One of my mantras is: "Fiber is your friend, fructose is your foe!"
One of the saving graces of eating the whole fruit is that its fiber content slow down the absorption of fructose, allowing the liver to "detoxify" it. If the liver gets too much fructose all at once, toxic metabolic by-products are the result. See:
You're absolutely right, Mick, though there may, as always be nuance. You don't see a U-shaped curve with fruit consumption which you might expect if excess fructose from fruit were harmful. Instead, the more fruit you eat the better. However, it's a very different story when that fructose has been freed from the food matrix in juices and especially as high fructose corn syrup. Yet more proof, as if we needed it, to eat whole rather than processed foods.
Thanks for sending that my way. I don’t think we’ve scratched the surface of how important our microbiome is. I’ve long thought that if I were to be starting my research career again, I’d probably focus on the gut microbiome.
It may be that rather than saying ‘the microbiome is important,’ we perhaps ought to reframe it to see the microbiome as a part of us, just like our liver or our kidneys. It appears it’s just as vital and needs to be cared for just as much, not to be an afterthought even for the health conscious.
Well, damn. I gave up my egg-every-morning and switched to a frozen berry/banana/plain Greek yogurt smoothie. At least I consume it right away, and the volume of yogurt (about a cup) keeps me satiated until lunch. But it feels like every “good habit” is actually a bad one.
I hear you loud and clear! I had exactly the same ‘Oh damn’ reaction. Don’t you just hate those interfering busybodies who send out a newsletter ruining your dining enjoyment week after week!
It’s important to keep these things in context. There’s always be something to instil fear about what we eat: insulin spikes, heavy metals, pesticides, toxic compounds produced by cooking, bacterial contamination, parasites… It’s a wonder we survive at all!
I’m not giving up smoothies, but I’d probably not have them every day. Maybe if I was having vegetable based smoothies, but I’ve never warmed to the idea of a green smoothie! I already eat lots of whole fruit and veg. I’ve added nuts after finding out how beneficial they are. My omega ratio is low and I don’t eat much meat. It’s all about balance, right? If we’re not careful, we can optimise our lives until we’ve taken away all the pleasure! Life is a wonderful gift, we should enjoy it!
I make smoothies with the plain Greek yogurt and I grind chia and flax seeds for the protein and fiber. Only use berries, and sometimes spinach or cucumber. What do you think of adding oatmeal?
Hi, Danell. That sounds like a seriously solid smoothie already. Greek yoghurt, berries, flax, chia… you’re ticking a lot of boxes.
As for oats, they can be a smart addition, depending on your goals. A small scoop won’t add a huge amount in terms of nutrients, but they do bring extra fibre (especially the soluble kind that’s good for cholesterol, blood sugar and your friendly gut bacteria) and a bit of protein too. They’ll also make the smoothie thicker and might help keep you full for longer, especially if you’re having it as a meal.
I sometimes add a spoon myself when I want a bit more substance. Go for it!
Thanks so much, Ben. I enjoy your writing style. And I really appreciate the way you leaned into the You Tube claims and challenged yourself. Around here I have teenage boys who, despite my best efforts, would happily live on sugary drinks. So it's fresh-squeezed fruit/veggie juice blends for the win until they want to make better decisions for themselves. I'm definitely going to play around with leaving bananas out of my own smoothies though. Even though my tastebuds will be devastated!
I must admit, I hoped to prove that annoying YouTube guy was completely wrong, not to find there was a kernel of truth in all his hype. I guess that’s how you get attention in today’s noisy world.
Teenage boys, plural! That must have it’s joys and challenges. I’m impressed you’ve got them drinking fruit and veggie juice. The habits we build in childhood and adolescence tend to stay with us. One day they’ll thank you for not letting them live on chicken nuggets and Coke!
As for the banana-less smoothies, I’m sure your taste buds will adapt. What’s more, it’s an opportunity to alternate with other combinations where polyphenol degradation is less of an issue - banana and mango? Banana and cocoa nibs? It’s all about framing!
I have had reservations about bananas for some years. That said, I know a woman who has fed her now almost 4 year old mostly nothing but smoothies concocted of huge amounts of fruit, berries, yogurt, flax and about 6 other ingredients. Now, those are good things but she will take a half pound of bluberries, half pound of mixed berries, 1/4 cup of cinnamon, nutmeg, yeast, 2 or 3 bananas, a half bottle of kefer, etc. etc. etc. ALL of this gets mixed into a soup that she puts directly into bottles. No thinning it down! She gives it to him because she is not a good cook. At night, she keeps two bottles of it by the bed unrefrigerated and stuffs one in his mouth each time he wakes or cries. I tell her about sugar but she says fruit sugar is different. What do you think?
Yikes, that’s a difficult situation to handle, Marvin.
Lots of great nutrients in there which would be fantastic in a balanced diet, but what you describe doesn’t sound balanced.
As you say, that’s a high sugar load which will contribute to sugar and insulin spikes which may set the youngster up for some formidable metabolic problems. The acid/sugar combination is also likely to be rotting his teeth. At the moment he’ll only have milk teeth, but it would be terrible to ruin his permanent teeth once they start erupting.
If mum finds cooking difficult, maybe you could suggest a few YouTube channels that start from scratch and teach the basics so she can boost her confidence. That way, they can both enjoy and benefit from a more balanced diet.
It’s tough to handle the contradictions of not interfering vs not wanting to see the health of a vulnerable youngster being put in jeopardy. It’s easier to deal with as a doctor as there’s an expectation we’ll offer health advice. As a concerned friend or neighbour, it’s a tricky path to tread.
Thank you for the shout-out, Ben.
One of my mantras is: "Fiber is your friend, fructose is your foe!"
One of the saving graces of eating the whole fruit is that its fiber content slow down the absorption of fructose, allowing the liver to "detoxify" it. If the liver gets too much fructose all at once, toxic metabolic by-products are the result. See:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK576428/
You're absolutely right, Mick, though there may, as always be nuance. You don't see a U-shaped curve with fruit consumption which you might expect if excess fructose from fruit were harmful. Instead, the more fruit you eat the better. However, it's a very different story when that fructose has been freed from the food matrix in juices and especially as high fructose corn syrup. Yet more proof, as if we needed it, to eat whole rather than processed foods.
Thanks, always had an inkling that smoothies might be glorified milk shakes. Just kidding :)
One of the many updates I get in my e-mail is this one. Though small and observational, still have implications and thinking of the gut microbiome.
https://www.drugs.com/news/eating-more-fruits-veggies-may-help-you-sleep-better-study-finds-125397.html?hash2=6bc59c130e31056324262184d5e538a2
Thanks for sending that my way. I don’t think we’ve scratched the surface of how important our microbiome is. I’ve long thought that if I were to be starting my research career again, I’d probably focus on the gut microbiome.
It may be that rather than saying ‘the microbiome is important,’ we perhaps ought to reframe it to see the microbiome as a part of us, just like our liver or our kidneys. It appears it’s just as vital and needs to be cared for just as much, not to be an afterthought even for the health conscious.
Well, damn. I gave up my egg-every-morning and switched to a frozen berry/banana/plain Greek yogurt smoothie. At least I consume it right away, and the volume of yogurt (about a cup) keeps me satiated until lunch. But it feels like every “good habit” is actually a bad one.
I hear you loud and clear! I had exactly the same ‘Oh damn’ reaction. Don’t you just hate those interfering busybodies who send out a newsletter ruining your dining enjoyment week after week!
It’s important to keep these things in context. There’s always be something to instil fear about what we eat: insulin spikes, heavy metals, pesticides, toxic compounds produced by cooking, bacterial contamination, parasites… It’s a wonder we survive at all!
I’m not giving up smoothies, but I’d probably not have them every day. Maybe if I was having vegetable based smoothies, but I’ve never warmed to the idea of a green smoothie! I already eat lots of whole fruit and veg. I’ve added nuts after finding out how beneficial they are. My omega ratio is low and I don’t eat much meat. It’s all about balance, right? If we’re not careful, we can optimise our lives until we’ve taken away all the pleasure! Life is a wonderful gift, we should enjoy it!
I make smoothies with the plain Greek yogurt and I grind chia and flax seeds for the protein and fiber. Only use berries, and sometimes spinach or cucumber. What do you think of adding oatmeal?
Hi, Danell. That sounds like a seriously solid smoothie already. Greek yoghurt, berries, flax, chia… you’re ticking a lot of boxes.
As for oats, they can be a smart addition, depending on your goals. A small scoop won’t add a huge amount in terms of nutrients, but they do bring extra fibre (especially the soluble kind that’s good for cholesterol, blood sugar and your friendly gut bacteria) and a bit of protein too. They’ll also make the smoothie thicker and might help keep you full for longer, especially if you’re having it as a meal.
I sometimes add a spoon myself when I want a bit more substance. Go for it!
Thanks so much, Ben. I enjoy your writing style. And I really appreciate the way you leaned into the You Tube claims and challenged yourself. Around here I have teenage boys who, despite my best efforts, would happily live on sugary drinks. So it's fresh-squeezed fruit/veggie juice blends for the win until they want to make better decisions for themselves. I'm definitely going to play around with leaving bananas out of my own smoothies though. Even though my tastebuds will be devastated!
Thanks for those kind words, Vivienne.
I must admit, I hoped to prove that annoying YouTube guy was completely wrong, not to find there was a kernel of truth in all his hype. I guess that’s how you get attention in today’s noisy world.
Teenage boys, plural! That must have it’s joys and challenges. I’m impressed you’ve got them drinking fruit and veggie juice. The habits we build in childhood and adolescence tend to stay with us. One day they’ll thank you for not letting them live on chicken nuggets and Coke!
As for the banana-less smoothies, I’m sure your taste buds will adapt. What’s more, it’s an opportunity to alternate with other combinations where polyphenol degradation is less of an issue - banana and mango? Banana and cocoa nibs? It’s all about framing!
Thanks for this I didn't know that banana is reducing polyphenol
I know! It’s not something you’d ever guess, is it?!
I have had reservations about bananas for some years. That said, I know a woman who has fed her now almost 4 year old mostly nothing but smoothies concocted of huge amounts of fruit, berries, yogurt, flax and about 6 other ingredients. Now, those are good things but she will take a half pound of bluberries, half pound of mixed berries, 1/4 cup of cinnamon, nutmeg, yeast, 2 or 3 bananas, a half bottle of kefer, etc. etc. etc. ALL of this gets mixed into a soup that she puts directly into bottles. No thinning it down! She gives it to him because she is not a good cook. At night, she keeps two bottles of it by the bed unrefrigerated and stuffs one in his mouth each time he wakes or cries. I tell her about sugar but she says fruit sugar is different. What do you think?
Yikes, that’s a difficult situation to handle, Marvin.
Lots of great nutrients in there which would be fantastic in a balanced diet, but what you describe doesn’t sound balanced.
As you say, that’s a high sugar load which will contribute to sugar and insulin spikes which may set the youngster up for some formidable metabolic problems. The acid/sugar combination is also likely to be rotting his teeth. At the moment he’ll only have milk teeth, but it would be terrible to ruin his permanent teeth once they start erupting.
If mum finds cooking difficult, maybe you could suggest a few YouTube channels that start from scratch and teach the basics so she can boost her confidence. That way, they can both enjoy and benefit from a more balanced diet.
It’s tough to handle the contradictions of not interfering vs not wanting to see the health of a vulnerable youngster being put in jeopardy. It’s easier to deal with as a doctor as there’s an expectation we’ll offer health advice. As a concerned friend or neighbour, it’s a tricky path to tread.