5 MYTHS ABOUT FRUIT

Even the earth's most nutritious treats have been battered and bruised by Internet misinformation. Take a bite of these juicy truths.

- BY KATE ROCKWOOD

1 MYTH: Eating fruit is bad for weight loss.

MYTHBUSTER

The opposite is true: A study that followed more than 130,000 adults over 24 years found that eating more fruit was connected with increased weight loss. (This was especially true for people who ate more apples, berries, and pears.) “Most fruit contains no fat, is low in calories, can be high in fiber, and adds natural sweetness to a meal or snack,” says Toby Smithson, a certified diabetes care and education specialist and senior manager of nutrition and wellness at the American Diabetes Association (ADA). “I’ve been a registered dietitian for over 40 years, and of the thousands of patients I have counseled, no one has gained weight by eating too much fruit,” says Leslie Bonci, R.D., owner of Active Eating Advice.

2 MYTH: You should limit your fruit intake because of all the sugar it has.