From canola oil being “toxic” to nightshades and dairy being inflammation-boosting foods, countless health myths are swirling around on social media. (To be clear, all of those foods are perfectly healthy in moderation as long as you’re not allergic to them.)
Another health rumor that has picked up speed is that you should only eat fruit on an empty stomach. Many influencers have promoted the concepts of food combining and eating order, leaving people confused about whether this is true or not.
Read on as dietitians help us clear things up before anyone else is brought to tears over tangerines (or apples, bananas, berries or any of your favorite fruits).
Related: 8 Scary Things That Could Happen to Your Body When You Skip Meals
Should You Eat Fruit on an Empty Stomach?
Let’s start by addressing where the confusion around this subject may have arisen even before the rumor mill started swirling on social media.
A September 2020 review in the journal Nutrientsfor one, brought up the topic of “meal sequencing,” which explores how the order in which you consume protein, fat, fiber and carbohydrate foods affects hormones and blood sugars after consumption. While many more scientific deep-dives are needed, the preliminary results hint that people with diabetes might notice a steadier blood glucose response after a meal if they consume protein-, fat- and fiber-based foods before carbohydrates.
While this was true in a lab, these findings don’t always hold up IRL, clarifies Lauren Manaker M.S., RD, LD, a registered dietitian and owner of Nutrition Now Counseling in Charleston, South Carolina Manaker.
Manaker mentions that for most people with diabetes, she actually recommends they eat fruits and other carbs after veggies, protein and fat to support blood glucose control. “However, I don’t make this a hard-and-fast rule, as there are other aspects of a person’s diet that are far more important to focus on when supporting healthy blood sugars versus the order of food we are eating, like making sure carbs aren’t eaten without additional protein or fat,” she adds.
In other words, individual results vary, so it’s too soon to say whether meal sequencing regarding fruit really makes an impact.
A 2019 study in Nutrients suggested that starting meals with foods rich in fiber and water instead of protein or carb-only foods might help increase feelings of satisfaction. All fruits deliver a dose of both of those satiety-supporting all-star qualities: fiber and water. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that you must isolate those factors to feel full. Besides, fruits aren’t the only foods containing satisfying nutrients.
Keeping in mind that not all individuals have been diagnosed with diabetes, and considering that the scientific jury is still out about so many aspects of this issue, Elizabeth Shaw, M.S., RDN, CPT, a registered dietitian nutritionist, founder of Shaw Simple Swaps and the author of the Air Fryer Cookbook for Dummies suggests eating any member of this food group as you personally enjoy it with your meal. Feel free to fruit it up at any stage of your meal or snack rather than stressing out about the specifics of what order to eat each ingredient in. “For the average healthy individual without any specific medical conditions, the order in which food is consumed does not affect the way in which the nutrients are absorbed,” Shaw says. “Fruit provides important nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, that you need to function at your prime,” Shaw adds.
You’ll actually accrue even more wellness gains if you pair wisely. For example, fruits, such as cantaloupe, mango and apricots, all contain fat-soluble vitamins that need to be consumed with a fat source to reap the full health benefits these nutrients provide, Shaw explains. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble. Any fruit containing any of those micronutrients would be best consumed alongside, say, a handful of nuts or as part of a smoothie made with avocado.
This menu permission is especially refreshing considering the fact that many often consume fruit as part of a mash-up meal or snack, like a smoothie bowl, fish with fruit salsa, overnight oats or “nice” cream. You can’t exactly sort out the fruit from the other ingredients in those nutritious options.
Related: The #1 Fruit for Lowering Blood Pressure, According to a Dietitian
How to Eat More Fruit, According to Dietitians
This fruit-first flurry is burying what is a bigger issue, Manaker says. According to the data from the CDConly 12% of American adults consume their recommended quantity of fruit per day. (As a refresher, males should aim for 2 cups, and females should shoot for 1 ½ cups each day.) Nit-picking about when to eat fruit only makes it harder to meet that mark.
“As a general rule, I try to avoid implementing any rules that make it harder or more stressful for people to eat fruit, as most of us are not eating enough of this food group already. Eating fruit as a part of a meal is better than no fruit at all,” Manaker says. “I am thrilled when people eat fruit, no matter what the time of the day is,” empty stomach or not.
Sprinkle in fruit—fresh, frozen, canned or dried—into your meal plan throughout the day and all year to amp up your intake of fiber, vitamins and minerals.“While the portion size will vary depending on what fruit you’re enjoying, a standard serving is roughly 1 cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruit and ¼ cup of dried fruit. When opting for canned or dried, search for options that do not contain added sugars so you are simply enjoying all the nutrition for the fruit itself, and the natural sugars they contain, rather than added sugars incorporated during processing,” Shaw says.
Related: Here’s Why You Should Eat Fruit Even Though It Contains Sugar
EatingWell dietitians verify that one of the easiest ways to eat more fruit is to sip on more smoothies. Keeping fruit on a counter you pass frequently or in your line of sight in the fridge can also make it easy to sneak in an extra serving or two.
No matter how you choose to get your fill of fruit, Shaw advises clients to consume their produce with protein and fat to help them feel fuller for longer. For her, this often looks like a banana with peanut butter or a slice of sourdough topped with mashed avocado and hemp seeds.
The Bottom Line
So, should you eat fruit on an empty stomach? No need to stress about it.
“I love it when a solid, evidence-based nutrition trend floats around on social media; this, unfortunately, is not one of them,” Shaw summarizes.
Get your fill of fruit—ideally, 1 ½ to 2 cups per day—at any point of the day you like. Making sure you consume enough fiber, vitamins and minerals is much more important than worrying about when to eat it. Score some inspiration to sweeten the deal with a delicious and fruity nice cream.