The Feast of Firstborns – The Feast of Fruits!
Let's have a healthy vacation
Shavuot is coming and most of us have thoughts and recipes running through our heads about preparing dairy meals and cheese cakes.
There are several reasons in the sources for eating dairy products on Shabbat, but let’s not forget that Shavuot is also the festival of firstfruits – on Shavuot it was customary to present the first fruits of the seven species to the priests in Jerusalem in the period between Shavuot (harvest) and Sukkot (gathering).
So for health reasons this time we will refer to the holiday of Shavuot as the holiday of fruits! And this is a great opportunity to celebrate nature’s delicacies that are so healthy, delicious and nutritious and to recognize their health benefits.
What are the health benefits of the fresh fruits?
Many studies support the fact that fruits are very important for our health in daily consumption. They are associated with the prevention of a series of common diseases including cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, stroke, types of cancer, aging processes, inflammatory diseases and more
What makes them so healthy is the fact that they are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and antioxidants.
Everything – in moderation
The fruits contain a relatively high amount of sugar, the average amount of fruit sugar (fructose) in a medium fruit is about 2 teaspoons and in a larger fruit the amount of sugar can reach about 4 teaspoons.
Although the fruits contain a lot of essential nutrients, one should always remember the high amount of sugar and limit their consumption. Consuming a high amount of fructose (fruit sugar) will cause an increase in triglycerides (blood fats) and these, when they are at a high level in the blood, will cause the development of cardiovascular diseases.
It is also important to know that the presence of dietary fiber in the fruit contributes to a more moderate rise and assimilation of the blood sugar levels, therefore squeezed fruit juices (without the fiber) are less healthy, what is more, a large amount of fruit is required to prepare one glass of drink.
If so, how much fresh fruit is recommended to eat a day?
According to the fact that the fruits are very healthy on the one hand but contain a high amount of sugar (fructose) on the other hand, there is a recommendation to limit the consumption to about 3 fruits per day for a healthy person.
For those suffering from metabolic problems such as diabetes, high triglycerides, fatty liver and overweight – it is important to consult a nutritionist to adjust the amount of fruit consumption and their types individually.
How and when is it recommended to consume fresh fruit?
In order to enjoy all their nutritional benefits and proper and effective digestion, it is important to know a number of rules that should be followed when eating fruit:
- On an empty stomach – eating fruit when the stomach is empty from other food is the correct eating. Digestion will be optimal and easy and the absorption of the nutrients in the fruit will also be excellent. In this way, acidity in the stomach and a feeling of discomfort in the digestive system, such as swelling for example, will be avoided. Hence, it is recommended to eat fruit for breakfast or as an early dinner. Digestion time of most fruits is about half an hour.
- Correct combination – sweet fruits and sour fruits do not digest well together due to the difference in the concentration of sugar in each fruit. This combination creates fermentation and acidity in the digestive system which causes a feeling of discomfort, heartburn and swelling. Example of sweet fruits – banana, fig, persimmon, date… pickles – citrus fruits, pineapple, kiwi, strawberry… watermelon and melon, because of their very high liquid content, it is recommended to eat each one separately. A fruit with such a high water content needs specific and adapted digestion.
Fruits go great with green leaves like lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, kale and more. This combination will lower the glycemic value of the fruit and cause a more moderate increase in blood sugar – even for diabetics. It is recommended to combine in salads and green smoothies.
- Ripe and seasonal fruits – ripe fruit in its season is the best quality fruit. It is picked at the time when it should be ripe and without the artificial intervention of curing, cooling, dong coatings and the like, a ripe fruit in its season contains all its essential nutrients, it is nutritious, tasty and digestible.
- Clean fruits – it is important to make sure to wash the fruits well before eating them and even consume organic fruits if possible, so that we can also enjoy the skin of the fruits, which is also rich in important nutrients and dietary fiber, and avoid putting spraying and pesticide substances into the body that could endanger our health.
So now that you know how much, how and how to eat fruits, incorporate them into your daily menu and celebrate their nutritional value and wonderful taste for optimal natural health!
Fruity and happy debutante holiday!
