Why fruits should not be eaten with meals, explains an Ayurveda expert

Many people love to add fruits to their salads and have them along with their meals, while some prefer to enjoy them in their desserts post meal.

As per Ayurveda, having fruits with or after food must be avoided as it may lead to toxic formation. It’s always a good idea to eat fruits alone and not with or after meals.

As per the ancient medicine practice, fresh fruits which are easier to digest than other foods which are part of our meal, could create toxins if they stay in our system for a longer time than required.

“From an Ayurvedic perspective, fresh fruit is considered very light and easy to digest – comparatively lighter than other foods. When it is eaten with (or after) heavier foods, it stays in the stomach for as long as the heaviest food takes to digest. As a result, it generally stays in the stomach for too long, is “overcooked” by our digestive juices and begins to ferment (think a bucket of ripe fruit sitting in the sun),” explains Dr Dixa Bhavsar, Ayurveda expert.

This leads to creation of food toxin which could lead to digestive trouble.

“In Ayurveda, this resultant over-cooked, fermented mess is referred to as “Ama” or improperly digested food toxins. This damp, acidic waste accumulates in our digestive tract where it can affect our digestion – hampering the excretion of our digestive juices, the absorption of nutrients and potentially contributing to indigestion, food sensitivities and gut inflammation,” says Dr Bhavsar.

The Ayurveda expert says the best time to have fruits is one hour before or two hours after meal. “Fruits are best enjoyed as breakfast (if you have good digestion) or as a snack on its own (not mixed with anything),” she says.

Also while Ayurveda doesn’t recommend mixing fruits with milk, ripe mango and avocado may be combined with milk. Bananas and all kinds of berries should not be eaten with milk, says Dr Bhavsar.