If you are not sure when to eat fruits, this article will show you the amazing benefits of eating fruits before meals.
You and I know that eating fruits regularly is essential for maintaining optimal health. But chances are you don’t eat the recommended amount of fruit.
In fact, research shows that only 1 in 10 adults eat enough fruit in the U.S.
The situation is worse in other countries, especially in third world countries.
This means we all need to increase our fruit intake. Most experts recommend eating 1 to 2 cups of fruit per day.
The most important thing is to eat enough fruit every day. However, eating fruits at certain times can have extra benefits.
When should you eat your fruits to get the most benefits?
Well, eating fruits before meals can be greatly beneficial, especially if you are looking to lose weight.
Let’s look into some of the benefits of eating fruits before meals.
Benefits of Eating Fruits Before Meals
1. Aids weight loss
Do you want to lose weight fast? Eating fruits before meals can help you drop pounds since it prevents overeating.
In fact, eating fruits before meals is one of the strategies you can use to lose up to 50 pounds in 2 months.
Fruits contain fiber and they are low in calories. Therefore, eating one or two fruits before every meal will increase your fullness.
In a 2013 study, researchers divided the participants into two groups. One group ate fruit before meals while the other ate an oat cookie before meals. Both groups were on a low-calorie diet.
After 12 weeks, the fruit group lost 1.2kg (2.6 lbs.), while the oats group had a non-significant weight loss.
The researchers also observed a greater decrease in blood glucose in the fruit group compared the oat cookies group.
This is something anyone can do. Start eating apples, bananas, watermelon and so on before meals if you want to lose weight.
2. Increases Vitamins and Minerals Intake
Fruits and vegetables are the body’s primary source of vitamins and minerals.
Bananas are rich in potassium and vitamin B6. Citrus fruits such as orange, lime, and lemon are densely packed with vitamin C.
Also, you can get vitamin A from fruits such as mango, guava, and apricot.
Any nutritional deficiency you may have can be fixed by increasing your fruit intake.
Other than strengthening your immune system, getting enough vitamins and minerals may help manage your stress.
3. Helps Increase Daily Fiber Intake
Most people don’t eat as much fiber as they should. The average American adult consumes 15 grams of fiber per day.
The recommended daily intake is 25 and 30 grams, for women and men respectively.
Eating enough fiber promotes digestion, improves cardiovascular health, prevents overeating.
Eating fruits before meals will increase your daily fiber intake. Fruits such as pears and avocado have very high fiber content.
However, fruits may not give you all the fiber you need in a day. That’s why you need to increase your intake of legumes, veggies, whole grains, and fiber supplements.
4. Increases Satiety
You can increase your satiety by eating fruits before meals. Thanks to the high fiber content of fruits.
This can be extremely beneficial to people who struggle with compulsive snacking. Staying full can reduce chances of eating unhealthy snacks that spike blood sugar and eventually cause weight gain.
Fiber helps stabilize blood sugar levels and ensures a steady supply of energy for longer.
5. Increases Antioxidants Supply
As you may know, fruits are packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals that help boost the immune system.
Antioxidants are potent compounds that occur naturally in plants.
These compounds help to combat free radicals, which are known to cause cellular damage that can lead to heart disease, cancer, and other degenerative diseases.
It is worth noting that more colorful fruits have higher amounts of antioxidants.
Now that you know the benefits of eating fruits before meals, here is what you should know about eating fruits after meals.
Eating fruits after meals
There is one main benefit of eating fruits after meals.
Fruits can stop you from overindulging in high-calorie desserts.
If your dessert often comes with a lot of sugar, fruits can be a healthy alternative to the excess sugar at the end of your meals.
By substituting sugary foods for fruits after your meals, you can increase your fiber and nutrients intake while avoiding the excess calories in desserts.
Several studies have linked higher consumption of fruits to weight loss and better health.
However, there are no studies linking eating fruits after meals to any digestive disorders or health problems.
With that said, eating fruits before meals is the best option for those looking to lose weight. It will allow you to stay full without consuming excess calories.
Eat one or two fruits 5 to 10 minutes before every main meal. And I’m talking about real fruit, not fruit juice. Fruit juice can actually increase your hunger since it contains lots of sugar and no fiber.
Eating fruits before meals is just one of the many strategies you can use to lose belly fat. If you follow this program, you will learn many other easy and effective fat loss strategies.
You will even discover the 5 vegetables that destroy belly fat.
Do you know other benefits of eating fruits before meals?
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