For expectant mothers, it's also important to maintain the good habit of eating fruit this season. However, many rumors about eating fruit can often lead people astray. Rumors shouldn't be fully believed, but they shouldn't be completely dismissed either. So how can you really tell the difference? Let us unveil the truth for you.
Myths for Pregnant Women to Break About Eating Fruit in Autumn and Winter
Myth 1: Fruit eaten in the morning is gold, at noon is silver, in the afternoon is copper, and at night is aluminum.
Editor's comment: Baseless. Fruit is still fruit, and the body is still the body. Is there really such a big difference between morning and afternoon? It's completely illogical.
Myth 2: Don't eat fruit before a meal.
Editor's comment: False. Eating fruit before a meal neither affects digestion and absorption nor increases the total amount of food consumed. It's perfectly fine.
Myth 3: Eating fruit before a meal helps with weight loss.
Myth 4: Eating fruit after a meal can easily lead to weight gain.
Editor's comment: Correct. If you are already full from your main meal, forcing yourself to eat more fruit afterward increases your energy intake, stretches your stomach, and can easily lead to obesity.
Myth 5: Don't eat fruit before bedtime.
Editor's comment: Mostly correct. You shouldn't eat anything, including fruit, right before sleep. However, eating fruit one to two hours before bed should be fine, especially for those who don't have time to eat fruit at other times.
Myth 6: It's not advisable to eat fruit while having a meal.
Editor's comment: Baseless. Anyone who has eaten a fruit salad knows that eating fruit with a meal is not a problem at all.
Myth 7: The sweeter the fruit, the higher its sugar content.
Editor's comment: This is basically true for the same type of fruit, but not necessarily for different kinds of fruit. This is because sweetness is related not only to the amount of sugar but also to the type of sugar (for example, fructose is sweeter than sucrose) and its acidity.
Myth 8: The darker the color of the fruit, the higher its nutritional value.
Editor's comment: Basically correct. The pigments in fruits are mostly carotene, lutein, flavonoids, etc., which have excellent nutritional benefits. Darker fruits contain more of these substances.
Myth 9: Fruit raises blood sugar quickly, so it's not suitable for diabetics.
Editor's comment: False. Only some fruits, like watermelon, banana, and pineapple, have a high Glycemic Index (GI) and raise blood sugar quickly. The majority of other fruits, such as apples, pears, grapes, peaches, and oranges, do not. Diabetes prevention guidelines encourage patients to consume fruit.
Myth 10: Eating more fruit during pregnancy makes the baby's skin better.
Editor's comment: False. The development of a baby's skin or other organs depends on the mother's overall nutritional status, not just fruit. In fact, we've seen many pregnant women develop gestational diabetes from eating excessive amounts of fruit.
Myth 11: All fruits are low-energy foods.
Editor's comment: False. While most fruits have a high water content and provide relatively little energy, some fruits, like bananas, contain quite a lot of energy, comparable to potatoes. Durian also has significant energy due to its high fat content. Even for low-energy fruits, if you eat a large quantity in a day, your energy intake can exceed the limit.
Myth 12: It's better to consume fruit by juicing it.
Editor's comment: False. While drinking fruit juice may be easier to digest and absorb, it can easily lead to nutrient loss (through oxidative damage or loss from filtration).
Myth 13: Fruit can replace vegetables.
Editor's comment: False. Fruits and vegetables have very different nutritional characteristics and cannot replace each other. Instead, they should be consumed comprehensively to supplement your diet.
Myth 14: You can't eat fruit on an empty stomach.
Editor's comment: Unfounded. There are always many rumors about "foods you can't eat on an empty stomach," but these have no scientific basis.
Four Principles for Healthy Fruit Consumption for Pregnant Women
After clarifying the myths, it's time to master the correct and healthy ways to eat fruit. Expectant mothers, take note:
1. For fruit supplementation, do not exceed 200 grams per day. Try to choose low-sugar fruits and do not consume high-sugar fruits like watermelon without restraint.
2. Fruit contains fermentable sugars, so it's best to rinse your mouth after eating.
3. Pay attention to food hygiene when eating fruits. The skins of raw fruits must be washed thoroughly. Do not use a vegetable knife to peel fruit, as this can transfer parasite eggs to the fruit.
4. For those who love eating fruit, it is best to have regular blood sugar tests between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy to monitor for and prevent the occurrence of "gestational diabetes."