Paleo/AIP Acceptable Food #4 : Fruit

Most people, even those that don’t follow the paleo or AIP diet, would agree that most fruits are delicious! Different fruits have different benefits but they also have many benefits in common…we will discuss some of each. However, we have a word of caution for the paleo and AIP folks when it comes to fruit. Fruits have a good amount of sugar or fructose in them so this should be limited to between 10 and 50 grams each day. The AIP & Paleo diet aren’t entirely clear as to what fruits are best outside the color but everyone is different so we must be sensitive to our individual needs. Fruit is an easy food to turn to once a restrictive diet is started but it can easily get out of hand if we aren’t careful.

As many know the natural form of sugar, or fructose, is contained in every fruit and many vegetables. Fructose intake, in general, has skyrocketed through the years as sucrose (table sugar) has been included in basically every mainstream product. Sugar may taste good but too much can cause problems which can help explain the battle the U.S. has had with weight. Fructose is the naturally occurring sugar in fruits and it doesn’t hurt to have some but eating fruits or sugar too frequently can cause some of the following problems:

Obesity

Lowered HDL (the good cholesterol)

Higher blood lipids circulation

Higher levels of uric acid (correlates with gout & heart disease)

Liver scarring

Can increase acid reflux

So don’t be fooled by some of the commercials that some companies run about high fructose corn syrup…they are attempting to use a few scientific facts to over-simplify a huge problem. Though it has “fructose” in the name it certainly doesn’t fall within an AIP or Paleo diet. Limiting our fructose intake to about 50 grams for most paleo folks and 10-20 grams for the AIP will have a significant impact on our health. When we stay within in these limits we can begin to enjoy all the benefits associated with fruits including:

May reduce risk for heart disease

Good source of soluble dietary fiber which helps keep fat and cholesterol in check

Loaded with antioxidants like polyphenolic flavonoids, Vit C, and anthocyanins which help against stress & disease by boosting immunity

“Blue” fruits contain potent antioxidants that help remove free radicals

Rich in vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients, and pigment antioxidants which can help prolong aging by rejuvenating cells and other tissues

We must enjoy our fruit but we must also be sure not to overdo it. Our Paleo Perfection Protein is a good place to start. It has an organic superfood blend that will help you on your way to better nutrition! #autoimmunehn