|
Fruits, fresh or dried have been a natural staple diet of human beings since
ancient times. Replete with minerals, vitamins and enzymes, fruits are not only
good sources of food, they also serve as medicines and treatment for ailments.
Fruits make a healthy snack because they are easily digestible and do not leave you
bloated and uncomfortable. Being easily digestible, they fuel the body with a quick
boost of energy. In the olden days, it was believed that fish like salmon which is
rich in omega-3 fatty acids, was good for the brain cells. However, scientists have
discovered that fruits are also good for the brain. The natural sugars in fruits have
been Found to stimulate the memory and help people recall information more easily.
If stress is making you susceptible to colds, you can take in more vitamin C,
which are found in most fruits like oranges, kiwi fruit and guavas. Vitamin C helps
to strengthen the immune system and keeps colds at bay. If you are a smoker, your
intake of fruits should be more as smoking lowers the level of vitamin C in your
blood. A diet that has plenty of fresh fruits can fulfil the nutritional requirements
and reduces the need for supplements.
A daily diet of fruits will ensure that you are getting enough fibre to stimulate
the digestive system and prevent constipation. Rather than taking laxatives, which
can be addictive, it is better to increase your intake of fruits, especially acid fruits
like grapefruit and lemon to detoxify your body. Fibre is also useful in lowering the
level of blood cholesterol, and reduces the risk of heart disease. Low in fat and high
in fibre, fruits fill you up so you are less likely to indulge in unhealthy and calorie-laden snacks.
Free radicals are responsible for damaging the body cells, leading to chronic
diseases and ageing. Although our own body produces antioxidants to protect us
from free radicals, the onslaught from internal free radicals caused by infection and
illnesses and the external free radicals like cigarette smoking and pollution overpower
our home-grown army of antioxidants.
Fruits are nature's beauty secret. They contain antioxidants that help fight
free radical damage and neutralise the potentially-damaging effects of oxidation.
The most powerful antioxidants supplied by foods are vitamins A, C and E. These
vitamins not only prevent free radical-induced diseases but also protect the skin, aid
in skin repair as well as being key nutrients for numerous functions of the skin.
To get the full range of phytonutrients found in fruits, it is advisable to eat
fruits from a variety of categories -- red, green, orange-yellow, blue-purple and white.
Researchers at the Human Nutrition Researcher Centre on Aging at Tufts University
have listed some fruits that pack the most powerful antioxidant punch. These include
prunes, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums and oranges.
Health experts recommend that children should take at least two servings of fruits
a day. As for teenagers and adults, the recommended intake is three servings.
So what are you waiting for ? Start eating fruits today. |
