We all know that fruits are the healthiest food for our body. But do you know the best time to eat fruits to get its maximum effectiveness in the body?
Incorporating fruits in diet can improve digestion, health and much more while eating them at the wrong time can cause many health issues too.
Studies have shown that eating fruits at a certain time of the day can have a positive and negative impact on the body. Some fruits act as energy booster if eaten in the morning while other can be harmful.
So, what is the best time to eat fruits?
Well! Morning an empty stomach is the best time to eat fruits to get all essentials nutrients. No doubt, they are loaded with fibers, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, but their effectiveness in the digestive tract is bounded with timing you eat them.
Also Read: Fruits you should Eat Daily
So, How to get maximum nutritional Benefits from fruits? Here we will explain the best time to eat fruits and their worst time as well.
Best time to eat fruits
Eating fruits can detoxify your body and maintain the required amount of natural sugar and other nutrients. Know here the best time to eat fruits.
In Morning:
The best time to eat fruits is the morning time on an empty stomach. This is because when you eat fruits on an empty stomach, digestive system breaks down the fruit’s sugar quickly and provide full nutritional benefits to the body.
Fruits are loaded with lots of essentials nutrients that provide many health benefits to the body only if eaten right time of the day.
You can also eat them as mid-morning snacks, in between breakfast and lunch.
In Between 2 Meals/ Snacks:
Fruits are best snacks, you can have in between meals, as they are low in calories and high in minerals. Eating them between two meals on empty stomach is also the best time to eat fruits.
It is the time when different enzymes are secreted to fasten the digestion process. The fruits sugar can easily be digested and processed to provide maximum nutrient, fibers, and minerals to the body.
Eating fruits in between meals also leads to weight loss.
Pre and Post workout:
Eating fruits before and after any workout is best to provide instant energy to your body to perform strength developing exercise and fitness workout.
After waking up or before any workout, your body is at rest position. To activate your system, you need an immediate supply of energy that doesn’t harm your body even during exercise. So eating fruits before a workout is the best way to provide healthy nutrients as a great energy source.
The same thing happens even after a workout, your body loses all of its energy in performing heavy workouts. At that time drinking water helps to gain the water loss in sweating, and for energy recovery, you need some low calories and high fiber rich fruits to fulfill nutrient supply to the body.
You can eat fruits of your choice as natural sugar in fruits provides immediate energy to your body.
Worst time to eat fruits
Before Bed Time:
Many research proved that eating fruits before going to sleep is the worst time as it not beneficial for your health. It leads to enhance insulin and blood sugar levels in the body that will keep you awake when you need to sleep at night. So, avoid eating fruits in the evening or at night after dinner. Take your dinner at least two hours before your bedtime.
Immediate before and after meals:
Don’t eat fruits immediate before and after any meals. A gap of at least 30 minutes should be maintained between your meals intake and fruits.
Eating fruits immediate before and after may not get digested properly, and your body will not be able to get all essentials nutrients.
If you are diabetic patients, then wait for at least 2 hours after the meal and 1 hour before meals, that is advisable by doctors also.
Fruits with meals:
Eating fruits with meals or other foods can slow down the digestion process, as digestive enzymes have other work to do. It means the fruits end up sitting in the body for longer hours than usual time and start ferment in the body.
Rotting fruits in the stomach can cause indigestion, gas and other digestive issues. So try to avoid eating fruits during meals as your body can’t absorb nutrients fully at that time.
So, when to eat fruits to get maximum benefits? Here we are presenting few healthy tips that will give you essentials nutrients when your body required them most.
- Eat fruits on empty stomach, morning is the best time, after having a glass of water.
- Wait for at least 30 minutes before and after every meal to absorb it completely.
- Avoid eating fruits with meals.
- Eat fruits in between two meals, when you desired to eat something light on the empty
- Try to eat organic fruits to avoid the effects of pesticides.
- Avoid frozen, canned and processed fruits as these contain more added sugar, preservatives, and sugary syrup.
- Have different types of fruits.
Best and Worst time to eat some common fruits:
1). Banana
Best Time: Noon
Banana is high in fibers that help in digestion and soothe heart burn as it acts as a natural antacid.
Worst Time: Night
Eating banana at night can lead to mucus formation and cold. Avoid eating on an empty stomach as it’s high in magnesium that can upset stomach.
2). Apple
Best Time: Morning
Apple peel is rich in fibers pectin that help in bowel movement and prevent constipation.
Worst Time: Evening/Night
Pectin is hard to digest at night and increases stomach acid that can lead to disturbance.
3). Mango
Best Time: 30 minutes before workout
One of the energy food that boost your system with energetic nutrients that you required before a workout.
Worst Time: Dinner
Rich in calories that can be heavy to your stomach. Overeating at night can lead to many stomach discomfort.
4). Orange
Best time: Snacks
Orange is rich in vitamin C that helps to boost metabolism and improve digestion.
Worst time: Breakfast
Avoid eating on empty stomach, as it can cause stomach irritation and gastric.
5). Papaya
Best time: Breakfast/snacks
Papaya is less acidic so it helps to soothe the digestive tract. Rich in vitamin A and C, therefore improve skin complexion also, if eaten at breakfast.
Worst time: Dinner
Good for digestion but also a bit heavy for stomach if eaten at night and cause stomach problem.
6). Watermelon
Best time: Breakfast/Lunch
Digestion rate is highest at that time and also fulfill water requirement in the body.
Worst time: Dinner/ Bed time,
Eating at bed time can upset stomach and slow down digestion. It can also lead to frequent trips to the toilet and cause poor sleep at night and fatigue next day.
7). Nuts
Best time: Before Breakfast
They contain omega 3 fatty acids and eating them early in the morning provide energy and protect us from many diseases.
Worst time: Dinner
Eating nuts at night can help to gain weight as they are rich in fat and calories.
8). Pulse and beans
Best time: Noon/Night
They are high in fibers and lentils that help in digestion and improve reduce cholesterol level.
Worst time: Morning
It may increase your appetite and can lead to overeating.
9). Kiwi
Best time: Early Morning/ An hour before bed
It can help you to get essentials nutrients and one of the best fruits for deep sleep. Wonder fruits for skin and especially for women who always worry for their face and spend lots of money in the parlor.
10). Cherries
Best time: After Dinner
Melatonin in cherries helps to improve the sleep quality, best for people suffering from insomnia.
Worst time: Afternoon
It can make you sleepy even in day time.
Now you know the best time to eat fruits, share this information with your loved one who is fond of eating fruits, to let them know the correct timing. You can pin it to read it later and don’t forget to like and subscribe to our newsletter for more healthy lifestyle updates. Take care!