Many of the diets coming out lately are predicated on eliminating fruit. Fructose turns to carbohydrate in the body, which contributes to weight gain. These Atkin-style diets often work, because they also eliminate alcohol, fast food, etc., and put a lid on calorie intake. And flush the system with water.

They work well. The bit about fruit though, in my opinion, is a fallacy. The misconception will fall out of vogue like the once prevailing belief that the world is flat.

In fact, fruit is a useful tool to the dieter. It hydrates you. Fruit sugars give you a burst of energy and satiate your appetite. People with a “sweet-tooth” are simply exhibiting the body’s natural desire for fruit, but perverting that desire with artificial sugar.

Sure, bad food combing with fruit and overeating may cause some bloating on occasional, but that’s temporary if at all.

I put it to the test every Tuesday night at hot yoga. After sweating off a few pounds, I dig into the fruit plate full-throttle along with everyone else. My weight is alway 2 or 3 pounds on the lighter side the next morning. The chilled fruit dispels my hunger pains. And tastes like paradise.

It’s false food that makes us fat. The body can’t assimilate soda pop, pasta, bread, grease, and of course anything with piles of man-made sugar heaped in.

Real food is assimilated effortlessly. Stuff you pull out of the ground. Or pluck from a tree. It doesn’t come from a can or fast-food restaurant.

The best place for fruit is China Town. A couple of shops I recommend are a little north of Dundas on the west side of Spadina. Spectacular baby Thai coconuts, robust mangos, sour sop, Durrean, and many curious wonders.

Tis the season for fruit. Make the most of it.

Ciao, Pietro

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