There are too many myths about fruit consumption circulating on the web, some about risks that do not exist, others with “miraculous promises” and others, simply, about the best time to eat fruit .
Many of these ideas are partly the product of a poor understanding of information or are simply part of the imagination of those who want to become instant diet gurus.
A detailed look at the scientific information will allow us to see which of these myths are false, as well as get ideas about what a healthy fruit intake should look like.
5 myths about fruit consumption
1. We should always eat fruit on an empty stomach
This is one of the most widespread myths about fruit consumption. Those who support this idea claim that mixing whole meals and fruit slows down digestion, causing everything to get stuck inside the stomach. Also, these people speculate that this causes increased production of stomach gas and other consequences that have no real relationship.
It is not known for sure who came up with this, but while it is true that the fiber in fruit slows digestion , it is not true that this causes food to stick in the stomach indefinitely or produce gas.
Even if we assumed that fruit does make food stay in the stomach indefinitely, stomach acids would mix with it, preventing any bacteria from growing and fermenting, which is what those who spread this myth fear the most.
As you can see, there is no such risk in reality.
2. Eating fruit before or after meals alters its nutritional value
This myth seems to be an extension of the previous one: what is stated here is that the more food your stomach has in it, the less capacity it will have to absorb different nutrients, especially in the case of fruits. However, this is clearly a lie.
The truth is that, when digesting food, the stomach acts as a reserve site that releases small amounts of its contents at different intervals, so that your intestines can process nutrients little by little.
On the other hand, the course of the intestines is long enough (more than 6 m of absorption in the small intestine) to have plenty of time to absorb more nutrients, not to mention that they are well trained to do so.
3. If you have diabetes, you can only eat fruit 1 or 2 hours before or after each meal.
Again, those who claim this do so on the grounds that mixing fruit and food seriously impairs digestion , which particularly affects people with diabetes.
Again, there is no evidence that digestion worsens with fruit, if only it slows down without actually making it harmful.
In fact, for diabetic people consuming products such as fiber, fat or protein mixed with fruit can in fact be very useful, because digestion slows down, causing the same amount of sugar to be absorbed from the fruit, but in small proportions without raising your overall blood sugar levels too high.
4. The best time to eat fruit is in the afternoon.
This myth is based on the assumption that the metabolism slows down in the afternoon, and that consuming a food high in sugar, such as various types of fruits, activates it again.
The truth is that any carbohydrate can perform this function, regardless of what time of day it is, but this does not mean that the digestive system will suddenly “wake up” just for this.
The digestive system is ready to start its work as soon as food enters the mouth, at any time. There is no need for the fruit to activate it, although it does not hurt to consume it for other reasons.
5. You should not eat fruit after 2:00 pm
This myth, which contradicts the previous one, apparently originated in the 17-day diet. The idea that came from that diet is that consuming sugar after 2:00 p.m. , even if it comes from fruits, raises blood glucose levels in a way that the body cannot stabilize before bedtime. what makes us end up gaining weight.
It even sounds a bit logical the first time we hear it, but the truth is that this idea is not true for 2 reasons:
- There is no reason to claim that after 2:00 pm the body more easily raises its blood sugar levels.
- Even if these levels were to rise, they would do so momentarily, not until late at night, much less make us gain weight so disproportionately.
Is there an ideal time to eat fruit?
The truth is that there is no ideal time to eat fruit , for the simple fact that any time is a good time to do it. Fruits are nutritious foods and benefits in weight loss diets at any time of the day.
However, there are some times when the time you eat fruit matters :
- When you want to lose weight, eating a fruit before a full meal is recommended , because its fiber levels will make you feel fuller and obviously will make you eat less.
- If you have type 2 diabetes, consuming fruit with other foods such as fiber or protein may be helpful , as the slow digestion this causes causes sugar to be absorbed more slowly and thus blood levels rise less dramatically .
- If you have gestational diabetes (caused during pregnancy by hormonal changes that make you intolerant to carbohydrates), combining it with other foods can work in the same way as with traditional diabetes. Avoiding them in the morning is also a good method, since it is at this time that the hormones make you more intolerant.
Reference
- Jones, T. 5 Myths About the Best Time to Eath Fruit (and the Truth). For Authority Nutrition. [Revised September 2016]
