Why you need to eat fruits

Why you need to eat fruits

Fruits are the edible sweet and fleshy product of a tree or other plant that contain seeds. They are nutritious and also essential to your health. Many studies have proven how beneficial fruits are to the human body.

However, there are still people who would rather go for junks instead of a healthy choice which is fruits and vegetables. Therefore, there is a need to educate everyone on the benefits of taking fruits, how fruits can help weight loss and how you can identify a good fruit.

Firstly, what are the benefits of taking fruits? Fruits provide numerous benefits as summarized below.

1. They keep diseases away

Daily consumption of fruits helps to keep illness away. Some of these illnesses are high blood pressure, stroke, indigestion, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases. This is made possible with credits to the combination of powerful flavonoids, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals and the countless micro and macronutrients which can be found in fruits.

2. Fruits give you smooth and radiant skin

Certain fruits like banana, papaya, cucumber have been attributed to facial treatment because they help fight acne and pimples. You can include berries, apples and banana into your diet and watch your skin look fresh and radiant. Fruits also keep your skin supple and hydrated and nourishes it with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

3. They supply you with instant energy

Fruits supply instant energy in no time. This explains why athletes take fruit before and after training because they supply instant energy; also, pregnant women are advised to take lots of fruits.

4. Fruits aid healthy hair growth

Fruits have always been good source of vitamins and nutrients, making them the main source of healthy diet. It is not surprising to know that fruits can improve hair growth, strength and quality. Fruits like orange, apples, strawberry, avocado and pineapple are very beneficial to hair growth.

Now, how can fruits aid weightloss?

Weightloss is often achieved through different strategies and one of those strategies is through healthy eating, which entails eating lots of fruits. Fruits help to achieve weightloss because they contain lots of fiber.

According to a report by the National Institute of Health newsletter, people on high fiber diets tend to eat about 10 percent fewer calories. In addition, other large studies found that people who have a high intake of fiber tend to weigh less. This is made possible because fiber is an indigestible plant-based carbohydrate which is quite filling and has no calories.

However, consumption of fruits alone cannot help attain weightloss. It can be achieved with the combination of exercise, dieting, and healthy eating.

How to identify good fruits

Look out for the following things below to identify if the fruit is a good one.

  • Check for molds on the fruit, if you find any do not buy it
  • Check the color if it is the right color of the fruit
  • Look for spots and bruises to know the handle rate of the fruit
  • Buy fruits during them the right season
  • Feel them carefully before buying

Conclusively, we will start a series on fruits and vegetables. The aim to help you get to know more about fruits and go for more healthy choices.

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Ramadan, you and your health

Ramadan, you and your health

Alhamdulillah the glorious month is here again. The month to reap multiple rewards and gain nearness to Allah.  Although it’s a month of losing sins, we can still make it a month of losing weight and getting used to healthy eating habits.

Ramadan is when you can potentially lose a lot of muscle tone and hinder your fitness goal. You don’t have to spoil all the hard works you have been doing all this while. You should understand your goal and be realistic.

With Ramadan, you can learn how to manage your eating habits, improve self-control and discipline.

Ramadan, you and your health

Normally, the body enters into a fasting mode 8 hours after the last  meal, when the gut finishes absorption of nutrients from the food.

In the normal state, body glucose which is stored in the liver and muscles is the body’s main source of energy.

However, during a fast, the stored glucose is used up first to provide energy. Later in the fast, once the stored glucose runs out, fat becomes the next stored source of energy for the body. As Ramadan fast only extends from dawn till dusk, there is ample opportunity to replenish energy stores at pre-dawn and dusk meals.

This provides a progressive gentle transition from using glucose to fat as the main source of energy and prevents the breakdown of muscle for protein. The use of fat for energy aids weightloss, preserving the muscles and in the long run reduces your cholesterol levels.

After a few days of the fast, higher levels of a certain hormone called endorphins are released resulting in a better level of alertness and an overall feeling of general mental well-being.

To benefit maximally from this month and improve your health, here is my advice:

  • Your meals must contain adequate level of energy food such carbohydrates and healthy fats to prevent muscle breakdown.
  • Meals should be simple and not different from your everyday diet.
  • Your diet should contain complex carbohydrates that will help release energy slowly during the long hours of fasting. Consider eating foods such as oats,  wheat, millet,  beans and  lentils for this purpose.
  • Also consider fibre rich foods such as grain, wheat, potatoes, vegetables, because they are digested slowly.
  • Avoid heavily processed fast burning foods that contain refined carbohydrates. These foods come in form of sugar, white flour, cakes, chocolate etc.
  • Avoid too much fatty foods.
  • Stay away from caffeine as it stimulates faster water loss through urination.

What you should eat

For the pre-dawn meals, chose slow digesting foods that are filling and provide energy for many hours. Examples of such foods are:

  • Sweet Potato
  • Brown rice
  • Ofada rice
  • Whole wheat bread
  • Oat
  • Banana

Bananas are high in potassium. A banana at this  time can control your thirst level throughout the day.

Other sources of potassium  are

  • Milk
  • Dates
  • Avocados
  • Dried peaches
  • Pistachios
  • Pumpkin
  • Peas
  • Dark chocolate

Balance your food and water fluid intake. This is very vital. You should take lots of water between Iftar and Suhoor. Drinking enough water at Suhoor is important, but not as much as drinking it throughout your non-fasting hours.

Now to break your fast, (Iftar), consider the following foods:

  • Dates, because they are refreshing and provide the energy you need.
  • Fruits in form of juices and smoothies should also be included.
  • Meals at Iftar should also be light. This will help you to remain alert for the Tarawih prayers.
  • You may have desserts after Tarawih prayers.
  • You may also decide to have cups of tea but avoid meals very close to bedtime.

May Allah accept our fasts.

Do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions concerning your diet and fitness routines. Also, go here to download a free meal plan I designed to ease your eating options this month.

RAMADAN MUBARAK FROM ALL OF US AT SLIM FIT U SOLUTIONS.

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10 health benefits of avocado

Health benefits of avocado

Fruits have so many nutritional values for the body which justifies why doctors always advise their patients to always take one fruit per day. One of such fruits with high nutrients is avocado.

Avocado is the fruit of the avocado tree majorly found in South Central Mexico. It is also known as an alligator pear and classified as a member of the flowering plant family called Lauraceae. Avocados have a green-skinned, fleshy body, which is mostly seen in a pear shape.

Over the years, numerous studies have shown the health benefits of avocado. Below are some of these health benefits.

1. Avocado is loaded with healthy fat

Avocado is one of the fruits that contains the highest amount of fat (which is 77%). The fat in avocado is from Oleic acid which studies have shown is heart friendly (i.e. it does no harm to the heart). This acid has also been linked to helping reduce inflammation and providing a lot of beneficial value on genes linked to cancer.

2. Avocado contains fiber

A large amount of fiber can be found in avocado. Fiber is a part of plant food that is indigestible, it passes through the digestive system, absorbing water along the way and it also helps bowel movements.

Research has also shown that fiber in avocado has helped people to achieve weightloss and also maintain a healthy weight. Fibre in avocado is also useful for the following:

  • It helps to lower risk of contracting many diseases
  • Controls blood sugar level,
  • It helps to prevent a heart attack
  • It also helps to prevent acne and skin rash.

3. It prevents the risk of eyes disease

Avocado contains lutein and zeaxanthin which are good for the eyes. They protect your eyes from dangerous high-energy light waves like ultraviolet rays in sunlight. They also decrease the risk of eyes infection.

4. Avocado contains potassium

Potassium is a component that we cannot ignore its beneficial effects because it plays a key role in helping us to attain good health.

According to Lawrence Appel (MD, MPH), a professor of medicine, epidemiology, and international health at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, he mentioned that: “Potassium in the diet lowers blood pressure. High blood pressure is the major risk factor for stroke and heart disease.” Furthermore, potassium reduces the risk of kidney failure and heart attack.

5. It contains vitamin C and vitamin A

Vitamins C and A are essential vitamins​ for the body. “Vitamin C has received a great deal of attention, and with good reason. Higher blood levels of vitamin C may be the ideal nutrition marker for overall health,” “the more we study vitamin C, the better our understanding of how diverse it is in protecting our health, from cardiovascular, cancer, stroke, eye health [and] immunity to living longer”, says study researcher Mark Moyad, MD, MPH, of the University of Michigan.

The above statement has helped explained the benefits of vitamin C.
On the other hand, vitamin A is also as important as vitamin C because it helps to provide good sight, fights against inflammation and helps to prevent cancer amongst other benefits.

6. It is also good for pregnant women

Avocado provides a vitamin called folate, which helps to prevent birth defect as well as heart defects during pregnancy.

7. It reduce symptoms of arthritis

Avocado reduces the symptom of arthritis in the body. Avocado provides food supplements that help to treat and also suppress the symptoms of arthritis, mostly in the knee and hip area.

8. Avocado prevents liver disease

It contains glutathione, this helps to prevent chronic liver disease. Avocado is also rich in vitamin C and E, these two nutrients help to deactivate free radicals. By deactivating free radicals, you protect your liver cells from damage. Avocado provides anti-inflammatory properties which support your liver health.

9. It helps to get rid of bad breath

Studies have shown that the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of flavonoids found in avocado have helped to get rid of bad breath. This is because flavonoids have the ability to kill the bacteria in your mouth.

10. It helps to prevent oral cancer

Studies have also shown that avocado can help prevent oral cancer due to its overall nutritional contents.

With the above-listed health benefits of avocado, do yourself some good and get one today!

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