Large quantities of fruit were eaten in earlier centuries. In Utrecht, archaeologists have found the seeds, stones or pips of cherries, grapes, apples, pears and strawberries in rubbish dating from as early as the 13th century. We know that many people living in cities ate apples, blackberries, cherries, mulberries, pears, plums, quinces and raspberries. But some people believed that fruit was bad for the digestion. This certainly applied to sour fruits such as lemons. But apples and pears were preferably eaten when ripe and sweet.