We know that fruits are excellent for health and that they should be part of our daily diet. However, we have long heard that they should be avoided at the end of the meal. In question, their fructose content is accused of disrupting digestion by promoting bloating and gas. True or false ? We asked the question to Dr Alexandra Dalu, nutritionist.
Rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber, fruits are full of nutritional benefits that we would be wrong to deprive ourselves of, especially at the end of the meal, according to this specialist. Especially since the harm of fructose on digestion would be unlikely because the acidic pH of the stomach prevents fermentation. For Alexandra Dalu, eating fruit at the end of a meal is therefore not a bad idea if you consume whole fruit and not in the form of compotes or juice (to preserve the fiber). In general, the nutritionist explains that it is possible to eat fruit at any meal of the day, as long as it is combined with a fat, fiber or protein to avoid a blood sugar spike. . “Eating a fruit outside of meals, whether whole, in juice or compote, amounts to eating sugar alone. However, sugar means an increase in the blood sugar peak with an increased risk of developing a caloric overload and long term, overweight”she informs.
The golden rule is to never eat sugar alone. “For example, when you eat a piece of cake, combining it with your meal or as a snack with a handful of oilseeds helps delay the effect of the glycemic peak. The same goes for a smoothie, it is necessary to add a fatty substance such as a piece of avocado, coconut, a few almonds, or a fatty protein such as yogurt to avoid an infusion of glucose into the blood.”explains the specialist.
At lunch time, it could be melon as a starter, apples or tomatoes in the salad or even a fresh squeezed fruit juice that you drink during the meal. “Thus, sugar is found in the food bowl with proteins, fat and fiber, which will slow its assimilation and thus prevent the occurrence of a blood sugar peak and promote satiety”, continues Dr Alexandra Dalu. A tip which also allows you to avoid weight gain since sugar is an ingredient very quickly assimilated by the body when it is consumed alone and if it is not spent within the hours following its consumption, it will be stored under form of fat.
Thanks to Dr Alexandra Dalu, anti-aging doctor, mesotherapist, nutritionist and author of “The 100 ideas that prevent you from feeling well” published by Leducs.