Fruits: With Or Without A Meal?

That we should eat fruits combine with their main meal is a subject that has always left me asking more questions. Many nutritionists do not comment on this and if they do, it is limited.

From the point of view, naturopath, is "no" to combine fruit with the food. It states that "... the fruit is on top of food in the stomach and go to rot."

The fruits are mostly water (90-96 percent), and therefore it may take about 30 minutes to get in the water is absorbed. Among the solid material, the main component, dietary fiber, is the last division, which is two points (via microbes).

What is digestion?

It is the distribution of food by enzymatic action and mechanical. Just a little food, take fruits around 24 hours of digestion and excretion from the body. What is a meal? Do you have cooked yourself? To me, scientists, nutritionists and dieticians, all meals: food, soup, vegetables, salad, fruit, etc. Scientifically, the bread is the fruit of the wheat plant. Sometimes certain foods eaten raw or cooked as a fruit salad.

After much research on this topic before, I can not find information about quality, that is, until now. I talked to my friend, Dr. Zafar A. Nomani (Emeritus Professor of Nutrition, West Virginia University and the recipient's King Hassan II International Research Award for Health and the fast of Ramadan, Casablanca, Morocco), and presented him with the above argument.

That's what he had to say:

Dear Sohail,

The idea that the fruits of the creation of bad stomach problems. Some people may have an exception to this and, therefore, should evaluate their plans according to their individual health status, in consultation with a physician. Dietary fiber in fruits helps the agitation of the contents of the stomach. Reflex action opens the valve between the stomach and small intestine. Help the movement of food in the small intestine. In fact, the fruits that are rich in fiber help reduce heartburn, heavy stomach, etc.

I had the opportunity to observe the eating habits in different regions and cultures of the world. Overall, the subcontinent's eating habits (namely India, Pakistan, Bangladesh). And most of the Arabian Peninsula horrible and very unbalanced. Dubai (United Arab Emirates, where I - the blogger health - is currently living) represents individuals in both regions. In your article you described their eating habits during Ramadan fine.

Do not worry. The fruits are good. You can eat before, during and after the meal.

My conclusions are based on scientific studies that include human and animal experiments (do not worry, the animals were not used in any case).

You can eat fruit during or after the meal. During Ramadan, the current practice is "Sunnah" is to break the fast with dates, fruit. You can include a cup of fruit or fruit juice - no sorbets and drinks full of sugar.

When dietary fiber in the fruit affects the lining of the stomach, it stimulates muscle contraction and expansion and has a churning. Therefore, the movement of digesta. It helps prevent constipation, indigestion or acidity. This has been demonstrated in hundreds of studies.

Therefore, consumption of fruit, before, during or after a meal (for example, break the fast, breakfast, lunch or dinner) is great, and I see nothing wrong with that, even if the excess food is not good to say the least. Some people eat only the fruit of the States during the meal, especially at lunchtime.

When people say "do not mix food and fruit together," this may be because the fruits are more expensive and less available (at least in the past), and to its best use, it has been a tradition of eat fruit before or after the meal. Perhaps for this reason that saying came not to eat or to combine food and fruit with the meal. In today's globalized economy, everything, including fruits, are easily accessible.

I also sent some articles Dr. Nomani for comment and that's what he had to say:

With these popular media, publications, first seeking the author's credentials and reliability. I did an Internet search on the authors you mentioned, and could form a good impression on them. It's a waste of time to comment on the knowledge of experts and a half. These people make life more complicated and even harmful.

With scientific studies of the Ramadan fast is my area of ​​expertise was "high fiber". Some of the statements that the authors are very annoying. For example, what they mean by fruit is sitting on top of the stomach? The use of words such as fruits that produce "toxins" and other terms of their large vocabulary, they try to intimidate and impress the reader. How many of these authors actually studied in this area is questionable.

The fruits are an excellent source of fiber. Fruits and vegetables are mostly full of water, about 90-95 percent. Together, they provide dietary fiber, carotenoids, flavonoids, some water-soluble vitamins, antioxidants, and countless health benefits. Dietary fiber is indigestible complex carbohydrates from digestive enzymes like lipase, protease, amylase. The components of dietary fiber are cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectins, gums and mucilage, and other digestible carbohydrates. Some of the fiber is digested (fermented) of microbes in the large intestine. Dietary fiber helps the motility of the stomach, small intestine and colon. It helps the movement of digesta (content of the digestive tract). In fact, it helps to remove toxins on a regular motion Bowl basis.

Nutrition is simple. Just follow the basic principle of variety, moderation and balance. The biggest problem in the west and during Ramadan (Islamic month of fasting) is overeating. When we say eating fruits and vegetables, this does not mean you have to eat these foods. In general, people in the west and the Arabian Peninsula do not consume enough dietary fiber, which is expected to be approximately 30 grams per day.

Unless you have some serious digestive problems, eating fruit to your diet should be fine ...

We hope that this insight was so helpful and useful.

Another simple trick for a healthy, productive and enjoyable: do some exercise and physical activity, good nutrition course

Dietary fiber itself does not contribute to a nutritional point of view, but there are a lot of physiological importance of the prevention of many health problems - constipation, diverticular disease, some cancers, diabetes, obesity, hypertension and others.