You are here

Don't Trust the Headline

The New York Times reported on a research article recently published and summarized as follows "In the first randomized trial to address whether people with diabetes benefit from restricting fruit, researchers found that avoiding fruit may not have benefits for those with Type 2 diabetes."

Actually, that's not what the research showed. The two groups that were compared in the research trial actually ate either two pieces of fruit a day or more than two pieces daily. No one actually avoided fruit, and for all we know, that might be more or less than what they were eating before. That there is no significant difference in blood sugar comparing two or more than two pieces of fruit says nothing about what might happen if one were to avoid fruit. When I work with someone with type 2 diabetes and elevated insulin, I suggest starting by eliminating all added sugars and all fruit. Particularly those people who find it difficult to limit sweets seem to benefit from retraining their sense of taste and meal planning.

Concentrate on healthy choices of proteins and fats that sit on plates filled with leafy greens and non-starchy vegetables, there is no need for fruit - there is plenty of evidence that the result is weight loss, lower blood sugars, indeed, better glycemic control. Why would anyone do a study, which is a LOT of work, to compare 2 pieces of fruit to 3 or 4 pieces of fruit a day?

Related Articles: