Can seafood and fruits be eaten together?

May 15, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yu Yongchao
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, seafood and fruits can be consumed together. Seafood is rich in high-quality protein, zinc, selenium, and other minerals, while fruits mainly provide vitamins, dietary fiber, and organic acids. There is no direct conflict between the two during the digestion process. Proteins need to be broken down into peptides and amino acids by gastric acid and pepsin, and the organic acids in fruits may promote gastric juice secretion.

Generally speaking, seafood and fruits can be consumed together. The analysis is as follows:

Seafood is rich in high-quality protein, zinc, selenium, and other minerals, while fruits mainly provide vitamins, dietary fiber, and organic acids. There is no direct conflict between the two during digestion. Proteins need to be broken down into peptides and amino acids under the action of gastric acid and pepsin, while the organic acids in fruits may promote gastric juice secretion, indirectly assisting protein digestion. Additionally, dietary fiber can slow sugar absorption, preventing blood sugar fluctuations, and does not compete with the metabolic pathways of seafood. Therefore, from a digestive physiology perspective, the two can be safely combined.

The unsaturated fatty acids in seafood work synergistically with antioxidant substances such as vitamin C and flavonoids in fruits. Vitamin C can enhance the absorption of minerals like iron and zinc, while also reducing the risk of oxidative damage from trace heavy metals that may be present in seafood. Meanwhile, the selenium in seafood enhances antioxidant enzyme activity, working together with polyphenols in fruits to remove free radicals. This nutritional complementarity helps reduce the risk of chronic inflammation, especially benefiting cardiovascular health.

However, it should be noted that fruits rich in tannic acid, such as persimmons and hawthorns, should not be consumed in large quantities together with high-protein seafood like shrimp and crab.