Optimize your fruit consumption
There was a time when I ate fresh fruit almost non-stop, all day long, whenever I felt “hungry” for something.
Not coincidentally, this was also the period when I suffered from very irregular digestion and bowel movements.
Is fruit healthy? Yes, undeniably. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.
The average western citizen probably doesn’t eat enough fresh fruit in general.
But there are a number of conditions for fully enjoying those gifts of fruit.
Fruit is not a miracle cure for weight or health problems.
What are the best moments to enjoy fruit?
Fruit is rich in sugars and also contains fructose, a sugar molecule the body has a hard time digesting as it seems.
Fruit is relatively rare in nature compared to vegetables, so it is best to eat in moderation. It is mainly available in nature at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. In Mediterranean, subtropical and tropical areas, fruit is more abundantly available, but still always seasonal.
Here are three golden rules and a few more tips:
- Eat fruit separately from other meals. Allow at least 30 minutes or an hour break. If you do eat fruit with other food, or immediately afterwards, it can lead to all sorts of nasty fermentation processes and gas.
- The best times: at breakfast and in the late afternoon as a snack. Do not eat fruit late at night before bedtime.
- Preferably eat fresh, local, organic and seasonal fruit.
How can I improve my digestion of fruit?
- Do you have difficulty digesting raw fruit? Boil or fry it gently and add some spices, such as cinnamon, aniseed, nutmeg or even a pinch of black pepper. Warm apple, pear, banana or berries are delicious!
- Drink (fresh) fruit juice sparsely. It is better to consume the whole fruit, including the fibres. Industrial “fruit juice” and fruit drinks or so-called nectars have a very low nutritional value and the cheaper types often have loads of extra sugar added.
- The combination of fruit with milk products is absolutely not done. It is also better not to eat fruit with cereals (for example: avoid mixing fresh fruit in muesli).
- Melons are best eaten separately, not even in combination with other fruit.
It contains very little protein and very little fat. So fruit is absolutely not a full-fledged nutrition source in itself.
Ceramics: @iittala
Read more about plant-based nutrition and health:
Read more articles about nutrition, health and plant-based foods:
Read more about plant-based food
Read more about yoga and yoga classes in Schaerbeek:
Check out our yoga classes here: