All of us know that eating green veggies and fruits is an important part of daily healthy living. In fact, there are many nutritionists who recommend having fruits and veggies in a proportion of 5:7. For including 5 fruits, we generally toss all of them together in a plate and think our job is done for the day.
Not only for this reason, many people prefer fruit salad, believing that having a mix of fruits as fruit salad would provide them get more nutrients.
Most of us think that eating a mixed fruit bowl full of colourful fruits is a healthy option. A colourful salad bowl does not look attractive but is rich in vital micronutrients.
But, is that the reality?
Read on and find out which is healthier- A whole fruit or a fruit salad.
What happens to your body when you eat a mixed fruit bowl?
When you eat different kinds of fruits together, your body goes into a condition where it must deal with a lot of nutrients at a time, which most of us think is good but, it is not. Feeding your body with several nutrients at a time only makes the body confused. Our body has the capacity to absorb a certain amount of nutrients at a time, which means that the rest of the nutrients gets wasted.
Therefore, it is always better to have a whole fruit which is cut freshly and not kept out for long after being cut or peeled.
Make sure you eat fruits right after you cut them. According to doctors, we must eat fruits like apple, pear, plums with their skin.
Oxidation of fruits
Oxidation is the natural chemical procedure that harms the essential nutrients present in the fruits. You must have noticed an apple turning brown after it is cut and kept out for long in the air. This is due to oxidation. The process starts as soon as the fruit is peeled and cut.
The process takes place because when the fruit is cut, the cell membrane present in it gets ruptured and the oxygen gets into it. And water, heat, and oxidation are the three main enemies of vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins A, C, and E are prone to oxidation and gets lost within a short span of time. The longer a fruit is exposed to light and air, the lesser vitamins it will have. Nutrients including carotenoids, vitamins, fibre, and flavonoids are more concentrated in the skin compared to the inside part of the fruit. Therefore, simply peeling and cutting veggies and fruits can get rid of huge amounts and lessen the levels of essential nutrients.
If you want to get maximum nutrients from fruits that you consume then, always buy whole fruits, wash, peel, and then eat.
Nutrients are always naturally protected in plant tissue. Chopping, blending or making fruit juices results in destroying this protection, increases the exposure to oxygen and at the same time releases enzymes that catalyze their degradation.
An important thing to keep in mind
The longer fruits are exposed to air and light, the more minerals and vitamins it loses. Make sure you store the fruits bought from the market away from direct sunlight. If possible, try to store in a cool and dry place.
Also, do not peel the skin of the fruits and never cut the fruits into small pieces.