Some fruits are better than others

[lookin]

Some Fruits Are Better Than Others

By Nikolas Bakalar

The New York Times

September 4, 2013

Eating fruits is good for you, but new research suggests that some fruits may be better than others, and that fruit juice is not a good substitute.

Recent studies have found that eating a greater variety, but not a greater quantity, of fruit significantly reduces the risk for Type 2 diabetes. This made researchers wonder whether some fruits might have a stronger effect than others.

Using data from three large health studies, they tracked diet and disease prospectively over a 12-year period in more than 185,000 people, of whom 12,198 developed Type 2 diabetes. The analysis appears online in BMJ.

After controlling for many health and behavioral factors, researchers found that some fruits — strawberries, oranges, peaches, plums and apricots — had no significant effect on the risk for Type 2 diabetes. But eating grapes, apples and grapefruit all significantly reduced the risk. The big winner: blueberries. Eating one to three servings a month decreased the risk by about 11 percent, and having five servings a week reduced it by 26 percent.

Substituting fruit juice for whole fruits significantly increased the risk for disease.

“Increasing whole fruit consumption, especially blueberries, apples and grapes, is important,” said Dr. Qi Sun, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard and the senior author of the study. “But I don’t want to leave the impression that fruit is magic. An overall healthy lifestyle is essential too.”

[RA1]

Interesting. However, some of us who take various Rx might need to take note that grapefruit (fruit or juice) "enhances" the effects of various drugs upon the liver. In other words, grapefruit juice increases the effects of various drugs that have some liver impact.

I love grapefruit but have avoided same for the above reasons. Too bad.

Best regards,

RA1

[Guest EXPAT]

In particular if you are on any cholesterol lowering drugs you can't eat grapefruit.

[Suckrates]

I have been on those meds for years and my Docs NEVER told me about grapefruit.

[Guest hitoallusa]

May I guess your cholesterol medicine is Crestor? You should be fine since it doesn't interact strongly with grapefruit. Anyways, I didn't know my Suckrates had high cholesterol.

I have been on those meds for years and my Docs NEVER told me about grapefruit.

[lookin]

More blueberries for me. I've always liked them, but never thought of them as a health food.

Turns out the best blueberries I ever had were in Vancouver.

Costco also has organic blueberries at a good price.

[RA1]

I wonder what the difference between whole fruit and juice is? Of course, juice with sugar added is entirely different than sugar free juice, but is there some other ingredient added that is a negative? Imagine taking a bowl of blueberries and eating them out of hand or crushing them and drinking them. What difference would that make? None that I can imagine.

Yes, statins and the like are the group of Rx most commonly affected by grapefruit. There are some others.

I have never bought into the organic is better hype. For one thing, there is no official definition of organic. Two, pesticides and the like can easily be washed off. I believe there are reliable studies that indicate no nutritional difference between organic and other fruits and vegetables. I am undecided about genetically altered food.

Best regards,

RA1

[wayout]

Here is a list of medications not to be taken with grapefruit but certainly one should read in detail the information given with the drug by the pharmacy and/or talk to the doctor to be absolutely sure: http://www.wcpo.com/homepage-showcase/list-of-medicines-not-to-be-taken-with-grapefruit-grows

I think the main advantage of many whole fruits over the fruit juice as I understand it is the skin and pulp you get with the whole fruit as opposed to most fruit juices. The skin and pulp provide useful nutrients and fiber that you don't necessarily get from the juice version.

And from what I have read the issue of pesticides is not only the surface contamination but that the fruits and veggies absorb the pesticides.

[RA1]

Thanks for the list. It isn't strictly limited, is it?

I thought of the pulp and skin aspect but I try to use those also. I also don't skin tomatoes or potatoes, etc. I have thought for a long time the skins had proportionally more nutrients.

Whoever "they" is claims that modern pesticides are on the surface only and can be washed off. It should not take rocket science to test the inside (or even the outside) of fruits and vegetables for residue of various kinds.

Best regards,

RA1

[AdamSmith]

How this thread could have gotten this far without this http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Fruit (so many this-es ) is a riddle wrapped in an enigma.

[AdamSmith]

As for fruit vs. juice, isn't part of the health benefit the fibers? Not just for elimination (scat yet again ) but how they accrete and help get rid of fats, or something like that? Also some like celery are said to take more energy to digest than they put into the system, clearly a good thing too...?

[AdamSmith]

We will omit any mention of the digestion of corn.

[wayout]

Thanks for the list. It isn't strictly limited, is it?

I thought of the pulp and skin aspect but I try to use those also. I also don't skin tomatoes or potatoes, etc. I have thought for a long time the skins had proportionally more nutrients.

Whoever "they" is claims that modern pesticides are on the surface only and can be washed off. It should not take rocket science to test the inside (or even the outside) of fruits and vegetables for residue of various kinds.

I doubt the list is exhaustive so definitely research any specific drugs and talk to your doctor and/or pharmacist for sure.

If you are using a juice that takes everything from the fruit you would normally eat whole, then I would say they are about the same. I was thinking more of the difference between whole fruits vs what one may make from a juicer (that I believe takes out some of the pulp and/or skin components) or store bought juice.

Here is one article about pesticides being absorbed and the "dirty" fruits that references some studies done: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/01/dirty.dozen.produce.pesticide/index.html To dig into the methodology and detailed results of the actual tests would be the next step if interested.

[RA1]

We will omit any mention of the digestion of corn.

Praise the Lord (but no need to pass the ammunition).

Best regards,

RA1

[AdamSmith]

The corn is the ammunition.

No?

[AdamSmith]

pass the ammunition).

[lookin]

I wonder what the difference between whole fruit and juice is?

Think of it as the difference between a French kiss and a thimbleful of spit, or a blow job and draining a used condom, or rimming someone and -

Hmm, I think I'll drop back and let AdamSmith carry on.

Analogy's a pastime and I'll often have a go.

Scatology's a calling and I'll leave it to a pro.

[AdamSmith]

carry on.

It is so delicious that I dare not put my beak to it. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrion

[RA1]

The corn is the ammunition.

No?

That was the intent of my remark. No need for this to go any further than it naturally will.

Best regards,

RA1

[RA1]

It is so delicious that I dare not put my beak to it. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrion

Sickening but funny. I quit reading Mad and other publishers of sick humor some time ago but I will continue to read AS but please pass the Meclizine, just in case.

Best regards,

RA1

[AdamSmith]

Sickening but funny. I quit reading Mad and other publishers of sick humor some time ago but I will continue to read AS but please pass the Meclizine, just in case.

Best regards,

RA1

You know, sick humor is a pretty well established cafegory. One of my favorite obscure tomes which discusses that, and much else: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006BTWGG/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

[RA1]

You know, sick humor is a pretty well established cafegory. One of my favorite obscure tomes which discusses that, and much else: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006BTWGG/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

I realize how much you enjoy sick humor, after all, I recognized you had a "sick mind" a long time ago. I don't really object to it, I just don't seek it out. Plus, how sick do you have to be to respond to what I write?

Best regards,

RA1

[AdamSmith]

you had a "sick mind" a long time ago.

Still do, far as I can tell.

Ripens with age, and all.

[AdamSmith]

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/07/smoothies-fruit-juices-new-health-risk

[lookin]

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/07/smoothies-fruit-juices-new-health-risk

Researchers from the UK, USA and Singapore found that, in large-scale studies involving nurses, people who ate whole fruit, especially blueberries, grapes and apples, were less likely to get type 2 diabetes, which is obesity-related, but those who drank fruit juice were at increased risk. People who swapped their fruit juice for whole fruits three times a week cut their risk by 7%.