Is It Harmful Or Safe To Eat Fruits With Your Daily Meals?

Both food and fruits are essential for the body. In today's changing lifestyle, serving fruits alongside meals at weddings, parties and hotels has become a common practice. Whether children or adults, many people consume fruits with their meals without giving it a second thought—a practice that Ayurveda does not endorse.

From wedding functions to hotel dining, fruits are frequently served alongside meals, and people of all ages do not hesitate to consume them together. But is it truly advisable to eat both food and fruits simultaneously?

Also read: Is Your Papaya Sweet? Here's How You Can Know Without Tasting It

Fruits served at hotels or functions are often chilled. In many cases, they have been retrieved directly from cold storage. Such fruits tend to dampen the Agni (digestive fire), causing the food to ferment within the stomach.

Also read: Know About Water Stacking, The Ultimate Hydration Hack This Summer

Should fruits be eaten with meals?

According to Ayurveda, cooked foods like lentils, flatbreads and rice take a relatively longer time to digest. In contrast, fruits are soft in texture and possess varying inherent properties. They also require significantly less time to digest compared to cooked meals. When these two distinct types of foods are consumed together, they fail to digest properly and instead begin to ferment. As a result, the body is unable to derive full nutritional benefits from either. This leads to an increased incidence of issues such as gas, constipation, a sensation of heaviness, acidity and the accumulation of toxins within the body, ultimately rendering the body susceptible to various ailments.

The body can derive the full nutritional value from both fruits and regular meals only when they are consumed at separate times. Both fruits and cooked meals constitute distinct forms of sustenance. Therefore, it is best to consume them independently of one another. Ayurveda views food not merely as a source of taste, but as a science in which three factors—timing, quantity and combination—hold equal significance.

What is the right time to eat fruits?

The morning and evening hours are considered ideal for consuming fruits. You may even choose to eat fruits on an empty stomach in the morning. However, it is advisable to avoid citrus or acidic fruits during the morning hours, as they can exacerbate issues related to gas and acidity.