Get the Health Benefits of Fruit
When it comes to nutritional bang for your buck, fruit is hard to beat.
“All fruits are high in fiber and potassium, and most are also good sources of vitamins A and C, folate, and a wide variety of phytochemicals,” says Nicola M. McKeown, Ph.D., a nutritional epidemiologist at Tufts.
Phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and other flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants, may have a variety of benefits, including better heart and brain health and a reduced risk of cancer.
According to the Department of Agriculture, when fruit is consumed in the recommended amounts, it contributes 16 percent of our recommended fiber intake and 17 percent of our potassium. Typical American diets are low in these nutrients.
Fiber helps you maintain a healthy weight, can improve cholesterol levels, and keeps your digestive system running smoothly.
Potassium is a key player in lowering blood pressure because it relaxes blood vessel walls and also helps to offset the negative effects of a diet too high in sodium.
And although the most important thing is to focus on eating more fruit overall, the type you eat, and how you consume it, could make a difference.
“In general, you want to eat as many of your fruits as possible in their whole form, including the skin,” says Eric Rimm, Sc.D., professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.
The protective skin, and the area just beneath it, is where the plant houses the antioxidants it relies on to protect itself from pests.
“By eating that, you’re getting the most antioxidants possible, which may be why some fruits—like berries—seem to come out consistently better than others in research on heart disease and other health benefits.”
Frozen fruit is as nutritious as fresh, provided it contains no added sugars. Same goes for canned fruit—look for those packed in their own juice, not sugar-laden syrup.
https://www.consumerreports.org/fruits-vegetables/health-benefits-of-fruit/
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