Fruit can play a great role in helping you to maintain your health. Fruits, in general, help to detoxify the body, are useful in the process of weight loss, and they can supply you with a great deal of energy. However there is an optimum way of eating fruits which many people are not aware of, and because of this they may not get all the possible benefits of fruit eating.

According to most experts of naturopathy, fruits should be eaten on an empty stomach and not at the end of the meal as is the custom in many places where fruits are eaten as a dessert. Suppose you eat two slices of bread and then a piece of fruit. The piece of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach and into the intestines, but is prevented from doing so, by the slower-digesting bread which has preceded it.

The food eaten before the fruit may ferment in the stomach and turn to acid when it combines with the fruit, so it is better to eat the fruits on an empty stomach or before the main meal. You may have heard people complaining about burping when eating a watermelon, or having to run to the toilet when eating oranges. This is caused by fruit mixing with undigested food of the main meal, producing gas, bloating and other unpleasant effects.

Another important thing to consider is that fruits which are commonly thought to be acidic, such as lemons or oranges, are actually alkaline when they are digested in the body. In other words, for most people these fruits are relatively easy to digest, and so the stomach produces only a small amount of hydrochloric and other acids to digest them. Thus, inside the body such food produces less acid, and is therefore called alkaline. The exception to this may arise in the case of those with hyperacidity or ulcer. If on an empty stomach when eating these fruits some pain results, then we have a case of hyperacidity. Temporarily the quantity or concentration or intensity of such very cleansing fruits should be minimized while the individual is slowly healing him/herself in other ways.

If you master the correct way of eating fruit you may even be able to avoid graying hair, balding, nervous outbreaks and dark circles under the eyes. Mastery of the correct way of eating fruit is a secret of beauty, longevity, health, happiness and weight control.

There is also a correct way of drinking fruit juice. Of course drinking fresh fruit juice is better than drinking processed fruit juices in cans. Such processed juices have usually been cooked in order to preserve them. Cooking fruit destroys vitamins and you will not get all the nutrients.

When you drink juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful, slowly. This will let the juice mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You may even consume your juice spoon by spoon to ensure you will properly assimilate it. For the same reason and for other good reasons, it is important to chew your solid food until it liquefies. Accordingly you may remember to “Eat your fluids and drink your solids.”

Eating and drinking fruits properly can be the basis of a three day fruit fast which will help you to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the three days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look.

Before I finish this article here are some facts about common fruits:

Kiwi fruit: They are tiny but mighty, as they are a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and fiber. In addition, the kiwi fruit has twice the vitamin C content as an orange.

Apples: It is said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. The apple may have a low vitamin C content, but it has antioxidants and flavonoids which enhance the activity of vitamin C in the body and helps to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack and stroke.

Strawberries: This is a protective fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits and protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging “free radicals.”

Oranges: They are the “sweetest medicine.” By taking two to four oranges a day you may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent and dissolve kidney stones, as well as lessen the risk of colon cancer.

This gives you an idea of how fruits, when properly eaten, can help you to maintain and improve your health. So the next time you bite into a fruit, do your best to get the most out of it.

Author Bio: Dada Dharmavedananda has been teaching yoga and natural therapy for 40 years in over 50 countries. He is the founder of the Ananda Marga Wellness Center, which offers comprehensive in-patient naturopathic treatment to overcome all sorts of chronic conditions. Located in Cebu, Philippines. Call: +63(32)2364797. Mobile: +63(949)6722950. Website www.AMwellness.org

Category: Advice
Keywords: fruit eating, naturopathy, natural therapy, detox diet