Eating fruit is most beneficial when consumed on an empty stomach. Fruit digests quickly and can get blocked by other foods still digesting in the stomach, causing gas, bloating, and the fruit nutrients mixing with spoiled foods. For maximum benefits, eat fruit alone before meals or allow at least 2 hours after a meal before eating fruit. Drinking fresh fruit juices is better than canned, and eating the whole fruit provides more fiber than drinking the juice alone. A 3-day fruit fast can help cleanse and detoxify the body.