Best And Worst Time To Eat Fruits

When is the best time to eat fruits during the day or at night? This question might surely come to your mind if you are thinking of losing weight, or having dull skin or suffering from hypertension or any other health issue.

No matter whatever health concern we may have, we always turn to fruits because they are the powerhouse of nutrients, antioxidants and flavonoids. They help prevent free radical damage and provide minerals like sodium and potassium to the body.

Incorporating fruits in your diet can improve digestion because of the high fibre content in them. But eating them at the wrong time can cause many health issues too. Studies have shown that consumption of fruits at a certain time of the day can have a positive or negative impact on your body.

So, When Is The Best Time To Eat Fruits During The Day?

Nutritionists across the world are recommending to have the maximum intake of fruits throughout the day.

Fruits In The Morning

Eating fruits in the morning on an empty stomach along with a glass of water is considered the best time to eat fruits. Because when you eat the fruit on an empty stomach, your digestive system is able to break down the fruit completely thus enabling the body to absorb the nutrients well.

Fruits to have before breakfast: Pineapple, melons, banana, grapes, berries, pear, mango, papaya and apples.

Fruits Between Two Meals

Consuming fruits between your meals is also seen as a good habit because it is the time when your digestion is quick and different enzymes are secreted. So, the fruits are easily digested if they are eaten between meals as there is a better processing of all the nutrients, simple sugars and fibre in the body.

Eating fruits in between meals as a snack can also lead to weight loss because it can help battle those voracious hunger pangs. There should be a gap of 30 minutes between meals.

Fruits to have in between meals: Citrus fruits, berries, melons, pineapple, pomegranate, apple and mango.

Fruits To Have Before And After Workout

Another best time to eat fruits is before and after a workout. If you consume fruits before a workout, it will provide your body with an immediate burst of energy to help you carry out your strenuous workout.

The same thing applies after a workout, your body loses all the energy and it's tired after performing heavy workouts.

During this time, high fibre fruits and fruits which contain natural sugars are the best, such as banana, mango, grapes, citrus, fruits, pineapple, chikoo, pomegranate and pear. These fruits eaten before and after a workout will provide your body with the much-needed electrolytes and energy.

Fruits Before Dinner

Eating fruits before dinner time is better compared to eating them before bedtime. It is because fruits are lower in calories and rich in fibre and that will satiate your hunger as dinner is the lightest meal of the day.

Fruits to have before dinner: Pineapple and apples.

Worst Time To Eat Fruits

It is said that fruits should not be consumed immediately before and after a meal or just before going to bed.

Immediately Before And After A Meal

If you are a person who immediately eats a fruit before and after a meal, you should stop it right now. Because immediately eating a fruit post meal will not help the body digest the fruit properly and therefore one won't be able to absorb all the essential nutrients.

For diabetic patients, the case is different. There should be a gap of one hour before the meal and two hours after the meal when you consume fruits.

Before Going To Sleep

Research says that consuming fruits before going to sleep is the worst time. Because it raises your insulin and blood sugar levels in the body that will disrupt your sleep at night and prevent your body from powering down when it should.

Fruits Shouldn't Be Eaten With Meals As Well

One shouldn't consume fruits with meals as it can slow down the digestion process. If you eat fruits with other foods, the fruits end up sitting in the body for longer hours than usual and start fermenting in the body. This may cause indigestion and other digestive problems.

Few Healthy Tips For Eating fruits

1. To receive the maximum benefits, have fresh and fibre-rich fruits with skin and flesh intact.

2. Stick to seasonal produce and indulge in different varieties.

3. If you are suffering from kidney disease, have low-potassium fruits like papaya, apple, pears, guava, etc.

4. People who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) should avoid high-fibre fruits like apple, orange and banana.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab a bowl of fruits and enjoy!

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