Health Benefits Of Fruits
Eating fruits and vegetables may promote emotional well-being among healthy young adults. Research suggests that good mood may lead t a greater preference for healthy foods overindulgent foods.
Boost Energy
When you eat fruits, your supply of energy increases in no time; this is one of the prime benefits of fruits that we can utilize in our busy schedules. This is the reason why athletes often eat fruit during and after exercising and why diets for pregnant mothers almost always involve fruits of some kind.
Heart Health
Fruits like apricot, apple, banana, cantaloupe, berries, grapefruit, and orange are great for protecting your heart as they are rich in flavonoids, carotenoids, fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Fruits also contain vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and folate, all of which aid in regulating cholesterol levels and preventing heart diseases like stroke, atherosclerosis, and heart attack.
Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a condition troubling a majority of people around the globe. While fruits are healthy for everyone, the ones with a greater carb content are not recommended for diabetics. Fruits like apple, avocado, cherry, banana, orange, peach, plum, etc., have a low glycemic index (GI) – less than 55, and they help in controlling the blood sugar levels. Also, processed and canned fruits are not healthy as they contain artificial sweeteners, so always eat fresh fruits to reap maximum benefits.
Cancer
Vitamin-rich fruits are great for prevention and treatment of many types of cancer like liver cancer and breast cancer. These include soursop, goji berry, camu camu and citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, etc., When consumed regularly, fruits have the ability to show hepatoprotective properties which help in driving away cancer.
Blood Pressure
Potassium-rich fruits like banana, apple, melons, plums, pear, apricots, and mango help in lowering hypertension. This mineral has been connected to regulating blood pressure owing to its vasodilating properties.
Kidney Stones
Fruits are rich in vitamin C, which helps in treating kidney stones. Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are great for reducing your chances of suffering from kidney stones. Also, fruits are low in sodium, which is great news for people suffering from the painful condition.
Bone Health
Fruits like grapefruit and orange are rich in calcium and vitamin K, both of which aid in maintaining healthy bones and also help improve the bone mineral density.
Prevent Diseases
The combination of powerful flavonoids, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals and the countless micro- and macronutrients make fruits very advantageous for your health. The daily consumption of fresh fruits lowers the risk of strokes, high blood pressure, indigestion, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases. Some fruits like bananas contain vital chemicals such as potassium, which helps prevent strokes, high blood pressure, and anxiety. Fruit consumption basically eliminates vitamin and mineral deficiencies and their associated symptoms. Fruits also have high quantities of water and fiber in them, which helps keep your digestive tract clean and your weight under control.
Aid in Digestion
Fibrous fruits aid the digestion process in the body. The fruit skins are rich in dietary fiber, which is a major contributing factor in proper digestion and the excretion process of your body, while simultaneously keeping you safe from problems like gastritis and constipation. However, in some cases, the skin is thick, like in lemons, bananas, melons, and oranges, and cannot be consumed by humans. In those cases, the edible part of the flesh within the skin has plenty of fiber as well.
The fiber content in fruit not only has a brilliant laxative effect but also makes you feel full by adding bulk nutrition to the diet. Fibrous fruits also benefit conditions like heart diseases by reducing hyperlipidemia and hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity. Owing to this fibrous composition, fruits also have anti-carcinogenic properties and are known to prevent colon cancer and fight bowel irregularity disorders.
Weight Loss
Once you start including a significant amount of fruits in your normal diet, you will begin to see that your weight is being controlled and your health is improving. However, fruits alone cannot reduce your weight. You also need to exercise regularly.
Many surveys done in America showed effective weight reduction after fruits were included in the family’s diet. A person who habitually eats fruits will be less inclined to have snacks and junk foods between meals that hardly have any nutritional value. Also, fruits are composed of 90-95% water; therefore it has a powerful diuretic effect on your body, thereby flushing out the nitrogenous wastes and unwanted toxins from the body.
One example of this is Lychee, a fruit that is a great laxative with a negligible amount of calories, and no saturated fats or cholesterol. It also helps to cut down excess body weight. Except for a few fruits like coconuts, avocados, and olives, fruits are usually fat-free.
Skin Care
Fruits keep your skin supple and hydrated, and nourish it with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; thereby retaining your radiant skin for a long period of time. In fact, if you are tired of using the commercial anti-pimple creams, just try including fruits like berries, apples, or bananas into your daily diet and see the acne disappear quite quickly. Acne is one of the most irritating skin disorders that can affect people of any age. With a good amount of fruit in your diet, you can naturally curb this problem rather than opting for expensive dermatological creams. Acne mostly occurs from skin infections and dermatological issues, but there are other reasons for such eruptions as well. Apples are the best option for treating acne; eat the skin of the apple, which has a high level of pectin that helps control constipation, which can be a trigger for acne. Bananas also help to alleviate acne, as it is high in fiber that again relieves constipation. Berries have excellent cleansing properties and keep you protected from skin disorders. If you eat grapes during the day, it helps to cleanse your skin and body. Papayas rejuvenate your skin and repair minor damage that you may not even notice, lemon juice slowly eliminates the signs and scars from acne spots.
Apart from including fruits in your diet, try to watch your other food habits as well. Reduce caffeine consumption since it increases certain hormones in your body and thus increases acne. Cut down on red meat and dairy intake as well, since they aggravate your hormonal generation, resulting in acne. You should also keep your skin clean by frequently washing with herbal soap or mild face wash.
Healthy Hair
Just as fruits enhance the radiance of your skin, they also contribute greatly to healthy, long hair. Vitamin A brings luster to your hair and also softens its texture. If you have fruits on an empty stomach, it will prevent hair loss and premature greying. Citrus fruits are excellent hair stimulants. The vitamin C content in citrus fruits also prevents hair loss and keeps your hair shiny and healthy. Fruits like kiwis, strawberries, and pineapple are also known for aiding hair growth. Fruits even ensure healthy hair growth and keep your locks lustrous and soft.
The benefits of fruit for your hair health can also be enjoyed through hair masks. Melon and banana hair masks are recommended by many beauty professionals for hair care at home. You can also make a paste of lemon juice and aloe vera and apply it generously to your hair. Keep the paste on for approximately 45 minutes and then thoroughly wash your hair with mild shampoo. These packs not only improve hair quality but also eliminate scalp disorders like dandruff and itching. Avocado has an impressive amount of vitamin E, which is widely known to be very good for hair. Avocado hair masks strengthen hair and delay premature graying of your hair. Coconuts are also very good for healthy hair growth. Coconut oil is used extensively throughout the tropical world for hair care.
