Eat Right: Are you giving your child fruits incorrectly? Mistakes to avoid

We all know that eating fruits is good for our health. With summers here, there are so many fruits to relish. From mangoes to litchis to watermelon to musk melon to cherries; the list is endless. Children love to eat fruits now that they are on a summer break. Fruits are good for growing children since they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals that can help in proper growth of the child. Unfortunately, not all of us know how to eat the fruits in the right way or at what time.

The best time to eat fruits can vary depending on individual preferences, dietary needs, and overall health. But eating fruits in the morning can be beneficial as they provide a natural energy boost due to their high sugar content. They are also a good source of fibre, which aids digestion and can help prevent constipation throughout the day.

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“Eating fruits in the form of juices, milkshake or dessert after meals doesn’t give children and adults maximum benefit. If you want to derive maximum benefits from fruits then these should be eaten at different times of the day in its original form”

–Charvi Virmani, Nutritionist & Alumna of Apeejay School Faridabad in Sector 15

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Charvi Virmani, a nutritionist and alumna of Apeejay School Faridabad in Sector 15 and Apeejay Svran Global School, Sector 21-D, who has an Instagram page ‘eatwithoutguiltbycharvi’ the best time to eat fruits is when your child is hungry other than the main meals.

“This is the best time when the vitamins and minerals and other beneficial compounds enter the body. It helps the body in weight loss and detoxification,” Virmani said.

Other times to eat fruits

Pre-workout: Consuming fruits before a workout can provide a quick source of carbohydrates for energy. They are easily digestible and can help fuel your exercise session.

Between meals: Having fruits as a snack between meals can help curb hunger pangs and provide essential nutrients while keeping your calorie intake in check. It can also be a healthier alternative to processed snacks.

Not immediately after meals: It is generally advisable to avoid consuming fruits immediately after a meal, especially a heavy one. Fruits tend to digest quickly, and eating them right after a meal can cause bloating and digestive discomfort for some children. Wait for about 30 minutes to an hour after a meal before you give your child fruits.

However, Virmani said that many of us consume our fruits in weird ways like giving juices, late night snacking, as desserts with main meals, and milkshakes. “Eating fruits in these forms doesn’t give children and adults alike maximum benefit,” Virmani opined and added that if you want to derive maximum benefits from fruits then these should be eaten at different times of the day in its original form.

Mistakes to avoid

Milkshakes: Hot favourite with kids. Milk and fruits have different nutrient compositions; the time needed for their digestion is also different. Fruits get digested faster as compared with milk. When we mix the two, in a way we are allowing the fruit sugar to ferment in the gut leading to bloating and other gut health issues.

As a dessert with main meals: A popular dessert during summers is fruit cream or fruit salad. Fruits should not be eaten as dessert with the main meal, adding fruits to your meals will only top it up with more sugar and will convert it into fat faster. Enjoy your dessert a bit later – 30 minutes.

Late night snacking on fruit: Fruits are healthy but remember they have sugar. Having fruits as late snacks is not as healthy since we will not be doing any physical activity. At night, the body needs to focus on rest and repair and not digest the fruit consumed.

“Also, the sugar in fruit will be stored in the body as fat. So, if you are giving your child fruit as a late night snack, stop doing this and see your body becomes healthy,” Virmani shared.

No juice: There are several reasons why giving your child fruit juice even if made at home is not healthy. First, drinking fruit juices can replace the consumption of other beneficial liquids like water. Second, there is more sugar and calories in fruit juices that can lead to inappropriate weight gain in kids.

“Therefore, eating whole fruits is much better as whole fruits provide fibre by the way of its skin and pulp. Giving juice to your child will remove the much-needed fibre by the body,” Virmani said in conclusion.