We all know that we should increase our intake of fruit and vegetables in our diet. Question is, which fruit to choose and for what? Nutritionist Hong Ya Chee gives Syida Lizta Amirul Ihsan some tips on the best health options from the fruit counter.
Grapefruit
1. Grapefruit is high in enzymes that burn fats, has high water content and less sodium.
“A combination of these three makes grapefruit a perfect food for increasing your body’s metabolism. Try eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice every day and you will notice how quickly you lose those extra kgs,” Hong says.
Apple
2. One apple provides up to 5g fibre, more than many cereals. This helps your digestion.
“Fibre can either pull water out of your colon to keep things moving along when you’re backed up, or absorb excess water from your stool to slow your bowels down,” she says.
A Cornell University study also found that the quercetin in apples may protect brain cells from the kind of free radical damage that may lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
Grape
3. Grapes are rich sources of vitamins A, C, B6 and folate in addition to essential minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and selenium.
Grapes contain flavonoids that are very powerful antioxidants, which can reduce the damage caused
by free radicals and slacken ageing.
Berries
4. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and cranberries are loaded with fibre, which helps you feel full (and eat less).
“They top the charts in antioxidant power, protecting your body against inflammation and free radicals, molecules that can damage cells and organs.”
Pomegranate
5. Pomegranates are full of antioxidants, the vitamins and enzymes known for keeping low-density bad cholesterol from oxidising and causing atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
Passion fruit
6. Passion fruit is a great source of Vitamin A, good for our eyesight. It is also high in fibre and has potassium, an electrolyte that helps maintain your body fluid levels.
Dragon fruit
7. It contains Vitamin C which helps to improve the immune system and heal bruises and open wounds quickly.
“The Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) content in dragon fruit helps our bodies generate a lot more energy and metabolises carbohydrates.”
Orange
8. Orange is known for its Vitamin C, a powerful natural antioxidant.
“Consumption of foods rich in Vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the blood,” she says.
Kiwi
9. It contains calcium which helps to build strong bones and teeth, magnesium and copper to strengthen bones.
“In addition to its bone strengthening properties, copper also facilitates brain development.”
Papaya
10. Papaya contains a lot of essential vitamins to strengthen our immune system. “This fruit contains a high concentration of phytonutrients and is a very good source of Vitamins A, C, and E.”
http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/health/top-picks-ripe-for-the-picking-1.66407
