When is the healthiest time to eat fruit?
Introduction: Fruits can provide the human body with a variety of nutrients. So, when is the healthiest time to eat fruit? It depends on the type of fruit. For example, apples, pears, and grapes are more suitable for eating in the morning; pineapple, papaya, kiwi, etc., are more suitable for eating after meals. The optimal time to eat different fruits varies. Below, we will introduce the best times to eat different fruits.
I. Best for Morning: Apples, Pears, Grapes
When eating fruit, choosing to eat it in the morning is most beneficial for the body and allows it to maximize its nutritional value and produce substances beneficial to health.
This is because after a night's sleep, the digestive system is still activating, and its digestive function is not strong. However, the body needs to replenish a sufficient amount of various nutrients. At this time, eating fruits that are easy to digest and absorb can meet the nutritional needs for morning work or study activities.
Eating fruit in the morning not only aids digestion and absorption and promotes bowel movements, but the sweet and sour taste of fruit can make a person feel refreshed all day. After a night's rest, the stomach and intestines are still activating, and their digestive function is not strong.
Therefore, fruits that are not too acidic and have a mild astringent taste, such as apples, pears, and grapes, are very suitable.
II. Avoid Before Meals: Cherry Tomatoes, Oranges, Hawthorn, Bananas, Persimmons
Fruits suitable for eating before meals should preferably be those that are not too acidic and have a mild astringent taste, such as apples, pears, bananas, and grapes. People with poor gastrointestinal function should not eat fruit during this period.
Some fruits should not be eaten on an empty stomach before meals, such as cherry tomatoes, oranges, hawthorn, and bananas. Cherry tomatoes contain soluble tannins; if eaten on an empty stomach, they will combine with stomach acid, increasing pressure in the stomach and causing pain and bloating.
Oranges contain a large amount of organic acids; eating them on an empty stomach can easily cause bloating and belching. Hawthorn is sour; eating it on an empty stomach can cause stomach pain. Bananas are high in potassium and magnesium; eating them on an empty stomach can increase the level of magnesium in the blood, which can have an inhibitory effect on the cardiovascular system.
Persimmons have an astringent effect. When they encounter stomach acid, they can form bezoars, which cannot be digested or expelled. After eating a large quantity on an empty stomach, symptoms such as nausea and vomiting may occur.
III. Best After Meals: Pineapple, Papaya, Kiwi, Oranges, Hawthorn
The bromelain in pineapple helps digest protein, supplements the deficiency of digestive enzymes in the human body, and enhances digestive function. Li Shizhen also affirmed in "Compendium of Materia Medica" that pineapple can strengthen the spleen and stomach and consolidate vital energy.
Eating some pineapple after a meal can stimulate the appetite, relieve greasiness, and aid digestion. The papain in papaya can help the human body break down protein in meat. Eating a small amount of papaya after a meal has certain benefits for preventing gastric ulcers, gastroenteritis, and indigestion.
Kiwi, oranges, hawthorn, etc., are rich in organic acids, which can increase the activity of digestive enzymes, promote fat breakdown, and aid digestion.
IV. Soothing for a Late Night Snack: Longans
Eating fruit as a late-night snack is not good for digestion, and because fruits contain too much sugar, it can easily lead to excess calories and cause obesity.
In particular, eating high-fiber fruits before sleep can affect sleep due to a full stomach, and it is even more harmful to the health of people with poor gastrointestinal function.
However, if you have trouble sleeping, you can eat a few longans. They have a calming and sleep-promoting effect, helping you sleep more soundly.