Kiwi Fruit Health Benefits

Kiwi fruit has a brown hairy peel with white pulp and green flesh. It has tiny black seeds and green creamy and yummy flesh. Immature fruits are hard while mature ones are softer and yield to little pressure. They are full of vitamin C and act as good appetizers in salads, fish, meat dishes, puddings, cakes and pies. However most of us are unaware about the varied heath benefits of this delicious fruit.

1. Kiwifruit are the nutrition powerhouse of fruit

Kiwifruit consistently rank at the top of fruit in nutrition density models, which tell us exactly how nutritious foods are. That means you get more vitamins and minerals per gram, and per calorie, of kiwifruit than most other fruit.

2. Kiwifruit are rich in vitamin C

While everyone always thinks of oranges for vitamin C, they should actually think of kiwifruit - there is twice as much vitamin C in kiwifruit as there are in oranges! So much, in fact, you only need one kiwifruit each day to get the amount recommended for your daily intake.

Kiwi fruit has more vitamin C than equal amount of oranges. Children fed 5-7 portions of kiwi fruit developed 44 percent less chances of being affected by wheezing as compared to those who were fed once a week, according to an Italian study published in the Thorax, an International Journal of Respiratory Medicine (BMJ group).

3. Copper

Copper, which is contained in trace amounts in many foods, is an important mineral for the healthy function of the nervous system, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. A cup of kiwi provides about 20 percent of your recommended daily intake for copper, making it an unusually rich source of that mineral compared to other fruits. Maintaining an optimal nervous system improves the function of your retina, the part of your eye that contains the nerves that convert images into electrical impulses for your brain to interpret.

4. Healthy Fats Aid Vitamin Absorption

Lutein and zeaxanthin are fat-soluble carotenoids. Although kiwi contains slightly more fat than other fruits due its seed and seed oil content, it still has a nearly negligible amount of fat. To help your body absorb the kiwi's fat-soluble nutrients properly, North Dakota State University recommends eating a small amount of a food containing omega-3 fats, such as walnuts, certain fish or flax, with the kiwi.

5. Vitamin E
It's quite unusual for a low fat food - let alone fruit - to be a good source of vitamin E, which is well-known for its heart health and antioxidant properties. However, kiwifruit is a great low-fat, natural source of vitamin E.

6. Folic Acid
Kiwifruit are a natural source of folic acid which is needed to prevent cardiovascular disease, help brain and cognitive development and prevent neural defects in babies - both before and during pregnancy.

7. Potassium
Kiwifruit has about the same levels of potassium as bananas but only half the calories - making kiwifruit an excellent low-sodium, high-potassium fruit which can be beneficial in the maintenance of blood pressure and for heart health.

8. Kiwifruit can help improve the function of your immune system

Kiwifruit gives you natural protection from daily challenges, helping you to ward off the effects of stress, inflammation and attack from bacteria and viruses. Recent and ongoing trials have shown kiwifruit to be high effective at beneficially modulating the immune system.

9. Kiwifruit helps improves repair of damaged DNA

Eating just two kiwifruit a day has been proven to reduce the amount of oxidative damage to your cells and improve the repair of damaged DNA caused by oxidative stress. This has been shown in human studies both in New Zealand and Europe.

10. Reduce risk of cardiovascular disease

Eating just 2-3 kiwifruit a day has been shown to reduce blood platelet aggregation. Platelet aggregation is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease - it contributes to arterial and blood vessel blocking.

11. Kiwifruit help to relieve constipation

It is widely recognised as a natural digestive aid due to its unique combination of fibre and other components. 

In short kiwi helps

 

• Prevents Asthma 
•  Fights cardiovascular diseases
•  Helps prevent cancer
• Aid in digestion
•  Protect your eyes
• Help manage blood pressure
• Boosts immune system
•  Provide many vitamins and antioxidants
• Strengthens bones
• Helps reduce wrinkles
• Prevent muscle soreness

Almonds Nutrition

Almonds Nutrition: 

• Vitamin E – almonds contains 24mg of vitamin E per 100g
• Healthy fats – although one-quarter cup of almonds contains about 18 grams of fat, most of it (11 grams) is heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fat is responsible for lowering LDL cholesterol.
• Magnesium -1/4 cups of almonds contains almost 99 mg of magnesium. When there is enough magnesium around, veins and arteries breathe a sigh of relief and relax, which lessens resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.
• Potassium – is important in nerve transmission and the contraction of all muscles including the heart. It is also essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function.
• Flavonoids - twenty potent antioxidant flavonoids were identified in almond skins, some of which are catechins found in green tea, and naringenin, which is found in grapefruit.
• Almonds are rich in protein. A quarter-cup contains 7.62 grams-more protein than is provided by the typical egg, which contains 5.54 grams.
• Almonds are also a very good source of manganese and copper.

Almonds Health benefits

Health benefits of almonds are enormous as it has got many nutritional factors. This nut can be used for curing health problems like cough, constipation, anemia, diabetes, heart problems, impotency and many respiratory problems. Along with these benefits, almond will provide good dental care, hair and skin. This nutritional nut can be found predominantly in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Israel, Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. When compared to many other nuts available, almond is highly enriched with vitamins and nutrients like magnesium, phosphorous, vitamin E, copper, calcium, niacin, zinc, iron and selenium.

Almond is available in two flavors i.e, bitter and sweet. Sweet almond is edible and bitter almond is used for manufacturing almond oil which is used for flavoring food. Most of the people eat raw almond whereas some of them use it as an ingredient for salads. It is highly preferred to eat the almond in empty stomach so that nutrients can be absorbed completely. Common methodology used for eating almond is to soak them over night in water and eat it in early morning. Almond milk is also rich source of nutrition and has got same benefits as of raw almond. Some of the health benefits of almond are explained below.

1.  They reduce heart attack risk.
Almonds contain minerals like potassium, folic acid, protein, mono saturated fats and vitamin E. Hence eating them can significantly reduce your chances of heart diseases

2.  They lower ‘bad’ cholesterol.
Almonds added to the diet have a favorable effect on blood cholesterol levels, according to a clinical study by Dr. Gene Spiller, Director of the Health Research and Studies Center, Inc.

3.  They protects artery walls from damage.
It was found that the flavonoids in almond skins work in synergy with the vitamin E, thus reducing the risk of heart disease (Research at Tufts University).

4.  Almonds help build strong bones and teeth.
The phosphorus in almonds helps make this possible.

5.  They provide healthy fats and aid in weight loss:

Like blueberries and pomegranates, almonds are superfoods that can help reduce weight significantly. Drink unsweetened almond milk for faster weight loss.

6.  Almonds lower the rise in blood sugar and insulin after meals.

7.  Brain growth

Almond contains many nutrients which will help for the development of brain cells. It will increase the intellectual ability and hence it is highly recommended for growing children.

8. They help provide good brain function.
Almonds contain riboflavin and L-carnitine, nutrients that boost brain activity and may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

9. Pregnancy aid

During pregnancy it is highly recommended for consuming food containing enormous vitamins and nutrients. Almond is the best source as it has the got many vitamins for growing fetus and also for mother. Folic acid present in almond will play a very good role as it will reduce many defects in the new born babies.

  

10. They nourish the nervous system.
According to Ayurveda, almonds help increase high intellectual level and longevity.

11.  They alkalize the body.
Almonds are the only nut and one of the few proteins that are alkaline forming.  When your body is not alkaline enough, you risk osteoporosis, poor immune function, low energy and weight gain.

12. Prevent constipation

Almond is rich in fiber which will helps for proper movement of bowel. This will help to clear the intestine and also helps to be fit and healthy. It is highly recommended to drink more water soon after consuming almond to cure constipation.

Amla Health Benefits

* It helps in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar level.

* Lowers the risk of cold, cough and other infections of respiratory tract.

* It provides nourishment to the nerves and is helpful in paralytic conditions.

* It also works as brain tonic and helps to alertness and memory.

* It also acts as anti-inflammatory agent thereby suppresses pain and swelling.

* Amla finds great application in improving eyesight.

* It also improves general health weakness and makes our body’s immune system strong therefore help to fight diseases.

* Helps to improve immunity.

* It is very helpful in skin diseases.

* Protects from bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

* Helps to accelerate the wound healing process.

* Protects the body from radiation.

*Helps to reduce the risk of cancers

The powder of the dried amla fruit is an efficient remedy of hyperacidity, ulcers and blood impurities. It is also used both inside and externally as a decoction and paste. Some of the common uses of amla fruit are as below:

1. Amla strengthens the body, ousts toxins from the body and improves defense mechanism of the body.

2. It is an essential vitamin to get better eye sight

3. Weakness of body, spirit and mind shall be dispelled by taking fresh amla juice in between meals.

4. Massaging the head with amla oil, induce sound sleep and is good for hair.

5. Wash eyes daily, in the cock-crow with amla water, soaked in water and drink the water to improve the eyesight and take out constipation.

6. Insert 2-4 amla juice drops into every nostril to cure bleeding for nose.

7. Regulates Blood Sugar

8. Very influential anti-inflammatory herb.

9. A wonderful antioxidant and a usual Source of Vitamin C. Amla helps scavenge free radicals.

10. Amla is powerfulfood for the brain.

11. Studies show that Amla helps inferior cholesterol

12. Amla also helps uphold the functioning of the liver

13. Increases Hemoglobin, Red blood cell count up

14. Useful used for Cough, Bronchitis, Asthma

15. Amla cleanses the maw, strengthens the teeth

16. Its decoction is used in hyperacidity and with sugar as an anthelmintic. The presence of Amla resulted in an enhanced cell survival, decrease free radical production and higher antioxidant levels similar to that of manage cells.