Poland is the largest apple producer in Europe and the fourth largest in the world. In our country, more than 70 varieties of apple trees. During the season at the stand, we can choose sweet and crispy, sour and hard or hard and sweet varieties, depending on preferences and personal tastes. It is difficult not to take advantage of such native wealth.
The easy availability of apples in Poland is not the only argument for introducing them into the diet. These fruits are rich in vitamins C, E and B, and also contain calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and fiber. and a large amount of antioxidants from the polyphenol group.
Apples are worth including in your diet, but when should you eat apples – in the morning or in the evening? For a healthier person, the time of eating apples does not matter. One serving of these fruits, i.e. one small apple, can bring great health benefits. These fruits are low in calories and have a low glycemic index, so they will not cause a calorie surplus in your overall diet. They can also be consumed by people on reduction diet.
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Apples eaten in the morning will give you an energy boost and, thanks to the fiber, they will keep you feeling full for longer. When eaten during the day, they will satisfy your hunger and become a healthier alternative to sweet or salty snacks.
Fruit eaten in the evening will also enrich the diet with valuable nutrients. Contrary to popular myths, they will not make it difficult to fall asleep or accumulate fat. Therefore, you can eat them before going to bed as part of dinner, e.g. a salad with arugula, cheese and nuts.
The situation is slightly different in the diet of people with intestinal diseases or diabetes. People with diabetes should be careful about all fruits in their diet, including apples, and avoid those with high sugar content. Their participation in meals should be consulted with a dietitian.
People with intestinal diseases should watch out for the fiber content in apples. Their large amounts in the diet may cause bloating and gas. For this reason, eating apples at night may not be the best option.
Anyone who cares about their health should include apples in their diet. Vulnerable people can especially benefit from this with type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol.
Chinese scientists in a broader meta-analysis showed that 5 servings of apples and pears a week can reduce the risk of diabetes by up to 19%.. This is due to the large amount of polyphenols these fruits provide. Antioxidants calm down inflammation, which is the cause of many chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes.
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The research by Dange and Deshpande showed that already One apple a week can effectively lower LDL cholesterol in the blood. Thus, the consumption of these fruits reduces the risk of many cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis. This property is due to the high content of pectin, i.e. soluble fiber, which also contributes to lower blood sugar.
Some ready-made weight loss diets, including the seventeen-day diet once popular in the United States, she did not recommend consuming it in the afternoon because the body would not have time to stabilize the blood sugar level before going to bed. Carbohydrate tolerance does fluctuate somewhat throughout the day, but these differences are insignificant and the consumption of any type of carbohydrate will cause an increase in blood sugar. According to the National Center for Nutrition Education: “However, there is no scientific evidence that eating fruit in the afternoon will cause a greater increase in blood sugar levels compared to other times of the day.” Therefore, the time of eating fruit does not matter for health.
The World Health Organization recommends eating at least five portions of vegetables and fruit. However, many dietitians emphasize that there should be more vegetables in the diet than fruit due to the smaller amount of sugars they contain.
Fruits have different sugar content, which affects their glycemic index and calorie count. The most caloric are bananas, which are an ideal snack giving a quick energy boost, or avocados. In turn, berries and citrus fruits have a low sugar content and glycemic index. Their presence in the meal will not increase the caloric balance too much.
Healthy people can include fruit in every meal, both breakfast and dinner. The time of day they are consumed is irrelevant from the point of view of health benefits. The situation is slightly different for people with diabetes. In this case the amount and type of fruit should be agreed with a dietitian.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl, National Center for Nutrition Education
