Healthy eating and weight loss go hand-in-hand for the most part. A diet filled with natural whole foods is usually the best choice for people trying to lose weight, get healthier, or increase their performance in a sport. However there are some exceptions to this rule. I have observed over the years that one of the most popular food choices for people looking to clean up their diet is fruit. If you immediate goal is to just lose weight, fruit can be a detrimental aspect of your diet.

As most people know, fruit contains high levels of fructose (sugar.) Fructose is absorbed very quickly and spikes the fat storage hormone insulin. If you are continuously pumping your body full of sugars such as the ones found in fruit, your body will just be burning that for energy instead of the fat stored on your body. Your body will also stay in storage mode, making it very difficult to lose weight. So although fruit offers a number of health benefits, (antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals just to name a few,) being overweight can trump most of these benefits, making the risks outweigh the benefits.

So if you are prioritizing, and losing weight is the main goal, it would be in your best interest to lower your fruit consumption for a period of time. You can still get vital nutrients by replacing fruit with things like vegetables and nuts. If losing weight is not your goal, then eat up lots of fruit to receive all the health benefits they offer. Also, once you limit fruit intake for a while (along with all the other essentials for weight loss) and lose weight, your body will have a better response to the sugar, and the benefits of eating fruit will then outweigh the risks.