Does Fruit Cause Blood Sugar Yo-Yoing?
Raw reader Leslie believes it does:
It seems to me, having lots of fruit at Breakfast will send a person’s blood sugar up, then the body will send it back down causing a feeling of hunger. Blood sugar will yo-yo.
Seems to me, protein with any meal is a good idea.
If you agree that fruit causes blood sugar spikes, makes you hunger, and doesn’t supply enough (or any) protein, keep reading to find out why you’re wrong:
Fruit Causes Blood Sugar Yo-Yoing
It’s true that when you eat fruit, the level of sugar in your blood raises and then comes back down sometime later. In fact, this is what happens every time you eat, no matter what you eat!
It could be hot dogs, it could a salad with oil and vinegar. Eating food will raise your blood sugar and your body will have to work to lower it again.
The important thing is how quickly your blood sugar returns to normal. With most difficult to digest foods eaten on a SAD diet (e.g. refined grains, fatty meats, etc.), this process is rather slow.
This is a problem because elevated glucose in the blood for extended periods is exactly what causes hyperglycemia, diabetes type II, and candida overgrowth.
On the other hand, fruit digests quickly and easily. Within just minutes after eating a meal of fruit, your body will already have started the process of transporting the sugar out of your blood and into your cells.
So yes, eating fruit raises your blood sugar. Is this a bad thing? Not at all. In fact, it’s simply a necessary part of eating food! As long as your blood sugar does not remain elevated and does not go above the accepted range (70-145 mg/dL), you have nothing to worry about.
If you still don’t believe that eating a high fruit diet won’t spike your blood sugar readings, check this out.
Fruit Causes Hunger
There are two things which cause hunger: a need for calories and a need for nutrients. This explains why fat people continue to eat even when they’ve had more than enough (fuel without the nutrients) and why we can’t just rely upon pills and powders (nutrients without the fuel).
Fruit is the perfect mix of both. Fruit provides excellent fuel in the way of the simple-sugar glucose, but it’s also full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, etc. Plus, fruit is full of fiber, which is absolutely necessary for feeling satiated after a meal.
So no, fruit does not cause hunger. In fact, myself and many others have found that fruit is the absolute best food for completely eradicated hunger and cravings!
Personally, the only diet that has allowed me to eat until full at every meal AND maintain a healthy waistline is a diet predominated by fruit.
You Need Protein at Every Meal
You’re right, you do need protein at every meal, but not in the way most people think we do.
When most people say “protein,” they’re thinking of high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and soy. But eating these foods isn’t necessary (and several studies show that you’re much better off without them, especially animal products).
When I say “protein,” I’m just talking about the macronutrient called protein that’s found in all whole foods. That’s right, fruits contain protein too. For instance, grapes contain 4% protein, apples have about 2%, and cantaloupe has 8% protein.
So no matter what fruit you’re eating for breakfast, you’re getting protein. There’s no need to add any other food or supplement for the sake of more protein because, contrary to popular belief, our protein needs are quite small.
The True Cause of Blood Sugar Yo-Yoing?
As long as you eat a healthy diet of fruit, vegetables, and limited amounts of fat, you shouldn’t have any blood sugar issues. The key here is that last part: you’ve got to limit your fat intake.
If you eat a diet high in sugar AND high in fat—just like your standard Western diet—you’re probably going to have problems with blood sugar yo-yoing. For more on this, be sure to check out this article.
Your Experience?
Got any experience with rectifying blood sugar issues on a high fruit diet? Please leave your comment below!
Oh, and if you have any tips for learning to yo-yo, please leave those too. I’ve tried and tried to master this silly toy since I was a kid—we actually had a “yo-yo master” present at my elementary with his yo-yo Ted…it was pretty cool—but I just can’t do it.
I can’t even do the basic down and back up! So sad… 
Go raw and be fit,
Swayze
P.S. Eating a fresh fruit-rich diet yet still having crazy food cravings? Be sure to check out my cravings-crushing program:
“How to Conquer Your Cooked Food Cravings Once and for All”
A Guide for Destroying Cravings on a Raw Food Diet
And this includes the new expanded edition of How to Conquer Your Cooked Food Cravings AND the expanded edition of the bonus report EAT MORE FRUIT to Lose Weight.
To learn more about everything that’s included and order your copy today, click on the link below:
6 comments
I’ve found that a spoon of cinnamon with the fruit (easiest mixed in a smoothie) helps reduce the sugar spike feeling.
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Swayze Reply:
October 21st, 2011 at 4:30 PM
Hi Talia,
You might want to assess your fat consumption. Eating fruit on its own shouldn’t have that effect.
Swayze
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I have suffered with hypoglycemia most of my life. I was eating porridge every morning, thinking it was the ‘right’ thing, but I was hungry by 11.00. For 3 weeks now I have been having a fruit and veg smoothie with seeds and almonds for breakast now I am not hungry until 1.00. I am loosing weight and feeling brighter. I am hooked!
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Swayze Reply:
October 21st, 2011 at 4:29 PM
Good for you, Sarah!
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I agree with you a 100% . I eat a high fruit low fat diet and I have no yo -yo effect. I always feel really good and full of energy. When I was eating sad diet , I felt sluggish and always had some kind of pain in my back or feet and never felt that great. I didn’t realize how bad I felt until changing to 811 diet. Now everyday is a good day !
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Thanks for the tip Sarah. A raw food fast a.k.a. “Juicing” will help tremendously!
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Leave a comment, beautiful.