The specialist is categorical: “it is the sweetest fruit in the world”.
The famous nutritionist Pierre Dukan recently put a beloved fruit back in the spotlight. On Instagram, he shared a warning that made his community react: not all fruits are equal when it comes to monitoring your figure. Some may even hinder weight loss more than they help it.
The fruit has always had an impeccable reputation. A symbol of health, naturalness and lightness, it occupies a privileged place on our plates. But Pierre Dukan, the doctor behind the high-protein diet that bears his name, reminds us that the nutritional reality is more nuanced than it seems. In a recent publication, he writes: “Fruit is in essence the most virtuous food. Low in calories, rich in fiber, highly loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, a dream! Yes, but the tide has turned and we have discovered the harmful power of sugars, glucose and fructose which load fruit.” The message is clear: fruit is not always the ally we think it is.
Indeed, research on the glycemic index and insulin peaks supports the doctor. When a fruit contains too much sugar and its glycemic index is high, it causes a rapid rise in blood glucose. The pancreas reacts immediately by releasing insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar, but also promotes fat storage. Result: hunger returns more quickly, the body stores more and efforts to lose weight are thwarted.
To illustrate his point, the health professional chose to compare the fruits to different winds: “I compare them to the winds to express their strength. You know the strength of the wind and their health value. Force 10 is the hurricane, it is the dry date.” This fruit is therefore at the top of the list of foods to avoid in cases of overweight or diabetes. The reason? Its extremely high glycemic index and its concentration of natural sugar. A single serving can contain the carbohydrate equivalent of a candy bar.
Pierre Dukan recognizes it: this fruit can be useful, particularly for athletes who need an immediate energy supply. But for someone who monitors their weight or tries to stabilize their blood sugar, the effect is the opposite: the insulin peak that it triggers stimulates the appetite and revives the feeling of hunger. In short, to be avoided as part of a diet.
