The consumption of fruit at dinner is associated with better control of nocturnal glucose in obese adults, contradicting the alarmist narrative about its consumption at this time, according to a study.
© Lusa
23/06/2026
by
Diogo Caldas
O consumption of fruit at dinner is associated with better control of nocturnal glucose in obese adults, contrary to the alarmist narrative about its consumption at this time, according to a study.
The investigation, led by the University of Granada and published in the journal ‘Clinical Nutrition’, analyzed how each meal of the day relates to the subsequent glycaemic response in obese adults.
The study showed that breakfasts with higher consumption of fruit, dairy products, coffee or tea without added sugar and proteins were associated with a lower subsequent glycemic variability, which is beneficial for health, revealed on Monday the university.
On the other hand, carbohydrate-rich lunches have been associated with further glycaemic variability.
At dinner, greater fruit intake was associated with a better nocturnal glycaemic response, while the consumption of alcoholic beverages, processed meats and refined bread or pasta had the opposite effect.
The main novelty of the study lies in its “exhaustive” assessment, in real conditions, of how the composition of each main meal relates to the subsequent glycaemic response.
To this end, participants used a continuous glucose monitor for 14 days, a small sensor that continuously measures blood glucose levels.
During this period, food intake was evaluated, with special attention to breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Thus, the researchers correlated each meal with their respective glycaemic response in the daily lives of these individuals, outside of controlled laboratory environments, thus providing a more generalizable perspective of the results.
Juan José Martín Olmedo, researcher at the University of Granada and first author of the study, along with Lucas Jurado Fasoli, senior author, stressed that the results of this work corroborate the beneficial role of fruits, including at dinner.
“ An alarmist narrative spread on social networks, demonizing fruit sugar and discouraging its consumption, especially at night, but our data show precisely the opposite ", highlighted.
In addition to the sugar content, fibers and bioactive compounds generally promote a better subsequent glycaemic response, Martin explained, adding that in a population at high risk of type 2 diabetes, no longer consume fruit due to unfounded fear “can even be counterproductive”.