There is no particular food or food combination known to cause an excess weight gain or weight loss. What causes weight gain is an excessive consumption of calories and lack of physical activity.
Fruit provides the same amount of energy, regardless of when it is eaten. However, if it is eaten before a meal, it will satiate us and this could lead us to reduce our food intake.
We suggest eating fruit for dessert, since it is the best way to finish a meal, providing us with natural vitamins while finishing the meal with a sweet treat containing few calories. Eating fruit after main meals is only advisable for people with fructose intolerance or with serious flatulence problems.
Regarding the myth according to which eating fruit after a meal makes you gain weight, those who support it have spread the belief that fruit ferments in the stomach and ends up turning into sugar that is stored by our body as fat. Therefore, fermentation multiplies the calorie content of the fruit.
There is no scientific basis for this belief, given that fruit has the same amount of calories whenever we eat it, before, during or after a meal. In addition, fruit has a satiating effect. Due to the fact that it contains high doses of fibre, it gives the stomach a feeling of satiety much sooner, which avoids us over-eating other things. Therefore, fruit may be the ideal end to a meal, as if you feel hungry, you can satiate yourself by having a piece of fruit. The one thing we must remember is how many calories each type of fruit provides, since each one has different levels of calories. The lower calorie option is a good alternative to avoid gaining weight.
To sum up, although this myth has spread like wildfire, it is just not true. In fact, choosing to eat a piece of fruit after a meal or before going to bed is one of the best options. Regardless of what time you eat it, the calories it provides will always be the same!
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