YOUR ARE WHAT YOU EAT: Joan Sumpio, RND
This New Year’s eve, many Filipinos will once again display 13 round fruits on their tables to invite luck and prosperity in their homes for the coming new year. How we wish that at this point in our lives, we already believe that whatever we have or have had, have always depended on how we ran our lives. Beyond wishing for luck and prosperity, look at those thirteen fruits as a symbol of health for each member of your family. Let me point out the health-giving powers of those thirteen round fruits which you may opt to take advantage of:
•Apple - a number of components in apples, most notably fiber and phyto-nutrients have been found in studies to lower blood cholesterol and improve bowel function, and may be associated with a reduced risk of ischemic heart disease, stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma.
• Fresh Orange – this fruit is a good source of the B-Vitamin, Folate. Oranges can supply a healthy dose of vitamin C which plays an important role in wound healing and healthy blood circulation.
• Mango – commonly liked for its sweet taste when fully ripened, mangoes are good sources of Vitamin A.
• Grapes - dark-skinned grapes in particular contain resveratrol, and antioxidant that has been shown to reduce cardiovascular and cancer risks.
• Mangosteen - the fruit demonstrates strong antifungal properties and is highly effective in boosting weak immune systems. It has already been generally accepted, and widely advertised, that mangosteen extract is useful in the treatment of arthritis, acid dyspepsia, moderate asthma, otitis externa and eczema. Now, the latest findings indicate that mangosteen has in addition to its antioxidant effects antimicrobial actions that inhibit the progression of acne.
• Pineapple - one of the benefits of pineapple is that it helps to build healthy bones. Pineapples are rich in manganese, a trace mineral that is needed for your body to build bone and connective tissues.
• Pears – one medium pear has 100 calories and is a good source of vitamin C. But this fruit’s real waist-trimming power is in its fiber; on average, pears have five grams of fiber. Pears provide a decent amount of copper and vitamin C. They also have the mineral boron, which is needed for proper functioning of calcium and magnesium. So pears may indirectly contribute to your bone health.
• Watermelon - an excellent source of potassium and vitamins A, C, and B6. It’s also a good source of water, so you can chew your way to getting your daily H20.
• Guava - is a good source of lycopene. This carotenoid, which gives many plant foods their red or pink coloring, may help prevent cancer, as well as boost heart health.
• Peaches – this fruit contains a good amount of potassium and also contain vitamins C and A. They have diuretic and laxative properties, aid in the stimulation of digestive juices, and add color to the complexion.
• Kiwifruit - researchers has been fascinated by its ability to protect DNA in the nucleus of human cells from oxygen-related damage.
• Papaya - low in calories and full of nutrition, papaya has more vitamin C than an orange and high amounts of Vitamin D and B, as well as an excellent enzyme complex which supports the digestion of protein, carbohydrates and fats.
• Jackfruit – this fruit can serve as a medicinal plant. The roots have an antihistaminic effect. The ripe fruit can even serve as a laxative, while the unripe fruit as an astringent.
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