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Importance Of Fruits In Diet
 by: Sharon Hopkins
Fruits, fresh or dried have been a natural staple diet of human beings since ancient times. Replete with minerals, vitamins, enzymes, they are easily digestible. Fruits are not only good sources of nourishment, they also serve as medicines and can treat ailments.
Fruits, eaten raw or consumed as fresh juice, are excellent ways to retain and balance the moisture level in the body. The low level of sodium in fruits plays an important role for people who would like to engage in a salt-free diet. Ideally, pregnant ladies should eat at least 2-3 helpings of fresh fruits in a day as they are excellent, safe vehicles of basic nutrients and generally low in the toxins found in many vegetables and legumes.
Dried fruits like apricots, raisins and dates are storehouses of calcium and iron, essential for the strengthening of bones and maintaining good blood, respectively. Custard apple too is an excellent calcium source. If you are unwell, consume fruits in the form of fresh juice only. One or two fruits a day helps clean the digestive tract and aids easy bowel movements.
Guavas, custard apples, lemons and oranges are effective sources of vitamin C. When eaten fresh and raw, they provide all the vitamins. Papaya is an excellent source of Vitamin C and carotene, the latter of which is converted to Vitamin A in the body.
Consume fruits in raw and ripe form. Avoid cooking -- as this will result in the loss of nutrient salts and carbohydrates. It is ideal to eat one kind of fruit at a time. Many prefer to take fruits in breakfast with milk. It is advisable to avoid a combination of fruits and vegetables. In case you need to combine fruits with vegetables, opt for larger portions of fruits.
Fruits like apple, lemon, orange and pomegranate aid in the proper functioning of the heart. Nutrients in apples, dates and mangoes sharpen memory while preventing exhaustion, nervous disorders, insomnia and mental tension.
All forms of berries are rich in iron, phosphorus and sodium that are beneficial for blood building and nerve strengthening. Lemons are good for liver ailments, indigestion and rheumatism. Watermelons are meant to be good kidney cleansers. Pineapple and pomegranates help in soothing inflammation of nose, throat, hay fever and other chronic or bronchial ailments. Grapefruit juice is an effective aid for common cold. Fresh and ripe fruits like grapes, apples, bananas and figs are good for all brain deficiencies. The list goes on: There is no end to the benefits gained by eating a fruit-rich diet.
Eating liberal amount of fruits daily promises a healthy energetic life, a longer lifetime, and helps make mealtime fun, colorful, and refreshing!
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