The doctor named fruits and vegetables whose benefits are greatly exaggerated

In today’s world, where the cult of healthy eating prevails, fruits and vegetables occupy a special place on every person’s table. From ancient times to the present day, we are told that these products are the key to health, longevity and well-being. However, even among them there are those whose favorable properties in fact turn out to be greatly exaggerated.

Candidate of Medical Sciences, expert of the Medical Faculty of Synergy University.

“Let’s try to debunk some myths associated with popular foods. Let’s find out how useful bananas, celery, dried fruits and other products that we are used to seeing in our diet are”.

Bananas

Perhaps no fruit is as beloved as the banana. It is credited with being an essential source of potassium and a powerful antidepressant due to its serotonin content. In fact, however, the serotonin in the banana is practically unabsorbed by the body. It does contain a lot of potassium – an average banana can contain 400-600 mg.

Nevertheless, the daily allowance for an adult is 2500-3000 mg. This means that six or seven bananas are needed to cover the daily requirement. Other foods, such as avocados and white beans, contain just as much potassium.

Celery

Celery, which has become popular due to weight loss diets, is often referred to as a “negative calorie” food. That is, the body spends more energy on its digestion than it receives from the product itself.

In practice, celery is unable to create an energy deficit necessary for weight loss, although it has a low calorie content: only 16 kcal per 100 g.

Dried fruits

Dried fruits are a concentrated source of energy and nutrients, but they also contain a significant amount of sugar. 100 g apricots provide 240 kcal, prunes and dried persimmons have a value of about 240 and 274 kcal respectively, and raisins are even more – about 299 kcal.

For comparison, 100 g of fresh apricots provide only about 48 calories, which calls into question the idea of the unconditional usefulness of dried fruit for the figure.

Fresh juices

Juices are often associated with diets to “cleanse” the body. However, comparing 100 g of orange juice and 100 g of the orange itself, you can see that the juice has less nutrients and dietary fiber and almost two teaspoons of sugar. The fresh product retains more nutrients for a similar calorie count, making it a healthier choice.

Grapes

Grapes are another fruit whose health benefits are often exaggerated. It does contain antioxidants that help boost the immune system.

But at the same time, 100g of grapes contain up to 16-18g of sugar, which is almost equivalent to four teaspoons, this makes it less desirable for those watching their figure or blood sugar levels.

Zucchini

Zucchini is a product that is often perceived as extremely healthy. However, despite its low calorie content (24 kcal per 100 g) and the presence of B vitamins, its nutritional value is quite low. The vegetable consists mostly of water, and although it can be a good addition to the diet, you should not rely on it as the main source of nutrients.

It should be noted that all of the above foods can be part of a balanced diet. The key is to remember to have variety so that your diet is not only tasty, but also healthy.