Plants are smarter than we think. A study published by scientists at the University of Birmingham has revealed that Plant embryos have a group of cells that function as a ‘brain’ and can assess environmental conditions and dictate when seeds will germinate.

To get the best start in life, seeds need to very carefully choose when they germinate. “A plant’s decision about when to germinate is one of the most important it will make during its life. Too soon, and the plant may be damaged by harsh winter conditions; too late, and it may be outcompeted by other, more precocious plants,” said the Birmingham researchers in a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The Birmingham scientists have shown that this trade-off between speed and accuracy is controlled by a small group of cells within the plant embryo that operate in similar way to the human brain.

The scientists showed that the ‘decision-making centre’ in a plant called Arabidopsis, or thale cress, contains two types of cell, one that promotes seed dormancy, and one that promotes germination.

These two groups of cells communicate with each other by moving hormones, an analogous mechanism to that employed by our own brains when we decide whether or not to move.

A high-resolution 3D scan of a plant embryo (in green) and shown in red is the region of cells where the seed makes the decision when to germinate. /University of Birmingham

The scientists used mathematical modelling to show that communication between the separated elements controls the plant’s sensitivity to its environment.

Lead author of the study, Professor George Bassel from the School of Biosciences at the University of Birmingham, said: “Our work reveals a crucial separation between the components within a plant decision-making centre.

In the human brain, this separation is thought to introduce a time delay, smoothing out noisy signals from the environment and increasing the accuracy with which we make decisions.

The separation of these parts in the seed ‘brain’ also appears to be central to how it functions.”

Dr Iain Johnston, a bio-mathematician from the university, involved in the study, added: “The separation of circuit elements allows a wider palette of responses to environmental stimuli.

Fruits are the richest source of vitamins and contain many essential nutrients including potassium, dietary fibre, vitamin C, and folate (folic acid); however there is a regimen to be followed while consuming them to ensure their optimum health benefits.

The basic rules: Fruits should be eaten alone on an empty stomach; starches (e.g., carrots, beets, peas, winter squashes (acorn, butternut), water chestnuts, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, plantains, broccoli, cauliflower) with cooked non-starchy vegetables (e.g., sprouts, leafy greens, hearty greens (kale, collards), herbs, bok choy, celery, radishes, sea vegetables, mushrooms, cabbage, jicama, asparagus, okra, cucumbers, green beans and wax beans, fennel, peppers, zucchini, green onions, eggplant, celery, onions, leeks); flesh proteins and dairy with cooked non-starchy vegetables; and nuts and seeds with raw vegetables. If you need to be careful with the amount of carbs you eat at mealtime to aid in blood sugar control for diabetes, you may prefer to not eat starchy vegetables and fruits at the same time.

In this article we will talk more about fruit combinations.

Bhaswati Bhattacharya, MD, a holistic health counselor and physician in New York City, agrees. “Sugars are actually not easy to digest, according to Ayurveda, because they are heavy and require good fire to process. That is why fruits should be eaten alone.” Bhattacharya adds that fruits (especially fresh, seasonal fruits) are also “energetically purifying foods and complete foods,” and to combine them with proteins and carbs takes away their pure energy.

Is it ok to combine fruit and milk?

What happens when you put lemon in milk? It curdles, right? The sourness of the lemon will cause milk to go sour. Even if you add salt to milk it will curdle. So, really you can combine milk with only sweet and ripe fruits. For example, a ripe sweet mango, raisins and dates can be combined with milk, but the berries – not. When you add the berries to your milk, it might not curdle right away but it will in your stomach, and that might lead to indigestion or other digestive problems. Eat your fruits and drink your milk, but better separately. Allow at least one hour (better three hours) in between the consumption of the fruit and milk.

What about bananas and milk? Ripe bananas are sweet in taste but it changes by the time it reaches your stomach and becomes sour, therefore you will likely feel heaviness afterwards. If you are feeling heavy, then you are having indigestion. So, banana is really an exception to this rule.

Yogurt and other cultured diary products are ok to have with fruits.

A 3D digital reconstruction of a plant embryo, showing the location of decision-making components which operate in a similar way to the human brain. /University of Birmingham

It’s like the difference between reading one critic’s review of a film four times over, or amalgamating four different critics’ views before deciding to go to the cinema.”

The mathematical theory describing the brain’s function predicted that more seeds would germinate when exposed to varying environments, such as fluctuating temperatures, than constant environments, such as constant temperatures. The scientists tested this theory in the lab and found exactly this behavior.

Professor Bassel added: “Our work has important implications for understanding how crops and weeds grow,” added Professor Bassel, “There is now potential to apply this knowledge to commercial plants in order to enhance and synchronize germination, increasing crop yields and decreasing herbicide use.”

Here is a list of fruit combination you should avoid:

► Banana and pudding – this combo creates stomach heaviness in adults, slowing down the mind and increasing the production of toxins. In case of infants, it may be fatal.

► Orange with carrot – although this combination is very popular in places where they sell natural juices, intake of both at once produces heartburn, excess bile reflux and heartburn, as well as damage to the renal system, which is the origin of more serious diseases.

► Pineapple and milk – this combination might cause stomach gas, nausea, headache, and stomach pain. You can also develop an infection or experience diarrhea.

► Papaya with lemon – this combination makes you develop anaemia and problems with your haemoglobin (protein in your blood), avoid it at all costs and please do not risk giving it to your children.

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► Guava and banana – they will cause gas and acidosis, thus you will start feeling nauseous and heaviness, headaches, and stomach pain.

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► Orange with milk – if you are someone who accompanies the cereal or oatmeal with orange juice stop it. Orange makes your stomach unable to process the starches present in the cereal. In addition, when orange juice and milk are mixed in the stomach it is difficult to digest, especially for children.

► Vegetables and fruits – fruits have more sugar, thus vegetables cannot be digested properly. They stay in the stomach while the fruit ferments and produces more toxins, causing ailments like stomach pain, gas, infections, diarrhea, and even a headache. Fruits tend to have more acid, so that it literally breaks down and cuts the nutritional value of the vegetables.

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But, there is an exception to the rule. Apples (which is a fruit and vegetable), bananas (which is a fruit and an herb) and carrots (which is a root and a vegetable) are exceptions to this rule. Apples and bananas can be combined with vegetable meals and juices/smoothies, and carrots, just like any other root can be mixed with fruit meals and juices/smoothies without it affecting the nutritional value (just avoid orange/carrot combination).

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Separate acid from sweet. Skip the standard fruit salad as it is usually a digestion-slowing mix of melon, apple, pineapple, banana, and strawberry. Instead, make a berry bowl using blueberries and raspberries.

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Fruits can be mixed with their own kind.

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► Sweet fruits – they don’t contain acids and those are: peach, apple, These fruits are more concentrated and take longer to digest. They’re not the greatest of cleansers, but provide minerals and concentrated sugars. Approximate digestion time: 40 to 60 minutes.

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