In the Absence of Everything Else, Fruits are Still a Sure Bet

If you like eating fruits on a regular basis, you will not be disappointed. Fruit, in general, has nothing to dislike. It’s nature’s candy, full of sweetness, that makes the ideal topping for your morning cereal, a quick snack on the road, and a nutritious dessert you can feel good about eating. Whether you prefer sliced bananas with your overnight oats or berries in your Greek yogurt, you may be wondering whether your constant fruit consumption habits are harmful to your health. In actuality, what happens to your body when you consume fruits often is rather remarkable. As the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and there are many of benefits to eating fruits. However, the key to reaping the advantages while avoiding any bad consequences is to follow the ancient adage “everything in moderation.” 

Various Fruits 

Fruit, the edible component of a plant, is known for its sugary and juicy pulp. Typically, it has seeds in it. Although most people like to eat their fruits raw, there are a few exceptions. They are available in many distinct forms, colors, and tastes. Examples of readily available fruits include: 

1. Apples and Pears 

2. Citrus – Oranges, Grapefruits, Mandarins and Limes 

3. Stone Fruit – Nectarines, Apricots, Peaches and Plums 

4. Tropical and Exotic – Bananas and Mangoes 

5. Berries – Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Kiwifruit and Passionfruit 

6. Melons – Watermelons, Rock Melons and Honeydew Melons 

7. Tomatoes and Avocados 

Vitamins and Minerals in Fruit and Vegetables 

Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to your health. Many of them are antioxidants that may lower the risk of a variety of diseases:  

1. Vitamin A (beta-carotene)  

2. Vitamin C  

3. Vitamin E  

4. Magnesium  

5. Zinc  

6. Phosphorous  

7. Folic Acid – Folic acid may lower homocysteine levels in the blood, which may be a risk factor for coronary heart disease.  

Receiving these nutrients in the form of fruits and vegetables, has been shown in research to be more helpful to health than taking them as supplements. 

Colors of Your Favorite Fruits Says Its’ Nutrition Status 

Foods with similar colors have comparable protective elements. To get the full variety of health advantages, eat a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables every day. As an example: 

1. Fruits in red color. Referring to fruits such as tomatoes and watermelon. These include lycopene, which is regarded to be beneficial in the treatment of prostate cancer and heart disease.  

2. Apples which are green in color. These include lutein and zeaxanthin, which may aid in the prevention of age-related eye disorders.  

3. Blue and purple in color, such as blueberries. These include anthocyanins, which may aid in cancer prevention.  

4. Pears are white in color. These contain sulforaphane and may help prevent certain cancers. 

Choosing Fruits for You and Your Family 

If you want to optimize the health benefits and aesthetic appeal of fruit, it’s best to buy and serve a variety of fruit and to focus on buying fruits that are in season and selecting the highest quality options available.  

So, in order to do that you must: 

1. Eat in accordance only with seasons; this is nature’s method of ensuring that our bodies get a healthy balance of nutrients and plant compounds.  

2. Try different recipes and purchase fresh fruits and veggies as part of your weekly shopping.  

3. Allow colors to lead you – get various nutritional combinations by arranging a ‘rainbow’ of colors on your plate (green, white, yellow-orange, blue-purple, red). 

Suggestions For Fruit Servings for Your Family’s Health 

Here are some samples of fruit and vegetable serving sizes:  

A) 1 medium apple, banana, orange or pear  

B) 2 small apricots, kiwi fruits or plums  

C) 1 cup diced or canned fruit (no added sugar)  

D) 125ml (½ cup) fruit juice (no added sugar) – occasionally  

E) 30g dried fruit (for example, 4 dried apricot halves, 1½ tablespoons of sultanas) – occasionally 

The Fruit Effect: What Happens in Your Body When You Eat Fruit 

As per home visiting nutritionists affiliated with Sirwiss, when we consume fruit, we instantly absorb dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, water, electrolytes, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. Long-term, sufficient fruit consumption is associated with a lower risk of chronic illnesses including heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Eating fruit is also linked to better weight maintenance and a lower risk of becoming obese. 

An Abundance of Antioxidants Will Be Released into Your System 

You may be familiar with antioxidants, which have been celebrated for years for their potential to prevent cancer and slow the aging process. They are abundant in almost all fruits. Especially citrus fruits which are rich in vitamin C, mangoes also have a good amount of beta carotene and lycopene, while both watermelon and apples have high levels of other beneficial antioxidants. Free radicals include chemicals that contribute to the onset of illness and rapid aging and free radicals are eliminated from the body with the help of antioxidants, which serve as scavengers. So, fruits high in antioxidants are beneficial to our health, vitality and slows down aging. 

You Will Stay Hydrated 

Strawberries contain around 92% water, whereas an apple is believed to have 85% water. Fruits are a great way to stay hydrated because of the high-water content they often have. Specifically, our nutritionists recommend melons and pineapples. Although you consume a lot of fruit, the majority of what you consume is water. Fruit is a great choice for a cooling snack after an exercise or a fast energy boost on a hot summer day. 

Fruits Assist the Body to Function Well 

There are essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to operate optimally. As luck would have it, fruit contains several useful elements. Bananas’ potassium, for instance, aids in nerve signaling, muscular contraction, and fluid balance, just a few of the many metabolic activities the fruit supports. 

Myths Concerning Fruits 

1. Myth 1: Fresh is best 

There are various ways to consume fruit, including eating it fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or even drinking it straight from the bottle. Nonetheless, fruits in either of these forms are abundant in healthy nutrients. The most integral part is that you consume fruit, whether in its fresh or dried forms. 

2. Myth 2: Juice is ineffective 

Fruit juices do include the natural sugar (primarily fructose) found in fruits. Fruit juices that are 100% juice provide equivalent levels of nutrients as the foods from which they were manufactured, with the exception of fiber. They also include antioxidants and phytonutrients, which are found in entire fruits. In the case of juice, the key is to have 100% pure, no sugar added juice. 

3. Myth 3: Organics are more nutritious 

Organic food is defined as food produced by farmers that prioritize the use of renewable resources and soil and water conservation in order to improve environmental quality. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine conducted an analysis of 46 research, which was published in 2009. “There is no indication of a difference in nutritional quality between organically and conventionally grown products,” the scientists found.