GRAB ON FRUITS!

 GRAB ON FRUITS!

Ever wondered why we eat fruits? Let me tell you why fruits are considered in the list of healthy foods besides the benefits of eating them as well.

As we know Fruits are included in every day-to-day meal in different forms and they have a range of nutrients. Apart from these fruits even have different bioactive compounds like Phytochemicals, Vitamins, minerals and fibers. These compounds include flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamin c, Potassium, calcium and the others.

These components have been recognized to possess Anti-allergic, Anti-inflammatory, Antiviral, Anti-proliferative and Anti-carcinogenic activities. Which means they prevent an allergic response and tend to control allergic symptom, relieve muscle pain, reduce inflammation, and bring down a high temperature. They also kill virus and suppress its ability to replicate.

Nonetheless they even retard the spread of cells and inhibit the development of cancer. These components even protect our body from ROS (reactive oxygen species).

WHAT ARE REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES?

Electrons transfer from one atom to another and represent our metabolism. However, problems may arise when the electron flow becomes uncoupled, this generates free radicals called as Reactive Oxygen Species, which are very harmful for human body.

ROLE OF ANTIOXIDANTS!

Antioxidants are the substances which scavenge free radicals and will help our body to decrease the incidence of ROS and induced damage. They even increase our immune strength to fight the antigens and protect our body from incidence of diseases.

From a physiological point of view, vitamin C is involved in many processes acting also as a powerful antioxidant and regenerates other antioxidants within the body. Individuals with the common cold and also pneumonia correlate with low vitamin C levels. Positive effects of vitamin C merging with other antioxidants are also seen in shortening the duration of common cold.

ANTI OXIDANTS AND COVID 19.

As we know, COVID-19 has emerged as a multi-organ disorder, which produces its infectious effects through a quite global target at the level of multiple organs, in which ROS and Inflammatory process play relevant roles. Thus, besides the development of a pharmacological therapy, in the field of alternative healthy food-derived antioxidants also play a key role in reducing the flow of Covid-19 and post covid-19 illness.

WHICH FRUITS WILL HELP YOU TO STAY HEALTHY BY PROVIDING ALL THE ANTIOXIDANTS?

Many fruits are high in antioxidants, packed with vitamins, and beneficial in a myriad of ways. These include Apples, plums, bananas, cranberries, red grapes, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, figs, cherries, pears, guava, oranges, apricots, mangoes, red grapes and many more.

There are many studies indicating that fruit intake is associated to lower the risk of many serious diseases which includes heart diseases, stroke and type 2 Diabetes.

HOW MANY SERVINGS OF FRUITS SHOULD YOU CONSUME EVERYDAY?

Current nutrition guidelines recommend that consuming 2–4 servings of fruit per day is marked as healthy and a good practice. Few diabetic people skip fruits from their diet as they belief that fruits increase blood sugar levels but studies show that when sugar is consumed in a whole fruit, it has very little effect on blood sugar levels.

RIGHT TIME TO EAT FRUITS.

Eating fruit with a meal can slow the emptying of your stomach but only by a small amount. This is actually a good thing as it may help you feel fuller and more cut back on calories as well. Whether eaten on an empty stomach or with meal your digestive system absorbs all the nutrients from the fruit so you don’t worry when to eat. For diabetics eating fruit with a meal works well. If you are capable of digesting your fruit at night then have it , there is no such time to consume fruit . Fruits have all the nutrients no matter when you eat it.

10 MYTHS(MISBELIEVES) ABOUT EATING FRUITS!

•If you have diabetes, you can’t eat fruits.

•Only oranges have vitamin c.

•Eating fruits only on empty stomach is healthy.

•Eating fruit will make you gain weight.

•You should not eat fruits post meal.

•You should not eat fruit before going to bed.

•Eating fruit as soon as you wake-up help in easier nutrient absorption.

•Drinking fruit juice is as healthy as eating a whole fruit.

•You can have as many fruits as you can.

•Mixing fruit with yogurt will decrease its nutritional quality.

BOTTOM LINE.

Fruits are a pack full of Nutrients. Eating them will help you maintain good health and lowers the risk of diseases. Either you eat them before meal, with meal or post meal they provide similar nutrition.

SHREYA THAKUR.