Are you eating fruits the right way? In this article know the right way of eating fruits to reap its maximum benefits
Fruits are a gift to mankind from nature. However, most of us unknowingly eat fruits the wrong way and due to this, we are unable to get its complete nutrition. Studies suggest that 90% of people eat fruit the wrong way.
Since fruits are healthy, people think that it is fine to consume them whenever they want. As a result, they end up doing more harm than good.
Even after eating fruits most people have vitamin deficiencies and have no choice but to pop pills to get their dose of nutrition. Here we tell you all about eating fruits the right way.
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Eat fruits on an Empty Stomach
You might be substituting your desserts with a bowl of fruit and wrongly presume that you have made a healthy choice. However, doctors and scientists state it’s best to eat fruits on an empty stomach. Why so?
This is because fruits tend to digest much faster as compared to grains. When you take fruit after meals, the fruit is ready to travel through your stomach to your intestine, but it is prevented from doing so because of the meals that you have just eaten before it. It can actually slow down the entire process of digestion.
Also, there is another theory that when the fruit comes in contact with food that you have taken right before inside the stomach, it tends to ferment and the entire mass of food begins to spoil. This can lead to digestive issues such as bloating, acidity and more. There is no real scientific evidence to back this theory, however, combining your meals with fruits as a dessert is not really recommended.
Detox effect of fruits on an empty stomach
In fact, according to a renowned naturopath Dr. Herbert Shelton, who has researched how and when to eat fruits, has stated that the best time to eat fruits is on empty stomach. If you eat fruits like that it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supply you with a great deal of energy and make you feel full longer without letting you overeat your meals.
So, the best time to eat fruits is on an empty stomach or even between your meals as a healthy snack option.
- Eat Locally Grown Fresh Fruits
Due to our busy lives, we like eating on the go and tend to cut the fruits the night before and store them in containers. However, eating fruits for a long time after cutting them will take away most of the nutritional content of the food.
They should essentially be eaten within 20 minutes after cutting them. Fruits are alkaline in nature and leave an alkaline residue after metabolizing in the body, however, if consumed this way it can have an acidic effect.
It’s great that you choose fruit as a healthy snack option, but it’s probably the best to take the whole fruit and consume it.
In addition, also try and eat locally grown fruits that are in season. There is no need for you to fall for the fashion of eating exotic fruits. Nowadays Indian supermarkets are full of such fruits that travel seven seas to reach here.
It’s best to opt for local fruits as such fruits are well-suited, in season and serve as the best nectar for the body. The absorption of nutrients from local fruits is relatively higher.
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Eat the Whole Fruit as Opposed to Fruit Juices
Do you prefer fruit juices? Eating the whole fruit is much better since you will miss out a very important nutrient group – Dietary Fibre, that is essential for your wellbeing. It is the fiber in the fruit that ensures a slow release of sugar in the body. Especially for diabetic patients, consuming fruit juices can spike your blood sugar levels as opposed to eating the whole fruit.
Moreover, another ignored fact that is that the fruit juicer can generate heat and destroy the nutrients of the fruits. It is fine to have juices once in a while, but ensure that you have fresh fruit juices, sip it slowly along with your saliva to aid better digestion.
- Combine Fruits Properly
Some improper combination of fruits is taking milk along with fruits, combining citrus fruits with regular ones and also having fruits with yogurt or buttermilk. According to Ayurveda, these wrong combination of foods will slow down digestion by diminishing the Agni or digestive fire, cause heaviness and also lead to the production of toxins.
If you want to combine milk or yogurt with fruits, you can make it digestion-friendly by using ripe and sweet fruits with a dash of spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg or honey. Also ensure that you don’t combine fruits that belong to the citrus family like orange, lemon with your regular fruits like banana, papaya and more.
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Don’t Eat Fruits Late Night
It’s best to avoid eating fruits right before bedtime as it can interfere with your body’s natural clock and sleep. It can release a lot of sugar and cause a spike in your energy when your body should be preparing to unwind and rest.
Take Home Message
Fresh fruits are loaded with rich nutrients like antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, fiber, flavonoids and more. Eat fruits on an empty stomach throughout the day and ensure to keep a gap of 2 hours before and after your meals.
Truly fruits are the sweetest gift of nature. All you need to do is to eat it the right way at the right time in order to make the best of this natural nourisher!
Learn About Right Food Combinations for Maximum Nutrition: An Ayurvedic Guide
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