The Right Way to Eat Fruits
You love your bowl of strawberries and yogurt after dinner or prefer your melon wrapped in ham. But can you really have fruit any way you want to?
Is it enough to eat them frequently, or is there a right way to eat fruits? Is it okay to eat fruits as dessert right after a meal?
When should I eat fruits? The best time to eat fruits is first thing in the morning after a glass of water. Eating fruits right after a meal is not a great idea, as it may not be digested properly. The nutrients may not be absorbed properly either.
You need to leave a gap of at least 30 minutes between a meal and a fruit snack. Ideally, one should eat fruits an hour before the meal or two hours after, if they have diabetes or any other digestive problem like acidity. This is because, sometimes, diabetes is accompanied by digestive problems.
Can I mix fruits with other foods? You can mix fruit with yogurt or salt as long as you do not have any digestive problems like indigestion or acidity. You can also mix fruits like pineapple, oranges, melons or pomegranate with salads if you like. There is no harm in mixing berries and dry fruits with cereals either.
Shelf-life of common fruits
| Food | Shelf life in cupboard | Shelf life in fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Apples | 4 days | 1 month |
| Avocadoes | 3 days | 3 days |
| Bananas | 7 days if green, 2-4 days if ripe | Do not refrigerate as they will turn black in the cold |
| Berries | 2-3 days | |
| Citrus | 1-2 weeks | 2 weeks + |
| Grapes | 3-5 days | |
| Kiwi fruit | 2-3 days to ripen | 1 week once ripe |
| Melons | 1 week | |
| Peaches | 1 day to ripen | 3 days once ripe |
| Pears | 2 days to ripen | 2 weeks once ripe |
| Pineapple | 2 days (whole pineapple) | 1 week once cut |
| Strawberries | 3 days if covered and isolated from other foods | |
| Watermelon | 2-3 days | 6-8 days |
Most other ripe fruits have a shelf life of up to three days if stored in the refrigerator. Here are more tips on the right way to store fruits and vegetables.
