SUGAR – pre workout meal/breakfast – Part II
Watermelon – 90% water, Glucose & fructose content is almost similar, Overall fructose is much less than most fruits, Vitamins & minerals, an antioxidant
When we are served breakfast in hotels; I see watermelon/juice is constant regardless of what we have in breakfast. Having seen so many teams/players, coaches across age groups, and other staff; I can say that none appreciate the value of this wonderful fruit. It is excess to most and doesn’t solve any purpose.
Why and how?
Because most of them are consuming it with their regular breakfast. When we do that…all we end up doing is perhaps adding calories to our breakfast. We do not treat it as food. We consider as a drink and it can be fatal (calorie wise) in a meal. Remember, extra stored as fat, and most items in a fruit are extra if you are having it with a meal.
Whereas, on the contrary, if consumed as a standalone meal (just like sugarcane juice), not only this could have several health benefits; but it also becomes a wholesome breakast/pre-workout/snack.
Note – our metabolic machinery do not understand what you are eating. It will treat every food as glucose, protein, fat, or say fructose (mainly in liver). Vitamins and minerals are squeezed and consumed if body needs it. A few vitamins & minerals can be stored for long and some are for instant use and therefore, we are never in constant need of these as we get most from our regular food.
Therefore, when we look at a meal, we should always look at it in totality. Fruits are excellent food source but only when consumed in isolation. When we mix it with our meal then, more or less, a fruit is just added calories with no benefits.
Learning: Have a breakfast of your favorite fruit but do not have have anything else with it if you wish to seek maximum benefits from it while relishing on its taste. Keep changing your fruit – v important again as different fruits are strong at diff vitamins & minerals. Rest are just calories and it doesn’t matter how you taking those.
Imp – you must also pay attention to your metabolism. You must always feel light and filled at the same time which proves that you are not only ingesting it but also digesting it well. You are not losing out on much if your genetics do not support fruits. Its ok.
Fruit in breakfast or as a snack?
To me it is always best as breakfast because of our fasted state. We are in need of energy first thing in the morning and if we can utilize every iota of a fruit’s energy thereby absorbing maximum nutrients.
Whereas, as a snack it may not be so! We often forget that we are never empty stomach during the day. We don’t take into account tea/coffee/small bites that are regular in our routine and therefore, most of us are never empty stomach. However, snack post 3/4 hours of lunch, would be the second best time to have a fruit in my opinion
My pre-work & breakfast for today:
Umesh Chhikara 