Fruit Nutrition Facts

 Eating fruits regularly benefits your body as they are natural sources of
vitamins and minerals, which are essential for the proper functioning of
the body.

 Rich in dietary fiber, fruits help improve the functioning of the digestive
tract, thereby reducing the chances of constipation and diverticulosis.

 Fruits are an important part of a healthy diet as they give ample energy
without adding any unnecessary calories.

 Fruits contain minimal sodium and harmful fats, so they are healthy for
your heart.

 Fruits are rich in potassium, which is important to keep your blood

pressure regulated.

 Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, is abundantly found in fruits, precisely

citrus fruits. They are consumed widely for the common cold, wound
healing, healthy skin, teeth, gums, and to keep the lymphatic system
healthy.

 Dry fruits are excellent laxatives and they also are a great natural
remedy for anemic conditions, acidosis, fever, and sexual weakness.
They help in healthy weight gain and promote eye, teeth, and bone
health.

 Fruits are a rich source of folic acids, which is the most important
nutrient for pregnant women. Folate is known to reduce the risk of
neural tube defects, anencephaly, and spina bifida occurring during fetal
development.

Health Benefits of Fruits

Eating fruits and vegetables may promote emotional well-being among
healthy young adults. Research suggests that good mood may lead to a
greater preference for healthy foods overindulgent foods. The other benefits of
fruits are listed in detail below.
Boost Energy
When you eat fruits, your supply of energy increases in no time; this is one of
the prime benefits of fruits that we can utilize in our busy schedules. This is
the reason why athletes often eat fruit during and after exercise and why diets
for pregnant mothers almost always involve fruits.

Heart Health
Fruits like apricot, apple, banana, cantaloupe, berries, grapefruit, and orange
are great for protecting your heart as they are rich in flavonoids, carotenoids,
fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Fruits also contain vitamins like vitamin A,
vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and folate, all of which aid in
regulating cholesterol levels and preventing diseases like stroke,
atherosclerosis, and heart attack.

Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a condition troubling a majority of people around the globe.
While fruits are healthy for everyone, the ones with greater carb content are
not recommended for diabetics. Fruits like apple, avocado, cherry, banana,
orange, peach, plum, etc., have a low glycemic index (GI) – less than 55, and
they help in controlling the blood sugar levels. Also, processed and canned
fruits are not healthy as they contain artificial sweeteners, so always eat fresh
fruits to reap maximum benefits.

Cancer
Vitamin-rich fruits are great for prevention and treatment of many types of
cancer like liver cancer and breast cancer. These include soursop, goji berry,
camu camu and citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, etc., When consumed
regularly, fruits have the ability to show hepatoprotective properties which help
in driving away cancer.

Blood Pressure
Potassium-rich fruits like banana, apple, melons, plums, pear, apricots, and
mango help in lowering hypertension. This mineral has been connected to
regulating blood pressure owing to its vasodilating properties.
Kidney Stones
Fruits are rich in vitamin C, which helps in treating kidney stones. Citrus fruits
like oranges and lemons are great for reducing your chances of suffering from
kidney stones. Also, fruits are low in sodium, which is great news for people
suffering from the painful condition.

Bone Health
Fruits like grapefruit and orange are rich in calcium and vitamin K, both of
which aid in maintaining healthy bones and also help improve the bone
mineral density.

Prevent Diseases
The combination of powerful flavonoids, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins,
phytochemicals, and the countless micro and macronutrients make fruits very
advantageous for your health. The daily consumption of fresh fruits lowers the
risk of strokes, high blood pressure, indigestion, cancer, heart disease,
diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Some fruits like bananas contain vital
chemicals such as potassium, which helps prevent strokes, high blood
pressure, and anxiety. Fruit consumption basically eliminates vitamin and
mineral deficiencies and their associated symptoms. Fruits also have high
quantities of water and fiber in them, which helps keep your digestive tract
clean and your weight under control.

Aid in Digestion
Fibrous fruits aid the digestive process in the body. The skin of some fruits is
also rich in dietary fiber, which is a major contributing factor in proper
digestion and the excretion process of your body, while simultaneously
keeping you safe from problems like gastritis and constipation. However, in
some cases, the skin is thick, like in lemons, bananas, melons, and oranges,
and cannot be consumed by humans. In those cases, the edible part of the
flesh within the skin has plenty of fiber as well.

The fiber content in fruit not only has a brilliant laxative effect but also makes
you feel full by adding bulk nutrition to the diet. Fibrous fruits also benefit
conditions like heart diseases by reducing hyperlipidemia and hypertension,
diabetes mellitus and obesity. Owing to this fibrous composition, fruits also
have anti-carcinogenic properties and are known to prevent colon cancer and
fight bowel irregularity disorders.

Weight Loss
Once you start including a significant amount of fruits in your diet, you will
begin to see that your weight is being controlled and your health is improving.
However, fruits alone cannot reduce your weight. You also need to exercise
regularly.

Many surveys done in America showed effective weight reduction after fruits
were included in the family’s diet. Dr. Joanne L. Slavin from the Department of
Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, suggests that a person
who habitually eats fruits will be less inclined to have snacks and junk foods
between meals that hardly have any nutritional value. Also, fruits are
composed of 90-95% water, having a powerful diuretic effect on your body,
thereby flushing out the nitrogenous wastes and unwanted toxins from the
body.

One example of this is lychee, a fruit that is a great laxative with a negligible
amount of calories, and no saturated fats or cholesterol. It also helps to cut
down excess body weight. Except for a few fruits like coconuts, avocados,
and olives, fruits are usually fat-free.

Skin Care
Fruits keep your skin supple and hydrated, and nourish it with essential
vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; thereby retaining your radiant skin for a
long period of time. In fact, if you are tired of using the commercial anti-pimple
creams, just try including fruits like berries, apples, or bananas into your daily
diet and see the acne disappear quite quickly. Acne is one of the most
irritating skin disorders that can affect people of any age. With a good amount
of fruit in your diet, you can naturally curb this problem rather than opting for
expensive dermatological creams. Acne mostly occurs from skin infections
and dermatological issues, but there are other reasons for such eruptions as
well. Apples are the best option for treating acne; eat the skin of the apple,
which has a high level of pectin that helps control constipation, which can be a
trigger for acne. Bananas also help to alleviate acne, as they are high in fiber
that again relieves constipation. Berries have excellent cleansing properties
and keep you protected from skin disorders. If you eat grapes during the day,
it helps to cleanse your skin and body. Papayas rejuvenate your skin and
repair minor damage that you may not even notice, lemon juice slowly
eliminates the signs and scars from acne spots.

Apart from including fruits in your diet, try to watch your other food habits as
well. Reduce caffeine consumption since it increases certain hormones in
your body and thus increases acne. Cut down on red meat and dairy intake as
well, since they aggravate your hormonal generation, resulting in acne. You
should also keep your skin clean by frequently washing with herbal soap or
mild face wash.

Healthy Hair
Just as fruits enhance the radiance of your skin, they also contribute greatly to
long and healthy hair. Vitamin A brings luster to your hair and also softens its
texture. If you have fruits on an empty stomach, it will prevent hair loss and
premature graying. Citrus fruits are excellent hair stimulants. The vitamin C
content in citrus fruits prevents hair loss and keeps your hair shiny and
healthy. Fruits like kiwis, strawberries, and pineapple are also known for
aiding hair growth. Fruits even ensure healthy hair growth and keep your locks
lustrous and soft.

The benefits of fruit for your hair health can also be enjoyed through hair
masks. Melon and banana hair masks are recommended by many beauty
professionals for hair care at home. You can also make a paste of lemon juice
and aloe vera and apply it to your hair. Keep the paste on for approximately
45 minutes and then thoroughly wash your hair with mild shampoo. These
packs not only improve hair quality but also eliminate scalp disorders like
dandruff and itching. Avocado has an impressive amount of vitamin E, which
is widely known to be very good for hair. Avocado hair masks strengthen hair
and delay premature graying of your hair. Coconuts are also very good for
healthy hair growth. Coconut oil is used extensively throughout the tropical
world for hair care.

Multi-morbidity
A 2014 research published in the Clinical Nutrition journal suggests
that greater consumption of vegetable, whole grain products, and fruits may
lower the risk of multimorbidity.

Fruit vs Fruit Juice

Did you ever wonder which form of fruit gives you more nutrition – whole fruits
or fruit juices?

 It is actually difficult to say which one gives more nutrition. Although

eating whole fruit is considered to be the best way of attaining the full
benefits of fruits, fruit juices are also easy and healthy options. Of
course, if the fruit juice is composed of 100% fruit without extra
preservatives or additives, then it has the same nutritional value.

 Fruit juices are available in two forms, 100% fruits juices and as fruit
pulp + water + sugar. In both cases, preservatives and additives are
added to increase the shelf life of the juice. Very few juices contain no
preservatives.

 Homemade fruit juice contains the same fiber content as whole fruits,
provided you don’t add artificial flavors and preservatives. However, if
bought from the store, these juices may not have the equal fiber content
after the vigorous processing. Moreover, when you consume processed
juices, you are at a risk of unhealthy weight gain.

 When you make fruit juice at home, try to add the edible skin of the
fruits to the juice to gain even more nutritional value.

How to Store Fruits?

 Try not to keep fruits in very hot or very cold places, this reduces their
shelf life – a moderate, dry, cool temperature is suggested for storage.

Right Time to take fruits

The best time to eat fruits is first thing in the morning after a glass of water or  when you
have an empty stomach when you have an empty stomach. Eating fruits right after a meal is not a
great idea, as it may not be digested properly. The nutrients may not be absorbed properly
either. You need to leave a gap of at least 30 minutes between a meal and a fruit snack.

List of fruits for diabetes

Low GI and GL fruits
Some fruits have a GI of under 55 and a GL under 10, including.

 apples
 avocados
 bananas
 berries
 cherries
 grapefruit
 grapes
 kiwi fruit
 nectarines
 orange
 peaches
 pears
 plums
 strawberries

Medium-GI fruits (GI of 56 to 69)

A fruit with a GI of between 56 and 69 is considered to be a medium-GI food.

All fruits listed below still have GL levels under 10.

 honeydew melon
 figs
 papayas
 pineapples
High-GI fruits

Fruits with a GI higher than 70 are high-GI and a GL of greater than 20 is high
GL. While these are safe to eat with diabetes, it is important to eat larger
quantities of lower-GI fruits instead.

 dates (high GL)

 watermelon (low GL)