Four things to avoid when eating fruit.

Disadvantages of Eating Fruit After a Meal

(1) Fruit can easily get stuck in the stomach along with food, causing bloating, constipation, etc.

(2) Fruits contain a lot of sugars, such as glucose and fructose. Eating fruit immediately after a meal increases the burden on the digestive system and pancreas. Some fruits are also high in starch and difficult to digest.

(3) Fruits are rich in cellulose and hemicellulose, which are highly absorbent. When they absorb water, they swell, increasing the volume in the intestines. An excessive amount of cellulose can also hinder the absorption of vitamins and trace elements.

(4) For people trying to lose weight, eating a large amount of fruit after a meal can lead to obesity due to excessive energy intake.

Yogurt Fruit Salad

3 Major Benefits of Eating Fruit Before a Meal:

Conversely, eating a certain amount of fruit before a meal has many benefits.

First, many components in fruits are water-soluble, such as vitamin C and pectin, a soluble plant fiber that can lower blood cholesterol levels. Their digestion and absorption do not require the mixing of complex digestive juices, allowing them to pass quickly through the stomach into the small intestine for absorption. The absorption rate on an empty stomach is much higher than when the stomach is full.

Second, eating fruit before a meal helps in achieving the "80% full" principle of healthy eating. Fruit is a low-calorie food, with an average calorie content of only one-fourth that of an equivalent weight of staple foods and about one-tenth that of meat like pork. Eating low-calorie foods first makes it easier to control the total intake.

Third, many fruits are prone to oxidation and spoilage. Eating fruit first can shorten its time in the stomach, reducing the degree of oxidation and spoilage, and thus minimizing any potential adverse effects on the body.

Follow the "Four Don'ts"

(1) Don't eat unripe fruit, as it contains more tannins, tastes astringent, and is less palatable.

(2) Don't pick and eat unknown wild fruits, as some can be harmful to the human body.

(3) Don't eat spoiled or rotten fruit, as it is likely to be contaminated with a large number of bacteria, which can easily cause illness after consumption.

(4) Don't casually eat fruit kernels, as some contain toxic substances (such as bitter almond kernels, loquat kernels, etc.), which can cause poisoning after ingestion.