The Mediterranean diet has long been considered to be the optimum
diet for the human heart given it includes plenty of fresh fruit. WHO
guidelines recommend that each of us should aim to eat at least five
portions of different fruit or vegetables on a daily basis. A portion of
fruit constitutes a single fruit such as an Apple, a small cup of fruit
such as grapes or raspberries, or a glass of pure fruit juice. It is
okay to include dried, tinned and frozen fruit as part of your five a
day but be careful with tinned fruits given they are frequently
sweetened with syrups and in many cases contains less vitamin C.
Wherever possible purchase fruit that has been canned in its own juices
without the addition of extra sugars.
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Fruit itself is an excellent
source of antioxidants examples which are bioflavonoid and vitamin C
all helping to protect us against degenerative diseases, heart disease
and cancer are good examples. Fruit is also low in calories and is
therefore an exceptional foodstuff for anybody attempting to lose
weight.
Fresh fruit and fruit juices provide most of our regular
intake of vitamins C, with citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and
tangerines being the most important sources. Other providers of vitamins
C in our diets include kiwifruit, raspberries, strawberries,
blackberries, mangoes and papayas. Fruits with a deep yellow or orange
flash good examples are apricots, mangoes and cantaloupe melons, obtain
their colour from an yellow orange pigment known as beta carotene,
otherwise known as the plant form of vitamin A.
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This, it is
understood, helps to protect us against free radicals and some have
suggested even cancer. The majority of fruits are also rich in potassium
which is especially true of bananas and dried fruits. Potassium works
to regulate our blood pressures and it also works in tandem with sodium
to regulate the body's fluid balance. Other reasons why fruit is so
valuable in our diets is because it contains both soluble and insoluble
fibres. Insoluble fibres help to prevent constipation and are also
connected with a reduced risk of colon cancer whereas soluble fibres
have been shown to help lower blood cholesterol levels.
Citrus
fruits and indeed dried fruits such as dates, figs, raisins and apricots
are also particularly good sources of fibre in our diets. There are
many benefits to including the proportions of fruit in your diet
including vitamins C, antioxidants and potassium with the only notable
drawback is that fruit juices can contribute towards tooth decay. That
said, this is a small price to pay for a healthy body utilising a
balanced diet of fruit.
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