Fruit is the bad boy of clean eating: it is wildly misunderstood, but just might be the best thing to ever happen to you if you give it a chance. You might have been warned about fruit for its high sugar content, or even because fruit is a carbohydrate. However, fruit is one of the best food groups you could give your body. It's high in water (to hydrate your body on a deeper, cellular level than plain drinking water can), high in fiber (to keep your gut healthy and regulate digestion), and high in antioxidants (which protect your body against everything from disease to aging). Plus, fruit is easy to digest. Since it passes through the digestive system quickly (anywhere between 20-40ish minutes), this means limited bloating with extra health benefits.

For me, eating fruit first thing in the morning has:

Improved my energy
Reduced bloat
Boosted skin health and glow
Made me less hungry in the mornings
Reduced cravings

Not to get all history-class on you, but studies of fossilized teeth show us that early humans (#throwback to the cavemen days) were not meat-eaters, or even seeds/leaf-eaters. Instead, early humans were mostly fruit eaters. What does this mean for us 21st century millennials? Our bodies are made and conditioned to thrive on the food group. So let's get some justice for pineapples, pears, and papaya and stop with the fear of fruit already, non?

However (you know there's always a catch!), consider looking into principles of food combining when adding fruit into your diet. Long story short, food combining is a principle from Ayurveda that states fruits, starches, and proteins take different amounts of time to digest, and require different enzymes. The goal is to combine (or not combine) certain foods for optimal digestion. Improper food combinations can lead to digestive issues, weight gain, bloat, or even disease and toxin buildup. (Quick note: as with most wellness practices in this day and age, there is a lot of disagreement to whether it has scientific backing or is just another fad. I urge you to do your own research and test it out for yourself, but I am speaking from my own experience.)

One of the most important principles of food combining is that fruit should be eaten on an empty stomach. To me, this makes perfect sense: fruit digests so quickly, but if other foods are digesting in your stomach, the fruit will just sit there, unable to pass through quickly. In terms of the AM being optimal, your body is in an elimination state from late night through morning. Fruit is the best thing you could eat during this time, as it helps with elimination, thanks to fiber and quick/easy digestion (as opposed to hindering it like a protein might). Plus, "breakfast" means you're literally breaking a fast. Since your body hasn't taken in nutrients in a long time (preferably at least 12 hours), whatever you eat first will be absorbed the most. Fruit is loaded with nutrients and full of everything your body needs to thrive.

My morning food routine:

I've always been a big eater. Like, even when I was 10 years old and had to wake up at 4am for a flight to Disney World, I would be starving for a breakfast sandwich by 4:05am. Now, I like to wake my digestive system up slowly, and I've had to train my body to wait a little bit to eat (which is especially important since I wake up around 6am most days). I'll start drinking water right away (preferably warm water with lemon for optimal digestion benefits), since the body can get dehydrated while it's sleeping.

Depending on my hunger levels (and when I finished eating the night before), I'll eat anywhere between 8:30am-10am. I put together a big bowl of whatever fruit I have in the fridge, which typically includes papaya, pears, raspberries, and blueberries, but I also like to change up fruit depending on what's in season. To make it feel like more of a meal, I top with cacao nibs, goji berries, coconut shreds (all count as fruit!), and a small drizzle of tahini (which doesn't count as fruit, obviously, but I've found that seed butter is easier on my digestion than a nut butter). Gotta make it feel a little luxurious, ya know? I'll also have a decaf coffee or a matcha latte with coconut milk (coconut is a fruit too!) either with or after my bowl.

Tips for eating fruit first:

For the best results, eat seasonally and locally. Stock up at your local farmer's market as much as possible, and buy at your grocery store based on what's in season (it will be fresher and contain more nutrients than what's not in season). Try apricots, bananas, kiwi, and pineapples in the spring; cantaloupe, cherries, mangos, melons, and strawberries in the summer; apples, cranberries, and raspberries in the fall; and grapefruit, oranges, and pears in the winter.
Make it feel like a treat. Eating fruit first doesn't have to mean sadly gnawing on a boring apple for breakfast. Fruit is nature's candy–make it decadent! Use a variety of fresh fruits, and include toppings that also count like coconut shreds/meat, cacao nibs (nature's chocolate chips!), dried berries, cinnamon, etc. You can even add a little coconut water or coconut milk to DIY nature's cereal.
If you're used to eating a bigger meal in the morning and feel hungry even after eating fruit, don't feel the need to wait until lunch to eat more. Instead, try pushing your usual scrambled eggs or bowl of cereal to at least 30 minutes after eating fruit in order to get all the same benefits. Instead of thinking about replacing your usual routine with fruit, think of it as adding in fruit 30 minutes before your usual routine starts.
Feel free to eat greens in the morning with your fruit. Because greens are alkaline, they won't disrupt digestion and therefore, are fine to eat with any food group. A fresh green juice is a great way to get in extra nutrients, but just make sure that it's juice with only alkaline greens (like spinach, kale, celery, cucumber, etc.), and avoid smoothies until 30 minutes after finishing your fruit since they typically contain a fat (like almond butter/avocado) or a protein (like protein powder or chia seeds).