5 Super Fruits that must included in our diet to stay in the pink of health!
Synthetic is passe, natural food is in. And in keeping with the trend, let us check 5 top fruits with their essential nutrients to beat the current pandemic to the punch.
Apples
I have been eating apples religiously every day from the time I can remember, and that’s what’s keeping the doctors away, probably (going by the proverb-an apple a day keeps the doctor away)!
The above is a funny, old axiom that sums up all the qualities of this lovely tasting superfruit in one sentence. For ages, we didn’t pay enough thought to its super-powerful nutritional and medicinal values, but the recent crisis (COVID-19), has nudged us to give it close attention. Revisiting its super-duper nutrients is the need of the (immunity-boosting spree) hour!
Though it comes in two major varieties, green and red, we are concerned with the red one here, since that’s readily available vis-à-vis its green counterpart.
Rich in vitamin C and fiber, let’s understand the fruit’s various benefits in a nutshell:
Fibrous: High in fiber content, it helps clean teeth and fights bad breath. Moreover, the acidity in the apple helps kill off bad bacteria, cleanses our stomach, and maintains gut health. Apples are also good for lowering cholesterol.
Antioxidants/Vitamin C/Polyphenols:-We have been hearing too much about apple’s vitamin C nutrient, which is a great anti-oxidant and an immunity booster.
-Another antioxidant is phytochemicals, produced by plants and which saves cells from damage that could lead to cancer, and are great antioxidants too-similar to vitamin C!
-It has polyphenols, that are made of flavanols (catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidins), phenolic acids (mainly chlorogenic acid), dihydrochalcones (phloretin glycosides), flavonols (quercetin glycosides), and anthocyanins (cyanidin).
Apart from being an antioxidant, it helps protect against ultraviolet radiation and increases skin glow and youthfulness. Good for your beauty!
Vitamin B: B complex vitamins in the apple like riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamin B-6 maintain blood cells and keep your nervous system strong while giving you apple cheeks at the same time!
Vitamin K: A group of vitamins that the body needs for blood clotting, to prevent excess bleeding, and for healthy bones. So, if you are an athlete or a fitness freak, or need extra calcium for your growing age, this is the right choice!
The fruit with its various health benefits is low in calories, has high water and low-fat content.
Furthermore, the peel of an apple is rich in vitamins and minerals, so the fruit should be eaten along with the peel for greater nourishment.
Berries
Berries are citrus in nature with high vitamin C content. So, they work primarily as antioxidants and immunity boosters. No wonder, they are occupying the top of the (pandemic) panic that struck the public’s minds after the medical frat’s maximum outcries to improve immunity, given the fact that high immunity is being touted as the most efficient treatment for the deadly coronavirus!
There are about 400 species of berries at present according to the botanical society’s data, but given their wild nature and cross-fertilization with varieties (not species), the possibility of new hybrids cannot be ruled out in the near future, and, as such, their exact number cannot be inferred at all.
Most berries are tartish in nature. And besides vitamin C and antioxidants, berries have myriad other nutritional components as well, like potassium, manganese, fiber, etc.
Strawberries, blueberries, gooseberries, blackberries, raspberries, goji berries, bilberries, boysenberries, acai berries, cranberries, and grapes are some varieties of berries that are easily available in the market and which must be included in our daily diet.
Let’s have a snapshot of the fruits’ health benefits:-
Works as antioxidants: Berries are a great source of anthocyanins, ellagic acid and resveratrol and a great antioxidant to fight free radicals.
–Are good immunity boosters: Mineral contents like selenium and vitamin B like riboflavin and niacin in berries help to boost immunity.
–Are great for skin health: The antioxidants help control free radicals and avoid the formation of wrinkles. Ellagic acid contributes to skin-related benefits.
–Improves blood sugar and insulin reaction: fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants help manage blood sugar.
–Are high in fiber: fiber slows down food movement, kills hunger and gives a feeling of fullness, and also lowers cholesterol.
–Are low in calories: They are fat-free and as such can be eaten without a feeling of remorse.
–Has copper, folate, and vitamin K1: Phytonadione is good for blood clotting problems and blood thinning. Folate is good for blood cell formation and healthy cell growth and function.
–Fights inflammation: Anthocyanins reduces inflammation, boosts immunity and reduces heart disease risk.
–Helps keep arteries clean: Cleans the plaque inside the arteries and reverses coronary artery disease.
Avocados
They come in different varieties: in black and green colors, and pear and round shapes. Haas is the most popular variety amongst them; shaped like a pear, it has green, bumpy skin like that of an alligator. It is also called butter fruit.
The constituents of an Avocado are cited in descending order as below:
Vitamin K: produces prothrombin that helps in protein and blood clotting, regulation, and bone management.
Folate: is great for blood cell increase and management. Helps procreation.
Vitamin C: is a great antioxidant and immunity booster. It is great for maintaining the glow of the skin.
Potassium: reduces blood pressure, water retention, prevents strokes, osteoporosis and kidney stones.
Vitamin B5: is needed for healthy hair, skin, eyes, digestive tract, blood cells to help sex and procreation.
Vitamin B6: is pyridoxine that helps protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism and the creation of red blood cells and neurotransmitters.
Vitamin E: enhances immune function, prevents clots, improves heart, improves eye vision, cognitive function and neurodegenerative disease.
Guava
Guavas are high in vitamin C, potassium, iron, and fiber. Fiber helps maintain gut health while vitamin C is an antioxidant as well as an immunity booster. It clears the skin, gives it a glow and keeps it healthy, and absorbs iron in the body.
Fiber helps lower cholesterol and fights type 2 diabetes. Moreover, vitamin B helps maintain blood cells which helps fight tiredness, aids weight loss, relieves painful menstruation, and aids procreation.
Potassium regulates fluid balance, regulates heartbeats, improves protein synthesis, glycogen synthesis, regulates blood pressure, helps muscle contraction, kidney stones, and nerve conduction. It’s best eaten with the peel and not on an empty stomach.
Papaya
Papaya is yellow in color and sweet to eat. It is high in antioxidants like vitamin C and E. Diets high in antioxidants may reduce the risk of heart disease. Moreover, they prevent cholesterol from building up. The high fiber cleans the gut and reduces heart attack risk, while vitamin A is good for the eyes, and skin. Vitamin C and E are antioxidants. Vitamin C works as an immunity booster.
If you like, you can eat the black seeds, which have a peppery bite. Scoop the flesh out with a melon baller or spoon. A squeeze of fresh lime juice helps temper the sweetness.
Papaya also has folic acid, which is essential for converting amino acid homocysteine into less harmful amino acid and papain and chymopapain that help reduce inflammation and digest protein, and lycopene (found in fruits that are red, yellow, or orange in color), which reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
Summary:
Although all fruits are nutritious, some stand out because of their high levels of nutrients and plant compounds. If you’re looking to improve your diet quality and reap fruits’ health benefits, try out some of the foods above. Good health is best supported by eating a variety of nutritious fruits every day. These 5 powerful Fruits will surely help us beat Corona while also ensuring that we are always in the pink of health!
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