When it comes to the time of day to eat fruit, various folk tales abound. Some say, "You shouldn't eat fruit within an hour before or after a meal; you should only eat it two hours after a meal." Others say, "Fruit in the morning is golden fruit, fruit at night is rotten fruit," and so on. These tales leave us incredibly conflicted between deliciousness and health.
So, which of these tales about eating fruit are actually credible?
Tale 1: Eating fruit before a meal affects digestion and absorption.
The truth revealed: Because fruit is rich in sugars, which can be quickly converted into glucose and absorbed by the body, eating fruit half an hour before a meal can increase satiety without affecting the digestion and absorption of food.
At the same time, as blood sugar rises, the brain's response to the blood sugar threshold is quickly lowered. Coupled with the fact that the crude fiber in fruit gives the stomach a "full" feeling, this reduces a strong appetite. This means we need less high-fat and high-protein food in our meals, reducing the intake of staple foods and effectively controlling weight.
Tale 2: "Golden fruit" in the morning, "silver fruit" in the afternoon, and "scrap iron fruit" at night.
The truth revealed: In fact, the body's digestive and absorption capabilities are not greatly related to the time of eating. Digestion and absorption are mainly related to the secretion of digestive juices and the ability of gastrointestinal motility.
After eating, a healthy person's digestive system will secrete digestive juices and increase motility to promote digestion and absorption. These processes are not directly related to whether the meal is early or late, but are somewhat related to age. Typically, older people secrete fewer digestive juices and their digestive functions decline. This means that, whether it's morning or night, there is actually no difference in how the digestive system absorbs fruit.
Tale 3: You can't eat fruit when "Aunt Flo" visits, as it can easily cause menstrual cramps.
The truth revealed: For women, one of the most annoying things is when "Aunt Flo" comes. To avoid menstrual cramps, they steer clear of cold drinks, only to find that their efforts are thwarted by fruit. It's truly regrettable and despairing!
When "Aunt Flo" visits, it's best not to eat cooling fruits like watermelon or pears. However, you can eat "milder" fruits in moderation, such as apples, cherries, red dates, pomegranates, and durian. These fruits can not only replenish fluids but also provide vitamins and minerals, helping to alleviate symptoms like poor appetite, lower back pain, and fatigue during menstruation.
So, it turns out the time you eat fruit isn't important. Does that mean foodies like Xiao Jiu can eat as much as they want?
NO! NO! NO!
In fact, this is the healthiest way to eat fruit~~
Not advisable to eat fruit on an empty stomach: Because the concentration of stomach acid is high when the stomach is empty, and fruit is rich in organic acids, it can irritate the stomach to some extent. At the same time, fruit contains a large amount of tannins, which can easily form stones when combined with stomach acid. Furthermore, because fruit has a high sugar content, eating it on an empty stomach can easily lead to acid production, causing digestive system symptoms like hiccups.
People with poor digestion should not eat fruit after a meal: Those with insufficient stomach acid and poor gastric motility may find that eating fruit immediately after a meal causes food to stagnate in the stomach and not be digested properly. At the same time, when stomach acid secretion is insufficient, it cannot kill bacteria in food, leading to bacterial reproduction and fermentation in the stomach. This produces a large amount of gas, causing digestive symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, and constipation.
People who are overweight or obese should eat fruit before a meal: For overweight or obese individuals, eating fruit before a meal is a good choice. Because fruit is rich in water and very low in calories, it helps slow down the speed of eating and reduce the urgency during a meal. At the same time, the fruit eaten before the meal occupies some "space" in the stomach, which can reduce the amount of food eaten and help control weight.
People with high blood pressure or high blood lipids should eat fruit before a meal: Increasing fruit intake before a meal, using it to replace a small portion of staple food and reduce the amount of the main meal, can greatly increase the intake of potassium and dietary fiber. This is beneficial for controlling blood pressure and blood lipids. Eating fruit after the meal would not have the same effect.
Diabetics should eat fruit between meals: For diabetics, both fruit and staple foods are sources of carbohydrates. Treating fruit as a snack between meals is more beneficial for stabilizing blood sugar. This way, it won't cause a further spike in post-meal blood sugar, nor will it lead to hypoglycemia before the next meal due to hunger. However, it's important to control the amount of fruit, generally around 100 grams per day. You must also pay attention to changes in blood sugar and urine sugar. If urine sugar increases after eating fruit, you should reduce your staple food intake to avoid a rise in blood sugar.