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Fruits are nature’s medicines so as to say. They give us so much- vitamins, minerals, fibres, antioxidants and phytonutrients like anthocyanin, phenolic-flavonoids, zea-xanthin, crypto-xanthin, catechin, lutenin, resveratrol, carotenes and so many more yet to be known compounds which have immense number of health benefits.
All these help us to not only stay young, but also make us feel fresh. 2-3 servings of a variety of fruits in a day give us the much wanted antioxidants which inturn help us recover from the damage we all suffer from the free radicals which are generated in our body due to normal physiological process. They also protect us from degenerative diseases, aging, heart diseases, inflammation, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, neurological disorders, and kidney problems.

The fibres present in these fruits help in digestibility and prevent constipation, they give us a feeling of fullness. They also bind with the toxins and hence reduce the risk of colon cancer. Some fibres bind with bile salts and therefore reduce the cholesterol in the blood and thereby reducing the serum (bad cholesterol) levels.

Blue-purple and certain red fruits contain anthocyanin- which also protects from fibrocystic diseases, works as an analgesic, increases blood flow, reduces muscle stiffening and visual fatigue.
Red fruits like tomato, watermelon, grapefruit, papaya contain lycopene. It is a better antioxidant than Vitamin E, studies have proved it helps prevent prostrate, lung and stomach cancer, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatic cancer. Earlier research has also shown it prevents cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and also male infertility!
Carotene is another antioxidant present in apricots, papayas and oranges. Studies have shown that carotenoids present in fruits and vegetables protect women from breast cancer, and also reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Resevastrol is another magic pigment! It is present in grapes, Japanese knotweed, berries especially mulberries and also in jackfruits. This pigment is anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, is neuro-protective, cardio-protective, protects from physical damage, infections. It is antiviral and antimicrobial- studies have shown that it inhibits the growth of varicella-zoster virus, influenza virus, respiratory virus, human cytomegalovirus, the yeast candida albicans and the other candida species. It also enhances the anti HIV activity of several HIV drugs!

So many benefits of just some of these lesser known pigments or phytonutrients! And imagine we don’t know so many more! Scientists have yet to find out many more phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables. I have not yet listed the benefits of the vitamins and minerals present in fruits!! Most of us already know that. Just reading so many benefits will make our mouth water towards this colourful nature’s gift that God has bestowed on us. Let us relish them.
 

Tags : Women, benefits, fruits, diet, medicine