Which ripe and raw fruit nutrition is higher?

You must have one type of fruit that you like the most. Regardless of the taste, some people argue that they like certain fruits because of their nutritional content. However, the nutritional content of fruit varies depending on the size and condition, whether it is raw or ripe. So, between the two, which one is more nutritious?

Benefits of eating fruit for health

Eating fruit not only pampers your tongue with sweet and sour taste, but also provides benefits for the body. According to the United Stated Department of Agriculture, fruit is a source of many important nutrients such as vitamins, potassium, fiber and folate.

In addition, fruit contains no cholesterol and most types are low in fat, sodium and calories. All of these nutrients can reduce the risk of various diseases, such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, kidney stones, and hypertension.

In fact, its antioxidant content is proven to protect the body from cancer. That is why you need to eat fruit every day.

The nutritional content of raw and ripe fruit

The fruit you eat is the result of a plant's growth, ripening, and defense mechanisms. When the fruiting plants are pollinated, the flowers will turn into fruit.

Initially, the fruit is small and has a lighter or darker color. Over time, the fruit will increase in size and the color will become more attractive.

Fruit is not always consumed when it is ripe, some of it is often eaten raw, for example mango for salad. So, when viewed from the raw and ripe conditions, which fruit nutrition is the highest?

The different levels of ripeness make each fruit's nutritional content different. One of the most prominent is the natural sugar content.

If you eat ripe fruit, of course it will taste sweeter than raw fruit, right? Yes, this means that the natural sugar content in ripe fruit is higher than in raw fruit.

Not only natural sugar, the antioxidant content in fruit also increases. For example, apples and pears. When these fruits begin to ripen and their greenish color fades, a certain group of nutrients undergoes a change, namely the non-fluorescent chlorophyll catabolite (NCC).

NCC is an antioxidant that makes apples and pears fragrant and makes the apple texture harder while pears are softer. The high NCC content in both fruits can last for one week.

Likewise, grapes, berries, and tomatoes, which contain certain antioxidants, such as flavonoids and lycopene, are higher when ripe.

The vitamin content also changes according to the condition of the fruit. For example, ripe pineapples are higher in vitamin C than raw pineapples.

Which is better to eat?

Based on the explanation above, ripe fruit is certainly a good choice to eat. The content of natural sugars, vitamins, antioxidants, and water tends to be more when the fruit is ripe than when it is raw.

However, this is not only seen from the nutrition of the fruit when ripe. Taste, texture, color, and smell are considered factors. You certainly prefer fruit that has a softer texture, smells more fragrant, has a more attractive color, and tastes sweeter.

In addition, ripe fruit is also fresher as fruit juice because it tastes sweet without the need for added sweeteners, such as sugar or honey. In people with stomach problems, ripe fruit is also safer because of the reduced acidity.

Photo source: Times of India.