There is a lot of confusion about the existence or otherwise of times of the day that are more suitable than others for eating fruit . In fact, there are several theories and beliefs in this regard, many of which are not supported by any scientific evidence, and which therefore lead to the conclusion that adding fruit to your diet is healthy, regardless of the time of intake.
These are the five most resistant myths on the subject and their respective denials .
Always eat fruit on an empty stomach
A rather widespread belief is that eating fruit with meals slows down digestion, causes intestinal gas formation and a series of other related discomforts .
However, although it is true that the fibers in fruit can slightly slow down the release of food from the stomach and digestion, it must also be said that this does not cause any other problems , in the absence of specific pathologies.
Furthermore, slowing down stomach emptying can also have positive implications since it helps you feel fuller longer and consequently ingest fewer calories throughout the day.
Eating fruit before or after a meal reduces its nutritional value
This myth holds that you need to eat fruit on an empty stomach to truly absorb all of its nutritional benefits , because by eating it right before or after a meal, the nutrients would somehow be lost.
When you eat though, your stomach acts as a reservoir releasing only small amounts of food at a time, so your intestines can easily digest them and absorb as many nutrients as possible.
The digestive system is therefore more than prepared to receive the nutrients from fruit, whether it is consumed on an empty stomach or with a meal.
Those with diabetes should eat fruit 1-2 hours before or after meals
The basic idea behind this statement is that people with diabetes develop fewer digestive problems when they eat fruit away from meals.
Unfortunately, however, there is no scientific evidence to support this thesis.
Rather than eating fruit separately from other food, it may be helpful for people with diabetes to combine it with a meal high in protein , fiber or fat because these substances cause the stomach to release food into the small intestine more slowly. The benefit of this process for those with diabetes is that less sugar is absorbed at one time, leading to a smaller rise in blood sugar levels .
In fact, some studies have shown that 7.5 grams of soluble fiber present in fruit can reduce the increase in blood sugar after a meal by 25% .
However, it is also true that some people with this condition develop digestive problems by emptying their stomach slowly.
The best time of day to eat fruit is in the afternoon
This idea is based on the common belief that metabolism slows down in the afternoon and that eating sugary foods like fruit raises blood sugar levels and wakes up the digestive system .
The truth though is that any carbohydrate-containing food temporarily raises blood sugar , while glucose is absorbed regardless of the time of day.
There’s no need to wake up your digestive system , as it’s always ready to spring into action.
Eating fruit after 2.00 pm makes you fat
This false myth contradicts the previous one and is based on the theory that eating fruit or any type of carbohydrate in the afternoon increases blood sugar , which the body does not have time to stabilize before going to sleep and therefore results in weight gain .
However, there’s no reason to fear that fruit will cause high blood sugar levels in the afternoon because any carbohydrate- containing food raises blood sugar as glucose is absorbed, no matter what time of day you eat it.
And while your carbohydrate tolerance may vary throughout the day, these changes are minimal and don’t affect your overall metabolic rate.
It is therefore wrong to think that eating fruit in the afternoon causes weight gain, also because the metabolic rate tends to decrease as you fall asleep, but still burns many calories to keep the body functioning.
While there’s no evidence that avoiding fruit in the afternoon affects weight , there is evidence that people who eat lots of fruit and vegetables during the day tend to weigh less.
This is also confirmed by the results of 17 studies which found that people who regularly consumed fruit have a reduction of up to 17% in the risk of obesity.
When it comes to losing weight , therefore, eating lots of fruits and vegetables is one of the best choices you can make, as it is a great way to get the nutrients you need, filling up on healthy and low-calorie foods .
Also, avoiding fruit in the afternoon and before bedtime eliminates a healthy snack option .
Here are the tips for preserving fruit and thus avoiding food waste and those on how best to freeze it .
These tips are also useful for having a healthy intestinal microbiota .
Can fruit peel be eaten or not?
