吃錯水果竟可能引發脂肪肝

Today, while shopping at the store, I saw that blueberries and raspberries were on sale, so I bought a box of each. Last night, I carefully washed the berries and cut an apple. My two daughters, seeing this, enthusiastically volunteered to arrange the fruit on a plate. The three kinds of fruit filled a large plate: the deep blue blueberries, the vibrant raspberries, and the apple slices, which looked as white and smooth as fresh milk—it looked incredibly tempting. The three of us, mother and daughters, enjoyed the fruit, praising it as we ate. Amidst laughter, the entire plate was devoured in no time. My younger daughter even opened the refrigerator to check if her father had secretly hidden any extra fruit.

Fruits are a "strategic tool" for plant reproduction.

Enjoying fruit has always been a pleasurable experience, a fact that has remained unchanged throughout history. In fact, throughout human history, the core of competition in early societies lay in military strength. Agricultural technology was limited at the time, and the primary purpose of farming was simply to fill one's stomach; fruit was merely a byproduct of crops. Coupled with rudimentary preservation techniques, fruit had only seasonal economic value. Actually, as an organ of a plant, fruit evolved to attract animals to "eat" it, allowing them to carry the seeds to other places, thus ensuring the propagation of the species. As for "deliciousness and sweetness," that was not the original purpose of fruit.

Modern Fruits: Sweet Products Created by Technology

Following World War II, the focus of global competition shifted to the economic sphere. With the fighting confined to a few regions, most countries were able to fully develop their technologies, and agricultural technology made significant progress during this period. Through a series of technological improvements, including selective breeding, grafting, scientific cultivation, pest and disease control, and preservation, fruit production has not only increased dramatically and sweetness significantly, but many new varieties have also emerged. Coupled with improved transportation efficiency, people around the world can now enjoy sweet fruits from various countries. In the past, human activities on Earth, including the relationship with food, were a harmonious and healthy ecosystem formed through millions of years of adaptation. However, the explosive growth of human technological capabilities in the last century has disrupted this balance. Humans not only produce food through farming and animal husbandry, but have also developed the food industry and genetic technology to "manufacture" food. From a certain perspective, modern fruit can also be seen as a sweet treat "crafted" by technology.

Excessive fructose intake: a contributing factor to obesity and health concerns

Fruits are often touted as being rich in various nutrients and enzymes, but this often involves marketing hype. Most of the nutrients and enzymes found in fruits can be obtained from vegetables. However, the biggest difference between fruits and vegetables lies in their high concentrations of sucrose and fructose, giving them the properties of these two sugars. These sweet, simple sugars stimulate the nucleus accumbens in the brain, producing an excitatory response. The nucleus accumbens controls the brain's reward, pleasure, laughter, addiction, aggression, and fear responses, thus explaining the pleasurable feeling of eating fruit. But, as my daughters and I experience when eating fruit, the desire to eat more is actually a form of addiction.

Of course, the bigger problem with excessive fruit consumption is the excessive intake of fructose. While fructose doesn't directly raise blood sugar, the sucrose in fruit does, making it an undesirable food choice for those trying to lose weight or with diabetes. Even fruits that aren't very sweet, like guava, lemon, and grapefruit, present this same issue.

Potential dangers of fructose in the body

The more serious problem with fructose is that none of the body's cells can directly utilize it; it must all be metabolized by the liver. In the liver, only a small amount of fructose enters the energy metabolism process; the vast majority is converted into very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), then transported out of the liver, enters adipose tissue via the bloodstream, and is eventually converted into triglycerides (commonly known as fat) and stored, leading to obesity. If large amounts of fructose are consumed (e.g., excessive fruit consumption, fruit juice intake, or sugary drinks containing high-fructose corn syrup, carbonated beverages, etc.), VLDL will be synthesized in large quantities. If it cannot be transported out of the liver in time, it will accumulate directly in the liver, forming fat particles, which over time leads to fatty liver disease. In recent years, fatty liver disease has been frequently seen in young adults, and even teenagers and children, in outpatient clinics. Many experts speculate that this is closely related to the consumption of large amounts of fruit, fruit juice, and beverages high in fructose. Therefore, relying on a fruit-based diet for weight loss is never a wise strategy.

When fructose is metabolized in the liver, it produces not only fat but also uric acid. This uric acid can not only trigger gout but also damage the vascular endothelium, preventing it from producing essential substances that relax vascular smooth muscle, ultimately leading to high blood pressure. Therefore, I personally never recommend consuming large amounts of fruit.

Will I lack vitamins if I don't eat fruit?

The answer is no. As long as you consume enough vegetables, you can get enough fruit even if you don't eat any.Sufficient vitaminsPhytochemicals and minerals. In fact, even meats like pork and beef are rich in vitamins, including...Including Vitamin CI have always emphasized the importance of a balanced diet, but I also recommend limiting your intake of starches and fruits. This is because excessive amounts of starches and fruits not only fail to provide more nutrients, but can also easily lead to obesity.

So, should we eat fruit or not? There's no absolute "yes" or "no." Fruit is sweet and delicious, bringing pleasure, but it's never been an essential part of the human diet. I must emphasize again that modern fruit is as sweet as farm-produced candy. If you don't have issues with weight, blood sugar, fatty liver, gout, or high blood pressure, feel free to enjoy it, which will also benefit fruit farmers. However, if you have any of these metabolic problems, I strongly suggest: enjoy it in moderation to fully appreciate its flavor!