First it was 5 a day and now it’s 7 a day. Health experts recommend that we get plenty of portions of vegetables and fruit every day. We all know that vegetables and fruit are good for us in so many ways. If you need some convincing why you should be piling more fruit on your plate or adding it to your snack menu, read on.
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1. Keep Your Body Hydrated
Smooth or rough, crunchy or soft, fruit has a high water content which will play a big role in keeping your body hydrated. Don’t eat fruit to replace water though. You should still be drinking 7-8 glasses of water a day. The water in fruit is a bonus.
2. Improve Your Memory
Eat plenty of fruit and never misplace your keys again, or forget names, or find it difficult to concentrate. Eating fruit will boost your memory. Delicious fruit acts as perfect brain food in every way.
3. Improve Overall Health
Your body's immune system protects you from serious diseases, and eating fruit will help boost your immune system, which in turn will protect you from diseases. Be sure to add fruit rich in vitamin C to boost your immunity.
4. Prevent Hypertension
Fruit is rich in fiber, so it will help keep your digestive tract healthy. At the same time, food high in fiber will prevent hypertension and diabetes as well.
5. Regulate Blood Cholesterol
You can eat fruit without having to worry about disturbing your blood cholesterol level because fruit contains no bad cholesterol. Just cut your intake of meat and dairy products and add more fruit to your diet to prevent clogged arteries.
6. Douse Inflammation
Fruit contains several nutrients and enzymes that will promote overall health and even reduce inflammation in your body. Pineapple for instance contains a protein-digesting enzyme called bromelain that reduces inflammation. That’s just one example of the powerful antioxidants in fruit which fight those pesky free radicals that can cause all sorts of havoc.
7. Improve Your Mood
Eating the right type of fruit will have a direct impact on your mood. A simple cereal topped with banana will not just be a healthy breakfast, but it will make you feel happier as well. That's mainly because it contains vitamin B6, which helps turn the amino acid tryptophan into serotonin that is essential for mood regulation.
8. Protect You from Breast Cancer
Fruit contains all those nutrients and enzymes that your body need for proper functioning. One of the best reasons to eat fruit is that this will reduce your risk of breast cancer. You need to select foods to get your carotenoids that in turn will strengthen your defense system against breast cancer. It could be a cup of chopped papaya or mango or any other carotenoid-rich food. Have at least one serving a day to reduce the risk of cancer by 17%. Similarly, eating bananas 4-6 times a week will lower the risk of developing kidney cancer.
9. Tailor-made Nutrition
Including fresh fruit in your diet will provide you with many of the essential nutrients required for different bodily functions. Adding a fruit as small as a peach in your diet will load your body with fluoride, potassium, and iron – fluoride will strengthen your teeth and bones, iron helps with red blood cell formation, and potassium helps produce fluids that regulate blood pressure. Mix different fruits for tailor-made nutrition.
10. Save You Money
It is true that fruits offer several health benefits, but it's also a fact that you will find them cheaper as compared to other food products. You can make it even cheaper by purchasing fresh produce straight from the market. Consider buying from your local farming community to make some additional savings. The next time you pick up a candy bar, look at the price. Then march to the produce aisle and check the price of an crunchy apple, or crispy pear or plump peach or a handful of sweet juicy grapes. Which is cheaper? Which is better for you? No brainer!
Do you need to start eating more fruit?
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