When are the best and worst times to eat fruit? & bull; hello healthy

Vegetables and fruit are types of food that must be included in your daily menu. The recommended portion of vegetables and fruit for adult consumption is 400-600 grams per day. Of that portion, 2/3 consists of vegetables and 1/3 is fruit. If the analogy is, in a day you are advised to consume 2.5 servings of vegetables (or the equivalent of 250 grams) and 3 pieces of fruit (for example 3 medium-sized ambon bananas, or 3 medium-sized oranges)

What factors determine the best time to eat fruits and vegetables?

The work of our digestive system in processing food is one of the determinants of when we should eat fruits and vegetables.

The majority of fruits consist of fruit sugar, namely fructose. From the first bite, the mouth will produce enzymes that work to break down carbohydrates into components that are easier to digest. Furthermore, the work of carbohydrate-breaking enzymes in the stomach stops because the environment is too acidic. This process will continue again in the small intestine to produce simpler carbohydrate components so that they can be absorbed by the body.

Actually, the fructose contained in the fruit itself is classified as a simple carbohydrate. Then is it because it is in a simple form, the fruit is digested faster than other foods? Not necessarily, because there are other components in fruit, namely fiber, which can slow down the digestive process.

It's different with vegetables. Vegetables have a more diverse nutritional content when compared to fruit, because there are carbohydrates, protein, and fat in the vegetables you eat. Each nutrient undergoes a different process with different enzymes. With more diverse types of nutrients and higher amounts of fiber, vegetables have a longer digestion time when compared to fruit.

So when is the best time to eat fruit vegetables? The answer is anytime. You may usually eat vegetables at the same time as breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This is fine as long as you can meet your daily fruit vegetable needs.

When should you be careful when eating fruits and vegetables?

If you look at the way fruits and vegetables are digested, there are a number of situations where you may have to reconsider before deciding to eat vegetables and fruit.

1. Before exercising

You may want to eat more vegetables and fruits especially if you are dieting. However, if you want to exercise, you are not advised to eat high-fiber vegetables. This is because fiber takes a long time to digest and can cause digestive problems if you exercise with a full stomach. Give a break of approximately 2-3 hours after eating before you can start exercising.

If you want a fresh meal before you start exercising, you can try fruits that are low in fiber such as bananas, or make a mixture of your favorite fruit vegetables. smoothies to make it easier to digest.

2. Before going to bed

Eating a serving of fruit salad complete with dressing might be your bedtime snack. However, this is not recommended, because then our bodies will work to produce insulin to maintain the stability of blood sugar that rises after consuming carbohydrates.

The increase in insulin will decrease the hormone melatonin, which is an important hormone that works when we are about to sleep. Make sure you eat at least 3 hours before bedtime so that your body can get the best rest.

3. When you have diarrhea

Even though vegetables and fruits are good for health, consuming them when you have diarrhea can exacerbate the frequency of bowel movements. The fiber found in fruit vegetables helps smooth digestion. This is certainly beneficial if you are in good health, but you may want to avoid it when you have diarrhea.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't eat vegetables and fruit, you can choose the type of fruit vegetables that are low in fiber as an alternative.

Myths about the right time to eat fruit

Here are some myths regarding the right time to eat fruit.

1. "You should not eat fruit in the morning on an empty stomach"

This can be done. Breakfast can be likened to "breaking the fast" after about 8 hours of not eating anything. The simple carbohydrate content in fruit can help you get your energy back.

However, a good breakfast according to the Ministry of Health's recommendation consists of a balanced amount of carbohydrates, protein and fat. So, if you only eat fruit for breakfast, you may feel hungry again quickly.

2. "If you only eat fruit, the body will focus more on digesting nutrients"

Our bodies work uniquely, when food enters the digestive system, the enzymes released will match the type of nutrients that are being digested. So our digestive system has been designed to digest various types of nutrients at one time because no one type of food contains only one nutrient.

3. "Eating fruit together with other foods will make flatulence"

Decomposition is a decomposition process that occurs due to the work of bacteria. When food enters our stomach, there are no enzymes and bacteria that can work because the environment is acidic, so it is not accurate to say that the fruit can break down first and the gas can cause bloating.

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