, CT, FL)

Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Third Edition
Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions
Cyclist’s Food Guide: Fueling for the Distance

Healthworks, 1300 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill MA 02467
Phone: (617) 795-1875 Fax: (617) 795-1876