The Importance Of Fruits

I recently noticed that many of the bodybuilders nowadays seem to avoid fruits because of their natural sugar content. This comes to me as a little bit of a surprise since bodybuilding and fitness are supposed to be first and foremost – a healthy sport. Still, some people seem to be frantic about avoiding all possible sugars at all costs thinking that this may ruin their physique. Me, on the contrary, I like fruits and I believe they are a valuable part of our diets. I can’t remember working out without eating my favorite 2 bananas in the end. I also cannot think of s single morning without a freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. Another thing I like is avocado in the salad and berries or pineapple with protein. Still, even when I am eating fruits I am able to keep my body fat percentage at around low.

You shouldn’t look at fruits as sugar containing zero protein obsolete food that gives no value to your diet – that’s just not true. Fruits contain easily digested natural sugars, which help your brain work effectively and give you energy throughout the day. Even on very low carb diets a person needs fast energy and fruits are a wonderful way to get it.  Of course there are certain fruits, which have more benefits than other. One of the most valuable and underestimated aspect of fruit consumption is that it supplies your body with vital micronutrients, such as vitamins, potassium and bioflavonoids. For example grapefruits contain a specific ingredient called naringin, which facilitates fat loss. Another fact that maybe some of you don’t know is that during low-carb dieting the levels of cortisol in the body get very high and you would need to lower them down. One of the best ways to do that is through regular consumption of vitamin C. Grapefruits are the perfect fruit in that aspect.

Post-workout I like to eat bananas, not only because they are delicious, but also because they are rich in carbohydrates and potassium and vitamin B6 – all of which are important factors for recovery. Green apples are also a valuable fruit since they provide a lot of pectin fiber, vitamin C and numerous other important compounds. Raisins are a very good way to load on carbs because they are high in glucose and can substitute dextrose post-workout.

Here are my top choices for fruits throughout the day:

Grapefruits – 2 with breakfast
Bananas – 2 post-workout
Green Apple – 1 with protein shakes in between meals