How often do you eat fruits? It is advisable to eat fruits regularly because it boosts your immunity against diseases and helps to maintain overall good health. Fruits are handy and easy to snack on and because they are natural, people tend to want to eat a lot of them.
Most Fruits are full of sugar, especially fruits such as bananas, cherries, grapes. Although it’s healthy sugar, too much of it is likely going to cause weight gain and other negative metabolic effects.
If you are scared of the harmful effects of table sugar, you should also be scared of excess fructose. That’s what sugar from fruits get converted to. I bet you didn’t know it’s possible to also overeat on healthy foods too, but this doesn’t imply that you should not eat enough fruits required for daily needs.
There are, however, seven best fruits which you must include in your diet today because of its many health benefits and the good thing is they are cheap day to day fruits you can buy in your neighbourhood.
1. Pineapple: pineapple is loaded with nutrients, antioxidants and other helpful compounds, such as enzymes that can fight inflammation and disease. Pineapple and its compounds have been linked to many health benefits, including aiding digestion, boosting immunity and speeding up recovery from surgery, among others. Vitamin C is essential for growth and development as well as a healthy immune system and aiding the absorption of iron from the diet. It’s also high amount of manganese. Manganese is a naturally occurring mineral that aids bone building, collagen, the protein that builds connective tissues like cartilage and skin. Pineapples are low in calories but have an incredibly impressive nutrient profile for maintaining a healthy metabolism and its outstanding antioxidant properties
2. Watermelon: This is my regular. I saw a tweet that said watermelon would have been the king of fruits if it didn’t have seeds. As sad as it sounds, I agree because it can be frustrating to pick those out. Watermelon is rich in vitamins A and C. It’s also rich in some important antioxidants, including lycopene, carotenoids and cucurbitacin E, the antioxidants have also been studied to have an anti-cancer effect. If you are one of those who do not like to drink water, watermelon can supplement that for you because 92% of it is water. That’s why its caloric content is low. So, feel free to eat till you can take no more. If you are a fitness enthusiast or an athlete, Watermelon should be your go-to fruit because of the electrolyte properties. It has been proved to reduce muscle soreness and quick recovery after intense physical activity.
3. Oranges: These are about the most popular fruits around and well-known for its richness in vitamin C. It also has a significant amount of vitamin b and potassium. Oranges contain citric acid, which studies show to reduce the risk of having kidney stones. Oranges are similar to lemons with their impressive amounts of vitamin C and citric acid, which help increase iron absorption and prevent anaemia. Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C. One orange offers 116.2 per cent of the daily value for vitamin C. Good intake of vitamin C is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer as it helps to get off free radicals that cause damage to our DNA. Oranges, being rich in Vitamins B6, help support the production of haemoglobin and also help keep blood pressure under check due to the presence of magnesium. Amongst other things, oranges help keep your blood pressure under check and sugar level under control.
4. Banana: This fruit is high in potassium. One medium banana provides 12% of the RDI for this mineral. Bananas are very filling and have high carbs. So, if you are on a weight loss diet, you need to cut your banana intake. Bananas also contain pectin, which may improve blood sugar control and digestive health; produce red blood cells, it metabolises carbohydrates and fats, turning them into energy, metabolises amino acids. It removes unwanted chemicals from your liver and kidneys and maintains a healthy nervous system. Bananas are also good for pregnant women because the vitamin b content provides the nutrients that the baby needs.
5. Mangoes: This is one fruit I so love, especially the green fleshy ones. I can’t wait for mango season to come. Mangoes are so sweet and so cheap yet packed with so many health benefits. Mango contains a lot of vitamins and essential nutrients, eating one mango makes you feel full. It is also loaded with fibrous content and boosts the digestive function which burns unwanted calories from the body. This, in turn, helps in losing extra weight. Mangoes are also loaded with vitamin A, making it a perfect fruit to improve eyesight. It also prevents night blindness and dry eyes. Mango itself does not contain high iron content but it helps your body absorb iron from other food sources.
6. Lemons: During the coronavirus outbreak, the price of lemon hiked so much because of the many health benefits it offers. Lemon is helpful in promoting heart health due to their potential to lower blood lipids and blood pressure. Lemons are rich in vitamin C and other plant compounds that may promote heart health, boost weight loss and help prevent kidney stones. Vitamin C found in lemons may help reduce skin wrinkling, dry skin from ageing, and damage from the sun.
7. Cranberry: I was amazed the first time I read about cranberry. This is one of the healthiest fruits you know but sadly it’s not something you can easily get around this clime but cranberry drinks are as healthy as the fruits and offer the same benefits. I bet you didn’t know it helps prevent UTI’s, interesting right? Fresh cranberries are nearly 90% water, but the rest is mostly carbs and fibre. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds present in cranberries may improve memory and coordination according to Tufts University. So, if you wish to stay brilliant, you might want to snack on dried cranberries daily or a cup of cranberry juice.
With these amazing health benefits outlined, a fruit should be the first thing you should eat next. It’s shocking when I hear people say they don’t eat or even think about fruits. I personally ensure I have at least pineapples, oranges and watermelon in my fridge regularly. These fruits have nutrients and vitamins that the body needs to develop and be healthy, especially during this covid pandemic period. If you, however, have a hard time eating fruits, you should find food supplements that have the same nutritional content for your RDI.
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