FRUIT FACTS
Everyone knows eating fruits
is good for health since fruits make your skin glow and your hair healthy.
But what is the best way to eat them? Is eating fruits with their skin more
beneficial? Should you eat fruits before or after a meal? There are many
other questions, which normally bother you. We have thus brought for you
some fruit facts and tried to dispel some myths.
Apple
a day keeps the Doctor away
This is very true and it does keep the doctor away. Infact apples and all
other fruits, for that matter, have proven over time to do nothing but good
for human beings.
It is better to eat fresh fruit
This is also true. When making fruit juice, valuable fibre may be removed.
Sugar may also be added to packaged juices that are bought from
supermarkets. Sugar syrup may also be added to the juices sold at hawker
stalls. So, by drinking juices in place of fruit, you could gain more
calories but miss out on valuable dietary fibre.
Fresh
orange juice is better than frozen concentrate orange juice
This is a myth. Researchers have recently discovered that orange juice made
from frozen concentrate can have higher levels of active Vitamin C than
ready-to-drink orange juice. And once reconstituted, the vitamin in frozen
juices may keep its potency longer. This is because Vitamin C is destroyed
very easily and ready-to-drink orange juice goes through more processing
than concentrates.
Yellow
fruits are rich in vitamin C
This is true. The puld of yellow fruit is a good source of bioflavonoids,
which can help neutralise cancer-causing substances. Colour therapists say
yellow foods are foods associated with the sun, and can raise one's spirits
and boost optimism. Thus eat lots of yellow fruit like bananas, grapefruit,
pineapples, melons, lemon etc.
Red
fruits contain vitamin A
This is true. Red fruits contain beta-carotene, the plant version of vitamin
A. Fruits with a higher level of beta-carotene are redder in colour. Colour
therapists say red fruits have a warming and energising quality. Thus eat
lots of watermelons, cranberries, red apples, raspberries, red cherries, red
plums, strawberries, tomatoes etc.
Green
fruits are good for your heart
This is true. Green fruits are the most vital of all fruits since they
contain a chemical that protects you against heart attack and keeps your
heart healthy. They also protect one against bacteria, thus reducing the
risks of food poisoning and tumours. They are recommended for low blood
pressure and soothing the nerves. Thus you should include avocados, green
grapes, green apples, kiwi fruit, limes etc in your meals.
Orange
fruits keep you fresh and active
This is true. Orange fruits are rich in beta-carotene, which makes one
energetic and active all day long. It is seen by colour therapists as the
colour of creation, and is linked to the mind and ideas. Eat lots of
mangoes, apricots, oranges, nectarines etc.
People
who want to lose weight can go on a fruit-only diet
This is a Myth.The body needs a balanced diet in order to be healthy. Eating
only fruits will deprive the body of the necessary nutrients not found in
fruits.
Popping a Vitamin C capsule is just as good as eating an orange
This is a myth. Fruits and vegetables contain numerous phytochemicals. For
example, broccoli alone may contain as many as 10,000 phytochemicals.
Although phytochemicals have been found to benefit the body in some ways,
the safety of large doses of isolated, purified phytochemicals, as found in
supplement capsules, has not been investigated thoroughly. So, the best and
safest source of phytochemicals is an actual fruit and not a supplement.