EatThere are lots of fruit and vegetables, and to, It is good for so many aspects of health. The nutritional guidelines suggest to consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. However, fruit is often at the center of doubts and perplexities when it comes to choosing the right time to eat it and the question many ask is the following: fruit after meals makes you fat?
Opinions on this matter are very different. There are those who argue that fruit should be consumed away from main meals and those who recommend it immediately after. The problems that can arise from eating fruit after meals are mainly linked to its ability to produce intestinal fermentations which cause annoying abdominal tension and abdominal pain often accompanied by meteorism and flatulence. But these disorders do not occur in all people, in fact there are people for whom ending the meal with a fruit is not a source of any discomfort while for others it is truly impossible not to be affected.
But today's question is different and in particular we ask ourselves whether eating fruit after meals makes you gain weight or not and if the answer is positive, when is it best to consume it so as not to affect the weight loss process?.

The fruits after meals makes you fat?

Let's get straight to the point: If I eat fruit after meals I risk gaining weight? To resolve this question we must dispel some of the clichés about fruit consumption and its "time placement" throughout the day. Very often the answers we hear given around by relatives, friends and websites is not based on precise scientific evidence but only on personal thoughts or experiences gathered around. One of the statements we often hear is that fruit is allowed after meals because it eliminates the desire to eat a dessert that is certainly more caloric than fruit..

It's true that a fruit takes away sugar cravings?

No, it is a mistaken belief. Naturally, eating a fruit salad is healthier and more suitable for those on a diet than a cup of ice cream or a slice of tiramisu, but it is absolutely not true that fruit "takes away the desire for sweets". Indeed, for those who are trying to lose weight it is perhaps not advisable to eat fruit immediately after the meal precisely because the increase in circulating sugars stimulates insulin even more and therefore the accumulation of fat as well as cravings for other sugars. Fruit is indeed a sweet food that should be eaten in moderation during a diet, two or three times a day, and not as a stopgap for all those times we feel peckish. Making the desire for a sugary taste at the end of a meal a habit can be counterproductive.

The second common misconception is that fruit helps digestion. It is true?

In part yes, since some fruits, like pineapple or papaya, they contain bromelain and papain respectively which promotes protein digestion. This does not imply that eating pineapple at the end of a meal is necessarily recommended for those following a low-calorie diet, also why eat more portions (and fruit is part of the amount of food and portions ingested) it means lengthening digestion times. What does it mean? The reason is very simple: fruit on an empty stomach leaves the stomach after less than half an hour, while after a meal that includes other courses it takes much longer. In addition to, a good part of the nutrients contained in fruit are lost during the digestion process due to the fermentation of sugars, and this is the reason why many people cannot eat it after dinner. In fact, it is not even advisable to eat fruit at any time of the day, as it contains fructose, which inside the body is transformed into glucose which stimulates insulin and therefore fat storage. A truly harmful effect for those who are trying to lose weight.

Eating fruit after meals makes you gain weight

Finally, here is the commonplace protagonist of this article: fruit after meals makes you fat. How much truth is there in this statement? In most cases yes, due to the glycemic load to which the body is subjected. If the glycemic load of the meal is high, then it would be better not to eat fruit which contributes to raising it further. Excess insulin is the main cause of fat accumulation. However, when the glycemic load of the meal is low (for example, the courses included legumes, carne, fish or eggs), then eating fruit has no contraindications. Better to prefer oranges or other fruits rich in vitamin C, vitamin that helps the absorption of iron and other mineral salts.

Useful tips for best consuming fruit

So when to eat fruit if you are on a diet and don't want to gain weight and when not to eat it? Let's start with the advantages of eating fruit as a snack or snack. First of all it is a healthy snack, more than the fake diet bars are promoted around if consumed in moderation. It is rich in vitamins and mineral salts, helps counteract the onset of pathologies and maintain ideal weight. The disadvantages, instead, are linked to the presence of sugar, which raises blood glucose levels.

So when to eat fruit?

The best time is the morning. Eating fruit for breakfast allows you to start the day with a good dose of energy and helps your metabolism work faster until lunch time. Of course, fruit should be combined with other foods (oat cereal, latte, dried fruit etc). A rich breakfast helps you burn more calories than if you just drink a coffee, because it activates the metabolism. Caution: being low in fat, fruit is not recommended as the only ingredient in breakfast, but it must be accompanied with carbohydrates and fibre. It's also good as a mid-morning snack or mid-afternoon snack. This food must absolutely not be missing from your diet, but it should be consumed in moderation after dinner (we remind you, especially after protein and low glycemic index meals). Instead, prefer a fruit before dinner: it may seem strange, but taking it before dinner helps increase the sense of satiety and eat less. Otherwise it's fine to have it as a snack.

By following these tips you can benefit from all the nutrients contained in fruits, avoiding indigestion, heaviness and stomach acidity, gastritis and weight gain. One last piece of advice: you should avoid mixing different types of fruit, (sour and sweet) and above all, always prefer the fresh one rather than the one in industrial packaging. By doing so you will be able to enjoy all the properties of fruit. In any case I want to remind you that if you need to lose weight there is no wiser choice than turning to a nutritionist, because many other factors are involved in the weight loss process that you perhaps underestimate and which instead have a decisive role in dietary success.

 

 

Tagged
Dr. Claudia Bottino
Nutrizionista Laurea 1 livello in Dietistica Presso UNIPA Laurea Magistrale Laurea Magistrale in Scienze dell'alimentazione e Nutrizione Umana presso UNIPG (Univ. Perugia) Biological Sciences and professional practice Enabling UNIPA
http://nutrizionistaclaudiabottino.it/

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