These fruits will change your life: Benefits of eating fruits

Share the blog!👇

Less than 10% of the Western population consumes a sufficient number of fruits, which is half the total recommended consumption. Those who consume the recommended amount are believed to be healthy, reducing the risk of cardiometabolic diseases, and improving gastrointestinal health [1]. There are several benefits of fruits. Some of the significant fruits, and their benefits are discussed below:

Are fruits part of the five foods group?

According to the nutritious importance, the food is categorized into the following five categories:

Protein Foods
Dairy Foods
Grains
Vegetables
Fruits

The image & data mentioned above is taken from USDA Website.[2]

All these foods including fruits are very beneficial for health. These are essential building blocks of a healthy diet, which means that fruits must also be consumed in order to eat a healthy diet.

Are fruits essential for good health?

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is generally recommended due to its health-promoting properties. Fruits have historically been at the forefront of nutritional advice due to their high concentrations of vitamins, especially vitamins C and A. minerals, especially electrolytes; and more recently phytochemicals, especially antioxidants. In addition, fruits and vegetables are recommended as fiber sources.[3] One-half of your plate must be filled with fruits and vegetables, It is recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010.[4]

Benefits of fruits:

As a result, strategies that promote fruit and vegetable consumption are essential for improving people’s health. A number of reviews confirm that well-planned, behavior-based nutrition education interventions significantly improve behavior and health indicators. Following are the top 10 significant benefits of fruits:

1:Improves nutrients absorption

In addition, the fiber in fruit has been shown to reduce intestinal transit by creating bulk, resulting in slower nutrient absorption and preventing constipation.

2:Retards adiposity

Interestingly, phytochemicals found in fruits have been found to act as anti-obesity agents, as they may play a role in inhibiting the growth of adipose tissue. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables may alter these obesity-related metabolic biomarkers in overweight women

3:Anticarcinogenic properties maintain gut health

The fruit can be fermented in the colon, increasing the concentration of short-chain fatty acids with anti-carcinogenic properties and maintaining gut health.

4:Prevents premature cardiovascular disorders

Several studies have highlighted the cardiovascular risk reduction potential of fruits, and fruit consumption is strongly associated with lower cardiovascular risks factors such as lower blood pressure (BP), cholesterol, and triacylglycerols. and prevent early cardiovascular disease.

5:Reduces lung, thyroid, and intestinal cancers

Increased intake of some fruits has also been reported to reduce the risk of colon, colon, thyroid, pancreas, and lung cancer.

6:Prevents osteoporosis

Fruits have also been suggested to help prevent osteoporosis in adults, primarily because they are rich in calcium and other vitamins essential for bone health.

7:Increases bone strength

The fruit’s high fiber content may play a role in calcium absorption and reducing dietary “acid load” (promoting bone formation and inhibiting bone resorption, resulting in increased bone strength).

8:Fruit Phyto ingredients prevent lens damage

In addition, botanicals in fruits such as gooseberry, curcumin, and soy isoflavones have been shown to protect against lens damage caused by hyperglycemia, and certain flavonoids, such as quercetin, play a role in oxidative stress in glaucoma pathogenesis. It may be prevented.

9:Fruit antioxidants reduce health effects

There is currently much interest in the important role of antioxidants. Antioxidants give fruits and vegetables their bright color and act as scavengers, scavenging free radicals before they can have a detrimental effect on your health.

10:Induces a feeling of increased satiety to maintain normal weight

Fruits and non-starchy vegetables are high in water and fiber, available in relatively large amounts, are very low in energy, and can help you feel fuller and maintain a normal weight. . All the above-mentioned data is taken from the Iranian journal of public health’s article. [7]

The daily requirement of fruits:

A report from the World Health Organization and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recommends that adults eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, excluding starchy vegetables [7]. Adults should consume 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables daily. [8]

List of diseases cured by fruits:

Epidemiological, toxicological, and nutritional studies suggest links between fruit and vegetable intake and lower rates of chronic disease. [5] These diseases include:

Cardiovascular disorders
Cancer
Diabetes
Alzheimer’s disease
Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (CIBD)
Stroke
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Type 2 diabetes
Hypertension [6]

Fruit juices Vs Fruit: which one’s healthier?

Consumption of whole fruits should be preferred as the evidence for the health benefits of fruits is more conclusive. Replacing fruit with pure fruit juice could be a practical solution for people to meet fruit consumption recommendations when it is difficult for them to consume more fruit for some reason. In contrast, the 2015 Dutch Dietary Guidelines classify pure fruit juices in the same category as “sugar-sweetened beverages” due to their comparable sugar content. Therefore, it is recommended to minimize the consumption of pure fruit juices. Pure fruit juices are lower in fiber and vitamin C than whole fruits, but they contain high levels of polyphenols, which may reduce your risk of heart disease. [9]

References:

Dreher M. L. (2018). Whole Fruits and Fruit Fiber Emerging Health Effects. Nutrients, 10(12), 1833. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10121833
Back to Basics: All About MyPlate Food Groups | USDA
Slavin, J. L., & Lloyd, B. (2012). Health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 3(4), 506–516. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.112.002154
Slavin, J. L., & Lloyd, B. (2012). Health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 3(4), 506–516. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.112.002154
Del Río-Celestino, M., & Font, R. (2020). The Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 9(3), 369. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9030369
Boeing, H., Bechthold, A., Bub, A., Ellinger, S., Haller, D., Kroke, A., Leschik-Bonnet, E., Müller, M. J., Oberritter, H., Schulze, M., Stehle, P., & Watzl, B. (2012). Critical review: vegetables and fruit in the prevention of chronic diseases. European journal of nutrition, 51(6), 637–663. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0380-y
Pem, D., & Jeewon, R. (2015). Fruit and Vegetable Intake: Benefits and Progress of Nutrition Education Interventions- Narrative Review Article. Iranian journal of public health, 44(10), 1309–1321.
Lee, S. H., Moore, L. V., Park, S., Harris, D. M., & Blanck, H. M. (2022). Adults Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Intake Recommendations – United States, 2019. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 71(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7101a1
Scheffers, F. R., Boer, J. M. A., Verschuren, W. M. M., Verheus, M., van der Schouw, Y. T., Sluijs, I., Smit, H. A., & Wijga, A. H. (2019). Pure fruit juice and fruit consumption and the risk of CVD: the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Netherlands (EPIC-NL) study. The British journal of nutrition, 121(3), 351–359. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114518003380