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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5 health benefits of carrots

5 health benefits of carrots

Carrot is an important vegetable with lots of health benefits, little wonder why every 4th of April is an International Carrot day. To buttress our point, we have put together the major 5 health benefits of carrots below.

1. It improves vision

Carrots are linked to good eyesight because they are rich in beta-carotene which has proven to protect the eye against macular disintegration and senile cataracts. Also, a study found “that people who eat large amounts of beta-carotene had a 40 percent lower risk of macular degeneration than those who consumed little”.

2. It helps prevent cancer

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, “the antioxidant beta-carotene contained in carrots has the capability to protect cell membranes from oxidative stress and inhibit the growth of cancer cells”.

In addition, natural compound called falcarinol are present in carrots. This natural compound is said to slow down the growth of cancerous lesions when fed to rats. Also, a study carried out in 2011 discovered that carrot juice extract could kill leukemia cells and inhibit their progression.

3. Carrots prevent heart disease

Carrots do not only contain beta-carotene but also alpha-carotene and lutein. These two components help to prevent heart disease. A study of over 20,000 people discovered that a higher intake of deep orange fruit and vegetables and most especially carrots may protect against CHD.

Carrots also contain an essential component which is vitamin K content. Vitamin K triggers the protein Gas6, this compound is said to promote cellular communication, which also includes communication among the cells that make up your heart.

4. It helps your weight loss journey

Carrots contain quite a few calories per gram i.e. they are low in energy mass, which is as a result of their high water and fiber content and low-fat content. Therefore, consuming carrot which has a low energy density makes you more filling and less hungry which helps to control what you take in.

5. It boosts immunity level

A high immunity level is important because it helps fights against disease or virus that may attack the body. Vitamin A helps to build the immunity level of the body and one of the major components of carrot is vitamin A. Carrots also contain a small amount of Vitamin C which also help to boost immunity level.

You will see from the foregoing that carrots are essential food you should always eat. You can add them to your smoothie ingredient, use them in your sauce or eat directly. Will you eat carrots today?

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Shopping list idea for superfoods

Superfoods are those foods that support your weightloss purpose. They are like friends who cheer you on and also like coaches who push you off the couch when all you want to do is lie in all day.

When you incorporate superfoods into your weightloss plan, you will find that it is easier to eat the right food to lose weight than indulge in only rigorous exercise or wonder diet. This is so because eating good food will help you maintain your new shape, unlike if you had used only exercise and stopped.

What are these superfoods that help weightloss?

Superfoods are foods — mostly plant-based but also some fish and dairy — thought to be nutritionally dense and thus good for one’s health. – Livescience

Do not buy into the idea that superfoods are a class of food. Instead, they are foods which contain nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants, all of which keep diseases away from the body.

Here is a shopping list idea for superfoods you should look out for when next you are in the food market.

1. Vegetables

Vegetables top the list of foods that are mostly beneficial to the body. They help in detoxification and contain doses of vitamins such as vitamins A, K and B6. Some vegetables you should add to your list include:

  • Asparagus
  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Lettuce
  • Beets
  • Cucumber
  • Leak
  • Spinach
  • Cabbage
  • Bell pepper

2. Berries

A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Berries are usually juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet or sour, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. – Wikipedia

superfood ideas

Some berries such as strawberries are full of nutritional values such as vitamins C and E, fibre, magnesium and copper. Others such as blackberries contain vitamins and ellagic acid which helps fight cancer. Cherries are high in anthocyanins and bioflavonoids, which are related to reducing joint and muscle discomfort. Examples of berries you should add to your diet include:

  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Black currant
  • Blue berries
  • Cherries
  • Black berry

3. Fruits

Taking 5 servings of fruits per day is highly recommended, so it is just natural that fruits are superfoods. Fruits are full of dietary fibres, folic acid and nutrients which help with the maintenance of your body. Examples of fruits are:

  • Banana
  • Orange
  • Apricots
  • Pawpaw
  • Pineapple
  • Almonds
  • Lemon
  • Kiwi
  • Watermelon
  • Honeydew melon

4. Poultry, fish and diary

Under this category are greek yogurt, eggs, salmon and skinless chicken breasts. These foods are full of proteins and omega 3 fatty acid which are needed for normal body function and good heart health.

Now that you have an idea of what to buy when you go shopping for superfoods, which foods would you like to add to the list? Share with us in the comments section.

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Weightloss friendly foods for your meal plan

Foods

Food relatively influences hunger, hormone generation and calorie burn-down in the human body. This is why some foods are better for weightloss than others, according to science.

For people trying to lose weight, it is a good idea to stick to foods that are weightloss friendly.

Based on their overall effects in the human body, here are top weightloss friendly foods that you should know:

Whole eggs

Egg has almost all the nutrients that the body needs in its yolk. It is very high in protein and can make one feel full without eating large amount of calories.

Kris Gunnars, a nutrition researcher, writes in his post ‘The 20 most weight loss friendly foods on the planet’ on AuthorityNutrition.com that, an ‘8 week study found that eggs for breakfast increased weightloss on a calorie restricted diet.’

Tuna

Tuna fish is a lean fish, meaning it is fish with low fat. It is a low calorie and high protein food.

‘If you’re trying to emphasize protein intake, then make sure to choose tuna canned in water, but not oil,’ Gunnars advises.

Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables are vegetables that are members of the family Cruciferae. These are the gabbage and broccoli family. Apart from being high in fiber, this class of vegetables also contain some amount of protein.

They also contain cancer fighting substances, Gunnars noted.

Soups

Foods with lots of water often have low energy density and they make people feel full without eating too many calories.

‘Some studies have shown that eating the exact same food, except made in a soup instead of as solid food, makes people feel more satiated and eat significantly fewer calories,’ according to Gunnars.

Beans and other legumes

Legumes like beans, lentils, kidney beans, black beans and some others, are highly useful for weightloss. These foods are high in fiber and protein, two nutrients that have been linked to satiety.

But Gunnars warns that ‘the main problem is that a lot of people have problem tolerating legumes. For this reason, it is important to prepare them properly.’

Boiled potatoes

White potatoes score high on satiety index, the scale that measures how filling foods are. On top of that, they contain a large variety of nutrients, a ‘little bit of almost everything’ the body needs.

‘They are particularly high in potassium, a nutrient that most people don’t get enough of and plays an important role in blood pressure control,’ Gunnars mentioned.

Other root vegetables like sweet potatoes are also excellent.

Nuts

Nuts are great snacks. They have a balanced store of nutrients. They contain fiber, protein and healthy fats.

Nuts are high in fats, but are not fattening. However, they are high in calories, so it would be wise to not eat too much of them.

Gunnars writes that, ‘Population studies have also shown that people who eat nuts tend to be healthier, and leaner, than the people who don’t.’

These foods should help you achieve weightloss without having to stay hungry or keep a strict eating timetable.

This list could be useful for your next shopping, you can find it here anytime.

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