Is Fruit a Good Pre-Workout Snack?

We’ve all heard that it’s never a good idea to workout on a full stomach. But is it really such a good idea to workout on an empty stomach? If you’ve ever gone for a morning run and found yourself feeling a bit nauseated afterwards, you may have wondered.

The truth is that a small, healthy snack shortly before working out can actually help settle your stomach, give you strength to fuel your muscles, and prevent lightheadedness or dizziness. The key lies in what you eat, how much, and when.

When you eat your pre-workout snack should be determined on what and how much you eat. You may need to experiment a bit to find your personal sweet spot, but a good rule to follow is you should make your snacks smaller and simpler the closer to your workout time you are. If you’ve received a fruits gift containing tangerines, you can probably get away with one or two, while a slightly larger fruit (like navel oranges or a Honeybell Orange) should be kept to just one piece of fruit.

Why Fruit Makes a Good Pre-Workout Snack

red grapefruits

If you like to order grapefruit, Cara Cara Navel Oranges, and other fruits from Hale Groves, take heart – these make wonderful pre-workout snacks. That’s because the fruits in your fresh fruit box contain simple carbohydrates (meaning they serve as a major fuel source for the muscles) as well as fiber (which slows digestion enough to prevent a post-sugar spike crash).

Still, the fiber in fruit slows digestion enough that you don’t experience a sugar spike followed by a crash. Fruit juices and dried fruits are much more concentrated sources of calories and carbohydrates and may lead to blood sugar spikes if not consumed with complex carbohydrates or a protein source.

You’ve probably heard that it’s a great idea to hydrate before, during, and after a workout. Fruits can help with that because many fruits (like red grapefruits and watermelon) have a high water content, meaning they can help you meet your workout hydration needs.

Here are 3 great fruits to choose from for a pre-workout snack:

1. Citrus Fruits. Though low in calories, most citrus fruits are ideal pre-workout snacks because they have a high water content and are packed with inflammation-reducing vitamin C. Try Navel Oranges (including Cara Cara Navels), Tangerines, Honeybells, Ruby Red Grapefruit, or Mandarins – all of which taste amazing.

2. Apples or Pears. Pome fruits (like apples and pears) are good pre-workout snacks because they’re full of fiber, polyphenols, and flavonoids, all of which help regulate your blood sugar. Suffer from exercise-induced asthma? Studies have shown that apples in particular may help decrease the risk of an attack thanks to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

3. Watermelon. Fresh watermelon is light enough not to upset your stomach during a workout, and full of water to help keep you hydrated. It also scores high in the nutrient department as a good source of vitamin C, carbohydrates, and lycopene, which is beneficial to the bones and the cardiovascular system.

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