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From an early age, both doctors and nutrition experts place particular emphasis on including fruit amongst the foods that are eaten every day. The reason for this is that  it is an essential source of vitamins and also contains a good quantity of enzymes which, once inside the body, continue to mature. 

Of all foods, fruit has the greatest cleansing capacity. As such, a diet based mainly on fruit, ensures that the body detoxifies and flushes out toxins. 

The best thing to do is to have fresh seasonal fruit because it is refreshing and provides energy and nutrients which are easily absorbed. Depending on their effects on the body, they can be nutritional, such as the banana, grape, cherry or figs, cleansing (lemons, oranges or strawberries) or digestive such as apples and pears. There are also fruits which are rich in antioxidants such as raspberries, blackberries and peaches, or diuretic such as pineapple and apple which help to flush out liquids.

Variable criteria

However, from time to time the subject is raised of when is the ideal time to eat it, before or after meals. There is no definite time and everyone eats it according to their appetite. 

Almost all fruits contain a lot of fibre, water and minerals, which are practically calorie-free. In fact, they contain the same amount of kilocalories whether they are consumed before a meal or for dessert and the body absorbs them in the same way. 

Some experts advise eating fruit before a meal because this high water and fibre content has a satisfying effect that subsequently prevents us from eating large amounts of food. Meanwhile, certain substances such as its aromatic components and its acidity stimulate stomach acid secretion and this aids digestion. 

Although it may seem strange eating fruit as an aperitif or a starter, this is a long-established custom in gastronomy and it is now increasingly common to use fruit as an ingredient in salads, such as tropical fruits including oranges, apples or raisins along with lettuce and small pieces of cheese, curly endive with pears and cheese, or apple and pineapple salad.   

Despite this, it is still more common to eat fruit as a dessert, which is also considered to be correct because by choosing fruit people avoid eating other products such as puddings, which contain more calories and it cleans the mouth, through the acids that it contains. 

Ferment in the stomach

It has sometimes been said that if you eat fruit after a meal it can ferment in the stomach. However, this statement is incorrect. The fact that the fruit is eaten at the end of the meal does not mean that it remains in the upper part of the stomach and can ferment, since the gastric juices in the stomach  work on all the food that it contains and produce a mixture of the foods. 

Another issue is that some people with digestive disorders or delicate stomachs can experience discomfort when they eat fruit for dessert. Since this is a specific problem, it might be better for them to eat it between meals. In any case, this discomfort doesn’t have anything to do with the supposed fermentation. 

Meanwhile, leaving fruit until the end of the meal has another disadvantage. Often, on finishing lunch, people are too full to eat dessert and, in such circumstances, the idea of eating a piece of fruit is not very appealing. 

A common alternative is to eat fruit between meals, as a snack, to satisfy hunger and as an alternative to other greasier options, such as crisps or cured meat. Particularly amongst schoolchildren, it is better to eat a piece of fruit than some shop-bought cake. By eating fruit between meals they satisfy their hunger and consume fewer calories. 

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