#211 - AMA #36: Fruits & vegetables—everything you need to know

The Peter Attia Drive

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In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter discusses the nutritional profiles of various fruits and vegetables as a means of assessing their relative value. He explains the difference between eating them vs. drinking them, how processing fruits and vegetables can change their properties, and how one’s current state of health affects nutrition strategy when it comes to fruits and vegetable consumption. Additionally, Peter explains the potential benefits and negative effects of certain phytochemicals found in produce and concludes with a discussion of supplementing with green powders, multivitamins, and more.

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We discuss:

• The limitations of nutritional data and challenges of making broad recommendations [2:00];
• How one’s current state of health impacts their “optimal” diet [11:30];
• Defining “metabolic health” [14:45];
• The wide-ranging nutrition profiles of various fruits and vegetables [16:30];
• The benefits of fiber [20:45];
• Eating whole fruits vs. drinking fruit juice or smoothies [22:30];
• Drinking alcohol: metabolic effects, calories in alcohol, and more [28:30];
• Can excess fruit consumption lead to insulin resistance? [30:30];
• Glycemic impact of different fruits, using CGM data to assist decision making, and how fruit is fundamentally different from what we evolved to eat [31:30];
• Dietary approaches for people with a carbohydrate tolerance disorder (TD2, NAFLD, etc.), and when it makes sense to restrict fruit consumption [34:30];
• Nutrition profile of select vegetables: sugar content, micronutrients, and more [40:00];
• Phytochemicals in produce: potential positive health impacts on inflammation, cardiovascular (CV) risk, and cancer [44:30];
• Phytochemicals with potential negative health impacts [50:45];
• Nightshades and inflammation [53:15];
• How important is it to eat organic foods? [56:00];
• How necessary is it to wash fruits and vegetables? [1:00:45];
• How does food preparation change the nutritional composition? [1:03:45];
• Considerations when eating canned and frozen food, and paying attention to processed food additives [1:04:45];
• Supplementing vitamins and nutrients as an alternative to eating whole fruits and vegetables [1:06:15];
• Green powder supplements [1:11:15];
• Important takeaways [1:16:00]; and
• More.

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