Quick Fruit Facts Apples: Apples have been a power food since the Garden of Eden. They’re low in calories, rich in fiber, and a source of boron, a mineral your mind may require for mental alertness and your body uses to maintain sufficient levels of calcium. Apricots: Tart yet sweet, apples are a storehouse of beta-carotene, a nutrient that helps protect against many types of cancer. Three raw apricots or ten dried halves will give you your daily quota of this nutrient. Avocados: Here’s one creamy food that can help lower your cholesterol – by as much as 9 to 43 percent, according to one study. Avocados are also rich in potassium and magnesium, two minerals your muscles rely on. Bananas: The banana is the world’s best natural, low-fat source of Vitamin B6, a nutrient that helps make antibodies to fight disease. Eat just one banana, and you have taken in one-third of the U.S. Recommended daily allowance of B6. Nectarines: Bet you wouldn’t think of the nectarine when asked to name a fiber-rich fruit. Yet a single nectarine has even more fiber than a whole banana. Nectarines are also an excellent source of vitamin A and potassium. Oranges: Sure, orange is synonymous with vitamin C. But did you know it’s also a source of calcium? A medium size orange gives you as much calcium as an ounce of Brie, though it has 30 fever calories and none of the sodium. Peaches: Keen on peaches? Well that’s peachy keen because this source of vitamins A and C will satisfy your sweet tooth without overloading you with fat. Pick fresh peaches over canned to get the maximum fiber benefit from this fruit. Grapefruit: This fruit is a good source of vitamin C. A medium size grapefruit contains 50 percent more vitamin C than the Recommended Dietary Allowance. Try flavoring it with cinnamon instead of sugar. Prunes: If you’ve never eaten a prune, you’re in for a moving experience. Prunes are nature’s best-tasting laxative. They conain a great deal of fiber, making them great for lowering your blood cholesterol level as well. Watermelon: Heaven can be had for just 152 calories a slice. But don’t dismiss watermelon as a mere taste-pleaser. The vitamin C content of this juicy melon may help protect you against cancer of the esophagus and stomach. Strawberries: Say “fiber” and you immediately think of heavy foods such as bran, right ? Well, strawberries contain fiber too, the soluble kind that slows digestion of foods so you feel full longer. Count for them for vitamin C, too. Honeydew Melon: Fragrant and inviting, this juicy melon packs a vitamin C wallop. You can also count on it for potassium, a mineral you need in sufficient amounts to keep your muscle from cramping. Let your sweet tooth indulge. Pomegranates: They are very powerful anti-oxidants. They are very rich sources of vitamin C, vitamin B, calcium and phosphorus. These nutrients and other minerals present in pomegranates help in the prevention of many diseases.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 11:00:59 +0000
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