Benefits of fruits

The Health Benefits of Fruits

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away," goes the old saying. Our great-grandmothers were aware of the benefits of fruit long before medical science joined the bandwagon. The health benefits of fruit are many. They are more than just a rich source of vitamins. Fruits, goldmine of vitamins, minerals and fibre are ideal to consume at least 4-5 servings in a day. Since they are in the natural form, account for largest part of water and 100% bad cholesterol free, it's much easier for the body to process and absorb the vitamins and minerals from the fresh fruit.

Apple - Round fruit with lots of fibre, vitamins A, C, E and folate. Available in green, red or yellow skin when ripe. Apples reduce the risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer. They also help with heart disease, weight loss and controlling cholesterol.

Bananas - Long thick skinned fruit yellow in colour when ripe. Good source of fibre, potassium, vitamins A, C, B6, E & folate. Unripe or green bananas are used in cooking.
Cherries - small round fruit with a seed, red or black in colour when ripened. Cherries always have to be ripe to eat. Cherries contain anthocyanins that reduce pain & inflammation.
Figs - Eaten either dried or fresh, figs contain vitamin A, C, folate and niacin. A small sweet fruit full of small seeds.
Kiwi - A rich source of vitamins A, C, E, B - complex, calcium, iron and folic acid, kiwi is a small oval fruit with thin brown skin, soft green flesh and black seeds. The skin is a good source of flavonoid antioxidants.
Lime - Lime or lemon is the most cultivated citrus fruit with green to yellow colour loaded with vitamins A, C and folate. Juice of lime is good for detoxification and has antioxidant properties.
Peach - Round juicy fruit with a yellowish red skin & flesh having a taste of acidic tang and sweetness contains a rough stone. Always to be picked and eaten ripe.
Orange - A round thick-skinned juicy edible fruit that is a reddish-yellow colour when ripe with sweet to sour flavour. Peeled and eaten fresh or squeezed to make juice. Contain vitamin C, flavanoids, provides pectin and rich in sodium when ripened in sunshine.

Plum - soft round smooth-skinned fruit with sweet flesh and a flattish pointed stone. It is high in carbohydrates, low in fat and calories. An excellent source of vitamin A, C, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, fibre and free of sodium and cholesterol.

Papaya - A melon like fruit with yellow- orange flesh with dozens of small black seeds enclosed in skin that ranges in colour from green to orange. Either round, pear-shaped, or long like a banana. Rich in vitamins A, B, C, and D; calcium, phosphorous and iron. It is high in digestive properties and has a direct tonic effect on the stomach.

Pear - A sweet juicy yellow or green fruit with a rounded shape narrow towards the stalk. Best eaten at room temperature, pear contains kalium and riboflavine. It is good for skin and contains plenty of fibres.

Strawberry - A triangular shaped red colour fruit. It is one of the richest sources of Vitamin C and fibre. It has high content of sodium and iron. It helps in whitening of the teeth. Used to relieve rheumatism.

Watermelon - a type of melon with smooth exterior rind and juicy sweet red interior flesh. Extraordinarily refreshing to drink as juice or eaten when ripe and fresh. Valuable for minerals, vitamins and sugar with useful amount of fibre and iron. 

Digestion

Most fruits function as natural laxatives, helping regulate the body's digestive processes. They provide roughage and fiber that is important in helping the body eliminate waste.

Protection From Illness

Fruit contains important vitamins that your body needs to stay healthy. Oranges and other citrus fruits, strawberries and many other fruits contain vitamins C, A and E. These vitamins are important antioxidants. They protect your body from the damage caused by free radicals.

Newly Discovered Phytonutrients Add to the Benefits of Fruit

The bright colors of many fruits are another reason why fruits are so beneficial. The pigments that make blueberries blue and cranberries red are called phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are extremely powerful antioxidants that protect your body against cancer-causing free radicals. They may also slow down some of the effects of aging.

The Brain

Studies have shown that a diet high in fruit can help prevent many of the symptoms of diseases like Alzheimer's and other deteriorating conditions of the brain.

The benefits of fruit are so well-accepted that the USDA recommends at least five servings of fruit in your daily diet.