It’s okay to have an occasional piece of fruit at dinner, but it shouldn’t become a routine.
No doubt everyone should develop the beneficial habit of eating fruits. But many people are unsure about the right time to consume them. Know what an expert has to say
Consuming fruits is undoubtedly a good habit that everyone should adopt. Doctors always recommend them as a source of nutrition as they are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. But, many people wonder when is the right time to consume them. For example, some people think it’s a good idea to eat them first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, while others prefer to do so after a meal. Many also question whether a plate full of this nutritious food is the right choice for dinner. In response, nutritionist Neha Ranglani said that it is okay to have an occasional fruit for dinner, but it should not become a habit.
The nutritionist explained, “When we eat food from morning to evening, we eat a lot of carbohydrate-rich food, which turns into sugar in our body. Our cells use only as much sugar as they need. Whatever is extra gets stored in the liver as glycogen, which is the storage form of sugar. But when we eat plain sugar late in the evening, our body does not require that much energy. All this extra simple sugar is then converted to fat as glycogen stores in the liver become full. Once he’s full, the excess sugar gets converted into fat.” Therefore, she strongly advises not to indulge in fruit-rich meals too often at night.
He acknowledged that fruits are very good for health and suggested that one can have them first thing in the morning or as a mid-meal. However, if you are looking for a lighter dinner idea, you can go with vegetable soup or stir-fried veggies.
Earlier, Neha had mentioned some more ways in which fruits should not be consumed.
Firstly, she suggested that you should avoid these in milkshakes. Fruits get digested faster than milk. When we mix milk with fruits, we enable the sugar in the fruit to ferment in the gut, leading to gas, bloating and other gastrointestinal troubles.
Thereafter, he advised not to have it as a dessert or with a meal. Including fruit as a dessert after a full meal will increase your body’s sugar load, turn it into fat more quickly, and make your stomach uncomfortable for a longer period of time.
Read also: Six reasons to make the juicy and tart plum your summer favorite
Lastly, she recommends consuming whole fruits, not in juice form. He explained that the fiber from your fruit juice, which is the most important part of this product, is completely removed. Without this component, your bloodstream and liver absorb the sugar directly from your fruit, which is then processed into fat because of its excess.
