After the Start of Autumn, the fruit harvest season begins. How to eat fruit is a matter of great importance; eating it properly is beneficial to your health, while eating it inappropriately can be harmful.
Fruits are generally classified into three categories: cool, warm, and neutral. Cool fruits include citrus, oranges, and bananas, which should be consumed with caution by individuals with a cold and deficient constitution. Warm fruits include jujubes, chestnuts, and peaches, and those with a "hot" constitution should eat them in moderation. Neutral fruits include plums, apricots, and apples, which are suitable for all body types.
Choose fruits based on your own physical condition. People with constipation should eat less acidic fruit to avoid worsening the condition. Fruits like bayberries and plums should not be eaten in excess, as the acidic substances they contain are not easily oxidized and broken down. Furthermore, the acidity in these fruits can, along with stomach acid, irritate the gastric mucosa, making them unsuitable for patients with ulcers. Additionally, apples are rich in carbohydrates and potassium salts, so individuals with nephritis, diabetes, or coronary heart disease should eat them sparingly. Grapes contain significant amounts of citric and malic acids, so diabetics should limit or avoid their consumption. Watermelon is excellent for relieving summer heat, but it is forbidden for diabetics and those prone to bloating. Pears and bananas are considered "cool" in nature, so postpartum women and those with a weak spleen and diarrhea should avoid them.
When ill, choose fruits based on your specific condition. Although fruits are good, it's important not to eat them at the same time as medication, because the fruit acid can react with the alkaline components in the medicine, neutralizing it and affecting its efficacy. However, some fruits are particularly beneficial. For example, hawthorn can lower blood lipids and blood pressure, longan pulp can help prevent liver damage, citrus fruits can supplement calcium, pears can moisten the lungs and resolve phlegm, and bananas can promote bowel movements. Patients with hepatitis can benefit from fruits rich in vitamin C and carotene, and diabetics can eat low-sugar fruits, both of which are harmless and beneficial.
Eating fruit should be done in appropriate amounts and at the right time. Eating too many "cool" or acidic fruits can damage the spleen and stomach. Eating too many "dry" fruits can easily lead to "internal heat" (上火). Eating too many high-sugar fruits can lead to "fruit diabetes." It is generally best to eat fruit about an hour after a meal. It should not be eaten before a meal, as it can suppress appetite, and the fruit acid can cause the proteins in food to coagulate, affecting digestion and absorption. Eating fruit immediately after a meal does not aid digestion; instead, it can cause bloating and constipation. Furthermore, fruits should be washed and peeled before eating to prevent chronic poisoning from pesticide residues and other contaminants on the skin, thus avoiding illnesses from contaminated food.