Fruit Pairing Mistakes: Why Some Fruits Shouldn’t Be Eaten Together

Fruits are generally good for the body and they provide the needed nourishment for overall well-being. However, certain combinations of fruits may cause digestive discomfort or reduced nutrient absorption for some people. While not everyone experiences these issues, you must keep in mind these fruits that shouldn’t be eaten together.

Acidic and Sweet Fruits: For instance, Oranges (acidic) and banana (sweet). This combination should be avoided because acidic fruits like oranges digest quickly, while sweet fruits take longer to digest. When combined, the faster-digesting acidic fruits might interfere with the breakdown of the slower-digesting sweet fruits. This may lead to fermentation in the stomach, which may in turn cause gas, bloating or indigestion. Generally, it is better to eat acidic and sweet fruits separately, giving each time to digest.

Watermelon with Other Fruits: For instance, you may want to combine watermelon and apples or strawberries, including other fruits in your fruit salad bowl. This is not the right way to go about it. Watermelon is over 90% of water and digests quickly. Other fruits, especially those with more fiber take longer to break down. Eating watermelon alongside these fruits might lead to delayed digestion, causing the watermelon to ferment in the stomach and lead to bloating or stomach cramps. It is best to eat watermelon on its own!

Starchy and High-Sugar Fruits: A good example is bananas with dates or raisins. Both banana and dried fruits are high in sugars and starches. Eating two starchy or high-sugar fruits together can slow down the digestive process. As a result, the longer digestion time increases the risk of fermentation in the gut, leading to bloating or discomfort.

Citrus Fruit with Diary Product: Another bad combination is mixing citrus with diary. For example, mixing orange juice with a dairy-based smoothie. The acidity in citrus can curdle diary products in the stomach. This makes the combination difficult to digest, and in some cases, it can lead to bloating, indigestion, or nausea. The acidity also interferes with the digestion of the proteins in dairy possibly leading to discomfort.

Generally, when combining fruits, you must keep in mind that different fruits have different compositions. Fruits with higher water content digest quickly, while fruits that are denser take longer time to digest. Also, the body uses different enzymes to digest different types of foods. Mixing fruits with different composition can overload the digestive system, making it harder to properly break down the nutrients.

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