False myths about fruit: 5 fake news on how and when to eat it

Given the large amount of information circulating on the web about food, it is not surprising that many false myths are spread; today we want to tell you about the hoaxes that circulate on fruit. Misleading and sometimes even dangerous information, which limits your diet and does not allow you to fully enjoy all the benefits of fruit; here are 5 false fruit myths to keep in mind.

1. It is best to eat fruit on an empty stomach

This myth says that eating fruit with meals can slow digestion, causing the fruit to settle in the stomach and ferment, causing gas and other digestive problems. Fiber in fruit can slow digestion a bit, but the other claims are false. Fiber doesn't slow digestion enough to allow food to rot in your stomach, but it slows it down enough to make you feel full for longer. There is also no scientific evidence that fruit consumed with meals can cause bloating, diarrhea or other digestive problems.

2. Eating fruit before or after meals reduces nutrients

Somehow similar to the first myth, this also states that it is necessary to eat fruit on an empty stomach to get maximum nutrition. False; you can get the same amount of nutrients every time you eat fruit, regardless of meals. When you eat, in fact, the stomach acts as a "reservoir", releasing only small quantities at a time, so that the intestine can digest easily; the small intestine is also designed to absorb as many nutrients as possible.

3. Fruit juice can replace fruit

It is absolutely not true that fruit juice can completely replace a fruit; even if obtained with 100% raw material, fruit juices have lower levels of fiber and they also have a very low satiating power compared to whole fruit. It is always better to alternate, if you love fruit juices, still choosing organic ones with no added sugars.

4. Fruit does not make you fat

This is also a hoax, because in reality there are no foods specifically "designed" by nature to keep you from getting fat. Some types of fruit, in fact, have a high level of sugars (fructose) although natural, and an excessive daily dose of fructose can cause the liver to enlarge, due to the glucose entering this organ in the form of triglycerides. Those who suffer from colitis or abdominal bloating should limit the amount of fruit in their diet, also avoiding the use of fructose-based sweeteners.

5. Fruit can replace a meal

This is also incorrect information, because consuming fruit instead of the main meal, from the point of view of nutrients, is absolutely wrong. As healthy as fruit is, it can never contain all the necessary components, in the correct proportions, that a complete meal guarantees: proteins, carbohydrates, fibers. Eating only fruit for lunch will not provide the body with all the nutrients it needs, it will not even give an adequate sense of satiety, with the risk of finding yourself hungry only a few hours later.