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Apples and Pears
fruit with white edible portions, such as pears and apples, can reduce the risk of stroke. Pears and apples are rich in quercetin, a flavonoid, as well as dietary fiber. The skin of these fruits also contain most of the nutrients and antioxidants that are important for your health. Not eating the skin could prevent you from getting the full benefits of these healthy fruits. They are low-glycemic fruits.
Citrus Fruits
lemon juice is used to relieve the pain of bee stings. Oranges were known for it's high content of vitamin C. After consumption, the peel is sometimes used as a facial cleanser. Useful for lowering the risk factors for specific types of kidney stones. Grapefruit is another fruit juice that can be used to lower blood pressure because it interferes with the metabolism of calcium channel blockers. Lemons have the highest concentration of citrate of any citrus fruit, and daily consumption of lemonade has been shown to decrease the rate of stone formation.
Stone Fruits
What they do to the body:
- Create collagen A cup (250 mL) of sliced apricots or plums has about one quarter of your daily vitamin C needs. Vitamin C helps the body form collagen—the main protein in connective tissue—in bones, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels. It also helps to increase iron absorption.
- Care for your nerves and muscles Bored with bananas but want to get enough potassium (key for proper nerve and muscle function)? Two small peaches have slightly more of this essential mineral than a medium banana.
- Sharpen eyesight Apricots are delicious raw, but their carotenoids—antioxidants that give the flesh its vibrant orange colour—become more available to the body when cooked. Beta-carotene, for one, converts to vitamin A to help maintain eyesight, skin membranes and immune function.
- Strengthen bones Two plums contain about one tenth of your daily vitamin K, which helps maintain strong bones. Researchers have found that low levels of vitamin K are associated with an increased incidence of osteoarthritis in hands and knees.
- Stay regular Cut up a peach on your cereal and have a nectarine as a snack. But don’t peel them! The skin provides insoluble fibre that helps prevent constipation.
Bananas
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bananas can be added to smoothies in place of yogurt or ice cream. Low calorie, naturally fat and cholesterol free. Use mashed bananas to substitute for some or all of the butter or oil when making cookies, for a healthier treat. known for their high potassium content necessary for good nerve and muscle function as well as for maintaining a healthy balance of fluids in the body. The potassium in bananas can help prevent muscle cramps after exercise. Contain a good amount of vitamin C. An excellent source of vitamin B-6 to grow new cells. Good source of manganese necessary for bone health and metabolism. Dietary fiber can help you feel fuller longer and also keep your digestive processes running smoothly. Bananas also deliver small amounts of other vitamins and minerals. A banana provides some iron, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus as well as vitamins A and E, folate, carotene and choline. Bananas also contain trace amounts of many amino acids. Eat a banana after a workout to refuel. A banana with breakfast will start your day off right and will give you the energy to make it through to lunch without snacking. Bananas are easy to digest. When you're sick with a virus or indigestion, bananas can be an appealing way to get some important nutrients into your system without upsetting your stomach. Mashed bananas are also often used as an introduction to solid foods for babies. Recipes to try:
Banana Bran Muffins
Banana Split Smoothie
Grapes
Grapes are rich in polyphenolic phytochemical compound resveratrol. Resveratrol is one of the powerful anti-oxidant, which has been found to play a protective role against cancers. Resveratrol reduces stroke risk by altering the molecular mechanisms in the blood vessels. Anthocyanins are another class of polyphenolic anti-oxidants present abundantly in the red grapes. These phyto-chemicals have been found to have an anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial. Catechins, a type of flavonoid tannin group of anti-oxidants, found in the white/green varieties have also shown to possess these health-protective functions. The berries are very low in calories, rich source of micronutrient minerals like copper, iron and manganese. Copper and manganese are an essential co-factor of antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is especially concentrated more in raisins. In addition, 100 g of fresh grapes contain about 191 mg of health benefiting electrolyte, potassium. They are an also good source of vitamin-C, vitamin A, vitamin K, carotenes, B-complex vitamins such as pyridoxine, riboflavin, and thiamin.
Recipe Suggestions:
Grape Jello
Grape Salsa
Melons
Recipe Suggestions:
Grape Jello
Grape Salsa
Melons
- Red-fleshed watermelon is a rich source of the plant pigment lycopene, thus protecting the heart.
- Rich in Vitamin B6 which help maintain body metabolism. Low levels of vitamin B6 were linked to increased inflammation, oxidative stress and metabolic conditions, including diabetes and obesity
- provides a very good source of potassium, a mineral that helps control blood pressure.
- good source of citrulline, a substance the body uses to make the amino acid arginine (which plays an essential role in immune function).
- melons get their bright color from vitamin A.It is important for vision and bone growth. Melon is also a rich source of vitamin C. A powerful antioxidant, vitamin C works to form collagen in your bones, cartilage, muscles and blood vessels.
Recipe Suggestions:
- Greens have very little carbohydrate in them, and the carbs that are there are packed in layers of fiber, which make them very slow to digest.
- Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, probably the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food.
- They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins.
- They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.
- Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K, and even a couple of cups of dark salad greens usually provide the minimum all on their own.
Recipes to Try:
Baby Carrots
Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, and contain high amount of fiber. Beta carotene is important for eyesight, skin health, and normal growth.
Carrots are a good source of fiber, vitamin C and potassium, as well as vitamin B6, folate, and several minerals including calcium and magnesium.
Facts about Carrots:
- Just one medium carrot or a handful of baby carrots counts as one serving of your daily veggies.
- Orange carrots are a great source of beta-carotene. Carrots contain a group of plant pigments called carotenoids, and beta-carotene is a member of this group. These plant pigments were first identified in carrots and therefore their name was derived from the word carrot.
- Our bodies turn beta-carotene into vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for good health, especially for your eyes. Carrots are one of the best sources of vitamin A. Vitamin A is good for your bones, teeth, vision, and your skin.
- Carrots are a good source of fiber, which is good for the health of your digestive system.
- Carrots have a higher natural sugar content than all other vegetables with the exception of beets. This is why they make a wonderful snack when eaten raw and make a tasty addition to a variety of cooked dishes.
Celery
Celery is 94 percent water, but does contain vitamin A, C, B-complex, and E with a host of minerals. It is also high in fiber as might be expected from the texture.
Health benefits of Celery
- One of the very low calories herbal plants, celery leaves contain only 16 calories per 100 g weight and lots of non-soluble fiber which when combined with other weight loss regimens may help to reduce body weight and blood cholesterol levels.
- Celery is a functional food. Its leaves are rich source of flavonoid antioxidants such as zea-xanthin, lutein, and beta-carotene, which have been anti-oxidant, cancer protective and immune-boosting functions.
- Its leaves are a good source of vitamin-A. Vitamin-A and beta-carotene are natural flavonoid antioxidants. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin, and for eye-sight. Consumption of natural foods rich in flavonoids helps the body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
- The herb is also rich in many vital vitamins, including folic acid, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin-C, which are essential for optimum metabolism.
- Fresh celery is an excellent source of vitamin-K. Vitamin-K helps increase bone mass by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bones. It also has established role in Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in the brain.
- The herb is a very good source of minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium, manganese, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure.
- Its leaves and seeds contain many essential volatile oils.
- Essential oil obtained from extraction of celery plant has been used in soothing remedies for nervousness, osteoarthritis, and gouty-arthritis conditions. In addition, its seeds, and root have a diuretic (removes excess water from the body through urine), galactogogue (help breast milk secretion), stimulant, and tonic properties.
- Has all the characters to consider it as one of the most valuable low calorie or negative calories weight loss functional foods.
surprising health benefits of eating avocados:
- Avocados are a great source of lutein, a carotenoid that works as an antioxidant and helps protect against eye disease. They also contain the related carotenoids zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, as well as tocopherol (vitamin E).
- Half an avocado contains 3.4 grams of fiber, including soluble and insoluble, both of which your body needs to keep the digestive system running smoothly. Plus, soluble fiber slows the breakdown of carbohydrates in your body, helping you feel full for longer. Avocados also contain oleic acid, a fat that activates the part of your brain that makes you feel full. Healthier unsaturated fats containing oleic acid have been shown to produce a greater feeling of satiety than less-healthy saturated fats and trans fats found in processed foods.
- Rich, creamy, and packed with beneficial monounsaturated fat, avocado slows digestion and helps keep blood sugar from spiking after a meal. A diet high in good fats may even help reverse insulin resistance, which translates to steadier blood sugar long-term. Try putting mashed avocado on sandwiches instead of mayonnaise or on bread instead of butter. To keep what’s left over from turning brown, spritz the flesh with cooking spray or coat with lemon juice and wrap in plastic.
- One cup of avocado provides almost a quarter of your recommended daily intake of folate, a vitamin which cuts the risk of birth defects. If you’re pregnant—or planning to be—avocados will help protect your unborn baby. A high folate intake is also associated with a lower risk of heart attacks and heart disease. Does your family have a history of heart problems, or do you have risk factors (such as being overweight or smoking) for heart disease? Avocados could help keep your heart healthy.
- As well as increasing feelings of fullness, the oleic acid in avocados can help reduce cholesterol levels. In one study, individuals eating an avocado-rich diet had a significant decrease in total cholesterol levels, including a decrease in LDL cholesterol. Their levels of HDL cholesterol (the healthy type) increased by 11 percent. High cholesterol is one of the main risk factors for heart disease. The cholesterol-lowering properties of avocado, along with its folate content, help keep your heart healthy.
Part II coming soon...
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