How Much Is Too Much Fruit For Children

I often overhear parents talk about their children's habits and I'm fascinated.  Not just in what they eat but generally in how they behave.  

For me this is an insight into some of our natural instincts and behaviours before we get programmed into certain habits.

For example a work colleague told me that children often hug and kiss other children, even strangers. This is in sharp contrast to the boundaries adults seem to place on physical affection.  Perhaps this indicates we have lost a more huggy nature.  Human touch is after all vital to our health.

On seeing me eat a lot of fruit mothers often tell me that their children eat a lot of fruit or rather would eat  A LOT of fruit if they were allowed.  Often they are concerned that their child may be eating too much fruit.

I don't like to interfere with how a mother brings up her children so I don't force the pro-fruit view down their throat.

Today a lady at work said to me that her grand daughter could eat a whole packet of Grapes and that this was surely too much sugar.  The type of punnet she is talking about is probably about 300 calories worth of Grapes.  Of course it is not too much of anything and the child was just following it's natural instinct to eat sweet fruit until satisfied.

When every announcement on health is telling us to eat more fruit and vegetables why would anyone worry about their child eating too much?

I remember my own mother telling me to stop eating so many apples.  I then saw a man on TV say that he ate 3 apples a day and I asked why he was allowed 3 and I could only have 1.  

Anyway,  didn't respond to the lady but my thought was "what else should the child eat?"

That is my own thought now.  If I don't eat fruit, what else should I eat as my staple?  And why would I eat anything else?

The anti-sugar feeling that has grown up over the years among the public has somehow managed to affect how people view eating fruit.  I don't know why refined sugar and fruit ever got lumped together.  They are completely different animals.

Fruit contains fibre to help control the speed at which sugar is released into the blood stream and also contains anti-oxidants, phyto-nutrients, vitamins, minerals, water and everything else that is good in this world. 

I have had a number of experiences in which consumption of refined sugar has lead to me feeling depressed and alienated (often the next day).  This is my own reason for avoiding refined sugar.

But even though it is not a health food it is certainly not the enemy is always pointed out to be. Many people incorrectly link sugar with diabetes when it has been known for many years and confirmed in a number of studies that diabetes is caused by too much fat in the blood.

I often wondered why Coca Cola and other companies don't try to reverse the ill feeling towards sugar.  I assume they make too much money from "Diet" drinks to worry.

"Diet" drinks don't help anyone lose weight either but that's another story.

I hope the consensus will change and parents will allow their children to gorge on fruit and enjoy the vitality and good health that comes from it.  It would certainly be easier than trying to reverse the bad habit of eating too little fruit later in life.

I managed to reverse that habit but it takes a bit of effort.

If you want to learn more about this fruit eating life perhaps you would like to come to Edinburgh tomorrow for a Fruitluck at the Prince's Street gardens.  More details here:

Click Here For The Edinburgh Fruitluck Group

For now, eat fruit and prosper

Ronnie