The digestive system is complex and not always easy to understand. The consumption of fruit is the subject of many misconceptions, such as the fact that it creates bloating if it is eaten at the end of a meal. Is it true?
We are all the same, after a hearty meal, we always keep a little room for dessert. When you don’t want to put too much strain on your body (nor your conscience), then you opt for a fruit. It’s natural to think that it will always be healthier than having a big chocolate cake. It’s not wrong but beware of bloating! In any case, this is what we regularly hear about fruit consumption: you should wait at least one hour after the meal before eating it, at the risk of suffering from discomfort or bloating. Is this the truth or just a received idea?
Digestion is a complex process. In addition to that, it can differ from one organization to another. So what do nutritionists recommend about fruit consumption?
Eating your fruit outside meals: is this rule really to be followed?
What you need to know first is that not all foods are digested in the same way by the body. The fibers contained in fruits, for example, are called insoluble fiber : they remain in suspension in liquids and are known to have a laxative effect. Clearly, they quickly reach the large intestine and therefore the last part of the gastrointestinal tract. Waiting their turn to be digested, the fruits will therefore fermentand that would be the cause of feelings of bloating in some people.
Of course, this information concerns the majority, but again, it must be considered that each organism reacts differently. Nutritionists believe that it does not pose a major problem to eat a fruit at the end of a meal, nor to consume it a few hours later. This is what they recommend to people who would like to lose weight: thanks to their satiating effects, they allow to avoid rushing on a nutella toast or other such delicacies.