Fruits and Juices
Nothing like starting the day with a bowl of fresh fruits .Eating fruits in abundance is the most sensible thing that could be done to maintain a healthy living. They are full of fiber and an entire mix of vitamins and minerals, low in calories; making them an important and healthy addition to any diet.
Why Fruits and Juices
Eating a diet rich in fruits and fruit juices as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk of strokes and other cardiovascular diseases, reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer, reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and may help decrease bone loss, eating fruits low in calories per cup instead of other higher-calorie food may be useful in low calorie intake in turn helps lose weight and stay fit.
Most fruits are naturally low in fats, calories, sodium and no cholesterol. They are an important source of many essential nutrients like potassium, dietary fiber, Vitamin C and folate.
- Bananas, prunes, prune juice, dried peaches and apricots, honeydew melon, and orange juice are a rich source of potassium and these help maintain optimum blood pressure.
- Dietary fiber in fruits is important for proper bowel function, helps reduce constipation. Fibrous fruits make you feel fuller with fewer calories. However fruit juices have no fiber content in them.
- Vitamin C is essential for growth and restoring of all body tissues, helps heal wounds and cuts, and keeps gums and teeth healthy.
- Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Pregnant women need to take adequate folate, including folic acid from fortified foods or supplements.
Diet and fruits
- Fill your morning cereal with bananas, strawberries or peaches; drink 100% orange or grapefruit juice, have a fruit mixed with low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
- Make sure to include a bowl of fruit during or after lunch, individual containers of any kind of fruit are convenient if you are at work or traveling.
- Try to add in fruit to meat dishes like chicken with pineapple or boiled grated apples.
- Keep fruits on table tops or in refrigerators so that they act as reminders.
- Have fruit salads or juice prior to half n hour of eating time so that your normal food intake is lessened and helps you lose weight.
- Go pre-cut packages of fruit like melon or pineapple chunks for a healthy snack in no time .Choose packaged fruits that do not contain added sugars.
- Go in for dry fruits too,1/4 cup of dry fruit amounts to ˝ cup normal fruit. These are convenient and easy to carry and less messy. Keep a pack of them in your desk and bags. Have them every half n hour; develop healthy snacking avoiding junk food.
- Every time you go shopping try buying a new variety of fruit which you’ve never had before. Try being a little adventurous in you choices and make the experience more interesting.
- Try mixing fruits like bananas, oranges, strawberries to fat free or low fat yoghurts.
- Include milkshakes and juices.
Have a fruitful day!!!