We all know eating green vegetables and fruits is an essential part of everyday healthy living. In fact, many nutritionists recommend having fruits and veggies in 5:7 proportion. To include 5 fruits, we often toss all of them together in a platter and consider our job done for the day.
Not alone for this reason, many people prefer having fruit salad over whole fruit, thinking that having a fruit salad would provide them with more nutrients.
From the theory of eating colourful food, we often end up believing that having a mixed fruit bowl is the healthiest thing. A colourful salad bowl is not just appealing but is rich in essential micronutrients.
But is that really the case?
Read on to know which is healthier - fruit salad or whole fruit. Fruit What happens when you consume a mixed fruit bowl?When you consume a variety of fruits together, your body goes into the state where it has to deal with a lot of nutrients at one time, which we think is a good thing but it’s not. Feeding your body with multiple nutrients at one time only leaves it confused. Also, our body has the capacity to only absorb a limited amount at one time, which means the rest goes waste.
Thus, it is always recommended to have whole fruit which is freshly cut and not kept for long after being peeled or cut.
Dr. Priyanka Rohatgi, Nutritionist, Apollo Hospital, says eating a combination of fresh fruits is also okay. But one should prefer having whole fruits, that too as snacks in between meals.
According to her, fruits should be consumed right after they are cut. She even insists on having fruits like apple, pear and plums with their skin. Oxidation of fruitsThe natural chemical process that harms the nutrients in fruits is oxidation. Oxidation is the same process that turns an apple brown after it is cut and exposed to air. Oxidation starts as soon as a fruit is peeled and sliced.

This happens because when you cut the fruit, the cell membrane within it ruptures and allows the oxygen to go in. And heat, oxidation and water are the three major enemies of minerals and vitamins.

Bottom lineBuying whole fruits and consuming them right after peeling and cutting them is the best option to get the maximum nutrients.

TipThe longer a fruit is exposed to light and air, the more vitamins and minerals it loses. Make sure to store the market bought fruits away from direct sunlight in a cool and dry place.

Also, do not cut the fruits into very small pieces or peel the skin when it's edible.

Source: indiatimes.com