Hi all, once again a happy 2015 to you. i wanted my first post to be about wholesome living. This year we should strive to live, eat, act and be better. Here's a list of fruits i will be munching and sucking on this year, God help me as i'm not a fruit fan, but most times i will juice them or make them into smoothies, I'll share some of the recipes for that here during the course of the year by God's grace and if you want more, you can always join my beauty and wellness coaching classes.
so lets go to the list
1.Grapefruit: ok... i know it has the bitter-sweet taste most of us cant stand but its benefits far outweigh the bitterness. It is a citrus food in the same family as oranges and lemons. Whether white, pink or ruby, this fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin C, aids in digestion, and helps to produce collagen (the protein that keeps skin firm and smooth). Grapefruit is also a source of Vitamin A, Fiber, Potassium, and pectin. In it’s pink and red varieties, grapefruit contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant shown to benefit the blood vessels around the heart and support prostate health. I'm sure you don't want to miss out on these fabulous benefits.
tip, you can juice grapefruit and use it in a citrus fruit cocktail, or add it to Zobo drink and garnish with ice cubes made from unsweetened sparkling (carbonated) water and you might just feel you are drinking some sort of chapman.
2 Apples
One cup of apples (138 grams) provides about 81 calories and contains about 21 grams of carbohydrates and 3.7 grams of fibre.
Apples contains flavonoids, quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid that protect the heart as they are potent antioxidants.
Flavonoids prevent excessive inflammation, regulate blood pressure, prevent too much clumping together of blood platelets; both soluble and insoluble fibre in apples helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
Eating an apple daily reduces the risk of lung cancer, colon cancer and breast cancer. Red apple peel also contains many antioxidants that have cancer-fighting (antiproliferative) properties. Phytochemicals in apples (hydroxycinnamic acids, D-glucaric acid, oligomeric procyanidins) help in preventing mutations, promoting the demise of cancerous growths and limiting cancer spread.
3. One orange (130 grams) provides about 62 calories, 15.3 grams of carbohydrates, 1.2 grams of protein and 3.1 grams of fibre.
The fruit is a rich source of Vitamin C and also contains Vitamin A, thiamine, folates, calcium, and potassium; its 170 different phytonutrients and 60+ flavonoids have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and blood clot-inhibiting properties and are strong antioxidants.
Oranges are heart-healthy -- their potassium content helps lower blood pressure, protecting against stroke and cardiac arrhythmias. What's more, polymethoxylated flavones (PMF) found in citrus fruit peels lower cholesterol more effectively than some prescription drugs, and without side effects.
Limonin in oranges and other citrus fruits help fight mouth cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer and colon cancer. Limonin is a potent anti-carcinogen that may continuously prevent cancerous cells from proliferating.
Oranges also help prevent kidney stones. They help increase urinary pH value and increase citric acid excretion, reducing the risk of calcium oxalate stones forming.
And a daily glass of freshly squeezed orange juice can significantly lower your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
4. Pineapples: its nutritional benefits are as fascinating as their anatomy. “Pineapples contain high amounts of vitamin C and manganese,” said San Diego-based nutritionist Laura Flores. These tropical treats are also a good way to get important dietary fiber and bromelain (an enzyme).
“As well as having high amounts of manganese, which is important for antioxidant defenses, pineapples also contain high amounts of thiamin, a B vitamin that is involved in energy production,” Flores said. For all its sweetness, one cup of pineapple chunks contains only 82 calories. Pineapples are also fat-free, cholesterol-free and low in sodium. Not surprisingly, they do contain sugar, with 16 grams per cup
5. One pear weighs about 166 grams; it provides about 98 calories and contains 25 grams of carbohydrates and 3.9 grams of fibre.
The fruit contains Vitamin C, and Vitamin K as well as the mineral copper, antioxidants that prevent oxidative damage to cells. Vitamin C also stimulates white blood cells to fight infections.
Pear fibre binds to bile salts and carries them out of the body. Bile is essential for digestion and the body will need to use up more Cholesterol to produce bile salts -- thus, pears lower cholesterol levels.
In addition, the fibre protects against colon and breast cancer.
6. One cup (150 grams) of watermelon provides about 49 calories, contains about six grams of carbohydrates and about 0.9 grams of protein.
Vitamins in the fruit include Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C; minerals include magnesium and potassium.
Powerful antioxidants in watermelon help protect your heart, reducing the risk of heart disease as they prevent free radicals from oxidising cholesterol.
Watermelon also reduces damage caused in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis by neutralising free radicals.
Lycopene in the fruit has antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties and protects the DNA inside white blood cells. Lycopene helps prevent prostate cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancers.
Watermelon consumption also helps reduce the severity of asthma attacks; its antioxidants help reduce the airway spasm that occurs in asthma by neutralising free radicals. Free radicals add to the severity of asthma attacks by causing airways to clamp down and close.
7. African star apple also known as Agbalumo (Yoruba), Udara (Igbo) in Nigeria, is associated with the dry season and has been enjoyed over the years by Nigerians as a fruit. But more studies are supporting its folklore use for treating diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases and drug resistant bacteria.
The fleshy pulp of the fruits is eaten especially as snack and its fruit has been found to have higher contents of ascorbic acid than oranges and guava. It is also reported as an excellent source of vitamins, irons.
A recent study by researchers at the Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Technology, Covenant University Ogun State in Nigeria showed that the local cherry fruit, African star apple (Agbalumo, Udara) lowered blood sugar and cholesterol, and could be useful in preventing and treating heart diseases.
8. : Creamy, rich, and sweet, bananas are a favorite food for everyone from infants to elders. They could not be more convenient to enjoy, and they are a good source of both vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber. Bananas are a good source of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Since one medium-sized banana contains a whopping 400-plus mg of potassium, the inclusion of bananas in your routine meal plan may help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis. Bananas are a fascinating fruit in terms of their carbohydrate and sugar content. Even though bananas are a fruit that tastes quite sweet when ripe—containing 14-15 grams of total sugar—bananas receive a rating of low in their glycemic index (GI) value. GI measures the impact of a food on our blood sugar. Lemons are packed with numerous health benefiting nutrients. The fruit is less in calories, carrying just 29 calories per 100 g, the value being one of the lowest for the citrus fruits group.
9. Mango fruit is rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidant compounds.According to new research study, mango fruit has been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. Several trial studies suggest that polyphenolic anti-oxidant compounds in mango are known to offer protection against breast and colon cancers. Mango fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin-A and flavonoids like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene,and beta-cryptoxanthin. 100 g of fresh fruit provides 765 IU or 25% of recommended daily levels of vitamin-A. Together; these compounds have been known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision.
Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotenes is known to protect the body from lung and oral cavity cancers. Fresh mango is a good source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 156 mg of potassium while just 2 mg of sodium.
Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. It is also a very good source of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin-C and vitamin-E. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.
Vitamin B-6 or pyridoxine is required for GABA hormone production within the brain. It also controls homocystiene levels within the blood, which may otherwise be harmful to blood vessels resulting in CAD, and stroke.
Further, it composes moderate amounts of copper. Copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as co-factors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Copper is also required for the production of red blood cells. Additionally, mango peel is also rich in phytonutrients, such as the pigment antioxidants like carotenoids and polyphenols.
10. Lemons: Yes i saved the best for last! They contains zero saturated fats or cholesterol, but are good source of dietary fiber (7.36% of RDA). Lemon is one of the very low glycemic fruits. lemon's acidic taste is because of citric acid. Citric acid constitutes up to 8% in its juice. Citric acid is a natural preservative, aids in smooth digestion, and helps dissolve kidney stones. Lemons, like other fellow citrus fruits, are an excellent source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid); provides about 88% of daily recommended intake. Ascorbic acid is a powerful water soluble natural anti-oxidant.
This vitamin is helpful in preventing scurvy. Besides, consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the blood. Lemons, like oranges, contain a variety of phytochemicals. Hesperetin, naringin, and naringenin are flavonoid glycosides commonly found in citrus fruits. Naringenin is found to have bio-active effect on human health as antioxidant, free radical scavenger, anti-inflammatory, and immune system modulator. This substance has also been shown to reduce oxidant injury to DNA in the cells in-vitro studies. Additionally, they also compose a minute levels of vitamin A, and other flavonoid anti-oxidants such asα, and ß-carotenes, ß-cryptoxanthin, zea-xanthin and lutein. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties.
Vitamin A also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also essential for vision. Consumption of natural fruits rich in flavonoids helps the body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. Total ORAC value, which measures the anti-oxidant strength of 100 g of fresh lemon juice is 1225 µmol TE (Trolex equivalents). The fruit is also a good source of B-complex vitamins such as pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, and folates. These essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish. Further, they carry a healthy amount of minerals like iron, copper, potassium, and calcium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids helps control heart rate and blood pressure.
there you go. please note that the list is not conclusive, go out and explore and you just might be surprised at what you find.
Are there other fruits you like? Please tell me about them and remeber to follow my blog via bloglovin to get instant updates on posts.
Till next time,
xx
Olubunmi
references
www.noom.com, www.informationafrica.com, www.rediff.com, www.nutritionandyou.com,
all pictures taken from the web.
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