Fruit Nutrition Facts - The Vitamins in Fruit & Its Health Benefits
The Benefits of Fruit
Aren’t we fortunate that in addition to fruit having many health benefits, they are also low in calories and makes our taste buds happy? It isn’t difficult to work a large variety of fruits into our daily menus with endless recipes.
1. Apples
Apples are the leader and have been so since the Garden of Eden!
In fact, it is said that if you eat an apple 15 minutes before a meal, it helps you lose weight because it is a “filler” and should give you a feeling of fullness and make you eat less. At the same time, you are getting flavonoids that aid in the reduction of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. Its antioxidants aid in better digestion and fight free radicals and against cell damage. The delicious red apple’s pectin (soluble fiber) helps lower LDL cholesterol and helps protect the body from certain cancers.
2. Oranges
You mainly think of oranges as having vitamin C, but they also contain vitamin B1, vitamin A, calcium, potassium, fiber, and folate/folic acid (which helps the body with red blood cells).
3. Bananas
Bananas’ potassium helps reduce stress, helps maintain healthy blood pressure, replenishes electrolytes, reduces the risk of kidney stones, and decreases bone loss. Vitamin B6 is important to vital body functions and calms the nervous system. Also included are vitamin C, fiber, magnesium, and the ability to neutralize the acidity of gastric juices. Its tryptophan changes serotonin into an element which treats depression, relaxes you, and elevates your mood.
4. Mangos
Mangos have vitamins A, C and E, potassium, fiber, beta carotene, pectin, and niacin. They are rich in iron, high in antioxidants, low in carbohydrates, and can aid in stomach acidity and other ailments and provide roughage which means a natural laxative and help against diverticulosis.
5. Strawberries
Strawberries have more vitamin C than oranges, and also vitamin K, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, and much more. They can help lower LDL cholesterol, prevent constipation, help heal gums, remove tartar from teeth, and even helps your skin look younger.
6. Cranberries
The pigments of bright colors (like the blue in blueberries and the red in cranberries) are phytonutrients (powerful antioxidants) that can not only help fight cancer but can also slow down some of the aging processes.
Cranberries also contain infection fighting properties and are often used to help urinary infections.
7. Tomatoes
A tomato’s lycopene is a cancer-fighting antioxidant, its vitamins A and C neutralize free radicals, the fiber regulates blood sugar levels and helps lower cholesterol, tomatoes also have potassium. Additionally, eating tomatoes can help lower the risk of heart disease.
8. Grapefruit
Grapefruit’s vitamin C helps against the inflammation of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis, and also has vitamins A and B5, potassium, and lycopene which inhibits tumor formation. Grapefruit can interact with some medications, so be careful of this.
9. Lemons
The lemon is used in many home remedies to help the stomach, relieve a cough when squeezed into tea, etc.
The Benefits of Eating Fruit
Studies have shown that high fruit diets can help prevent Alzheimer’s and other brain deteriorations as well as Type 2 diabetes.
Fruit can be used in a wide variety of ways from appetizers to desserts, as a topping for pancakes or cereal or ice cream, in a salad, in juices and smoothies, in cakes or pies or muffins, made into jellies and jams, deliciously grilled along with meats or fish, and it is easy to take on trips or put in lunch boxes for a quick and filling pick-me-up snack.