Tuesday, January 18, 2011

IMPROVE your FRUIT - strawberry

We all know strawberries are delicious, but they are also nutritious, and ideally should be a part of everyone's daily diet. You'll enjoy some health advantages by eating strawberries regularly, and the best part is strawberries are one of the most delicious fruits. Adding fresh strawberries to your diet, whether they are in salads, smoothies, or on their own, is a great way to get the servings of fruit you need for a well-rounded body and a healthy immune system.

What's so nutritionally good about strawberries?
Strawberries contain a range of nutrients, with vitamin C heading the group. They also contain significant levels of phytonutrients and antioxidants, which fight free radicals. These antioxidant properties are believed to be linked to what makes the strawberry bright red.

So what are these weird free radicals? Free radicals are elements that can damage cells, and they are thought to contribute to the formation of many kinds of cancer.

In addition to vitamin C, strawberries also provide an excellent source of vitamin K and manganese, as well as folic acid, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, copper, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids.

So many uses for strawberries!
Strawberries are among the most versatile of fresh fruits. Unfortunately, they are quite perishable as well. So purchase fresh strawberries only a few days before they are to be eaten. When strawberries are in season locally this is rarely a problem. But at other times of the year, it may be necessary to make due with frozen strawberries, which lose much if not all of their nutrition.

At the produce section choose strawberries that are plump firm and free of mold and have a deep red color. Unlike other fruits, strawberries do not continue to ripen after they are picked, so be sure to choose the ripest, reddest strawberries, as they will provide the best taste and the highest nutrient density. Many people find that medium sized strawberries are sweeter and more flavorful than larger ones. When buying pre-packaged strawberries, be sure that the berries have not been packed too tightly, as this could cause them to be crushed or otherwise damaged.

Handle strawberries properly and store them well after they have been purchased. Like all fruit, strawberries should be washed thoroughly prior to eating or storage. Any strawberries that show signs of mold should be discarded at once, as they will contaminate the remaining strawberries. The strawberries should be placed in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and kept in the refrigerator. Fresh strawberries will keep in the fridge for a few days.
Grab a glass of strawberry juice right now, to start consuming the benefit of strawberry in our daily diet.

IMPROVE your FRUIT

PAPAYAS
Papayas are a power fruit. Papaya is not only a delicious fruit to eat, it also contains abundant health benefits and medicinal value. Papaya contains natural fiber, carotene, vitamin C and essential minerals. Papayas also contain enzymes like arginine and carpain. Arginine is essential for male fertility and carpain is considered to be good for the heart.

Anti-oxidants in Papaya
Papaya is a fruit high in fiber which lowers cholesterol levels. Papaya contains antioxidants which prevents the cholesterol from oxidizing. When cholesterol in the body gets oxidized, it can lead to heart-attacks. The anti-oxidants in papaya also help in controlling premature ageing, which helps to give a young look

Some more health benefits of Papaya
  • Papaya contains a high amount of potassium and the flesh of papaya is very high in Vitamin A.
  • Papaya helps prevent constipation and also aid in digestion. Papaya contains the protein called papain which is a digestive enzyme that helps in natural digestion process.
  • Papaya is low in calories and high in nutritive value hence it is an excellent food for those on a diet.
  • Regularly consuming papaya helps to relieve morning sickness and nausea. Papaya has anti-inflammatory properties and anti-cancerous properties. The anti-inflammatory properties in papaya will help reduce pain for those suffering from arthritis, edema and osteoporosis.
  • Papaya is very good for those who frequently suffer from cold, cough or flu because intake of papaya boosts the immune system. The high concentration of Vitamin C and Vitamin A contained in papaya is very beneficial to strengthen the immune system.
  • Papaya is also very good for the hair and helps in controlling dandruff. Papaya shampoos are good for the hair and are available in many health stores.
  • Papaya helps to ease the condition by promoting natural flow of menstruation.
  • Papaya cleans the stomach and studies have shown that papaya alone eaten for 3 to 4 days has a highly beneficial tonic effect upon the stomach and intestines

All the parts of the papaya fruit are useful and beneficial. Right from the seeds to the papaya leaves and the flesh of the fruit, all of it has some value. Both the inside and the outside of the fruit can be utilized .Thus no part of the fruit is useless or goes as a waste.
Thus, if love to eat to papaya, it is great because along with savouring the taste you are also ingesting all the benefits associated with eating the fruit, which will result in good health for you !

So, go ahead and eat papayas!!