The Number One Rule When Eating Fruit

You all know that I’m a fruit lover. Eating fruit is so, so important for your health, but knowing the right way to eat fruit is just as essential. Eating fruit carelessly will give you digestive issues and other health problems down the track. If you haven’t done so already, apply this rule when eating fruit and I promise your body will thank you for it.

Some foods take longer to digest than others. For example, on one end of the spectrum you have watermelon, which digests in approximately 20 minutes, compared to a piece of steak which can take up to 4 hours. So if you were to eat steak for dinner followed by watermelon, what would happen? The watermelon would end up sitting on top of the steak and a traffic jam will occur in your stomach. This will lead to fermentation, and the fruit will begin to rot, inviting bad bacteria to have a party, while toxins proceed to leach into your blood. Now imagine doing this day after day. Many people do. This causes other health issues which stem from the digestive tract.

If you experience indigestion, heartburn, burping and other digestive discomforts after eating fruit, it could be the combination of the food, and the fermentation that causes your upset stomach.

When fruits are eaten alone on an empty tummy, your body can more easily process all of the nutrients, fibre and the simple sugars contained therein. This is the best way to benefit from the fruit you eat.

Eating fruit for breakfast is the most convenient. This way you can be sure your stomach is empty because you have fasted for at least 8 hours since your last meal. Otherwise you need to wait somewhere between 1 – 4 hours after a meal depending on what you eat. Here are approximate times when to eat fruit after a meal:

Juice – 30 minutes

Smoothie – 1 hour

Raw Salad – 2 hours

Cooked Plant Meal – 3 hours

Cooked Animal Meal – 4 hours

Don’t worry! There are some guidelines, but you can definitely still have fruit in your smoothies. Fruits blend well with others fruits and any variety of greens you desire. Acid and sub-acid fruits like berries, oranges, mangoes and papayas go alright with fats, but as delicious as sweet fruits like banana and dates taste with fat, it unfortunately isn’t the best combination. Using a small amount of activated nut milk as a base for a smoothie is usually okay as it’s easier to digest, but blending up sweet fruits with nuts or avocado is a no-no. In saying this, it’s totally okay to do once in a while – I definitely do.

The same guidelines apply for salads.

I hope you found this article helpful. I know when I applied this rule, my digestion improved and my love for fruit grew to a whole new level. Eating fruit properly will lead to an uptake of all their amazing nutrients, a happy tummy, increased energy and optimal health.

This blog, its content and any linked material are presented for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or prescribing. Nothing contained in or accessible from this video should be considered to be medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or prescribing, or a promise of benefits, claim of cure, legal warranty, or guarantee of results to be achieved. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog or in any linked material. Olivia Budgen is not a medical doctor. Consult with a licensed healthcare professional before altering or discontinuing any current medications, treatment or care, or starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, or if you have or suspect you might have a health condition that requires medical attention.