This is why you should never eat fruits for dessert

If you think you’re opting for the healthy option by choosing fruits over a chewy chocolate cake for dessert, think again! It might not be such a good idea to have fruits for dessert.

This is why you should never eat fruits for dessert
© Getty Images
This is why you should never eat fruits for dessert

We already know all the secrets to healthy eating: eating small portions, slowly, at fixed times and avoiding heavy meals at night. Well, turns out there’s one more well-kept secret. Eating fruits for dessert isn’t actually good for us.

Discover our latest podcast

Having fruits for dessert can upset digestion

Five fruits a day. We’ve all heard it countless times. But do you know when you should be eating these five fruits? Should you eat your fruit at the wrong time, like for dessert for example, it could actually do more harm than good. Having fruits for dessert could disturb, and ultimately slow down your digestion.

We tend to digest fruits relatively quickly, but when we eat fruits after a big meal, it will cause a ‘traffic-jam’ in your intestines. Your body will be focused on digesting the main meal and leave the fruits for later. The fructose found in fruits, AKA fruit sugar, won’t break down as quickly as it should and will cause stomach pains and bloating.

When should you be eating fruits?

It’s best to eat fruits outside of meal times. This way, it will be easier to digest. It is recommended to eat fruits one to two hours before a meal or three to four hours after. It is also recommended to eat a fruit in the morning for breakfast, on an empty stomach.

If you are set on eating a fruit for dessert, have cooked fruits. When you cook a fruit, the fibres are better assimilated by your body and sensitive stomachs will tolerate it better.

Check out the video above to see how many calories there are in each fruit.

Are you over-eating or binge-eating? The difference is key for sound mental health Are you over-eating or binge-eating? The difference is key for sound mental health