Showing posts with label Cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cancer. Show all posts

Health Benefits of Red Fruits



Red fruits, including watermelon, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, apples are packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and antioxidants. These colorful and tasty foods are gifts from nature. They offer many health benefits because they have some of the following nutrients; lycopene, quercetin, hesperidin, fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C.

Some of those benefits include:

  1. Reducing the risk of prostate cancer.
  2. Protecting the body from prostate, cervical and lung cancer.
  3. Reducing tumor growth.
  4. Protecting the body from harmful free radicals.
  5. Protecting the body against heart disease.
  6. Lowering blood pressure.
  7. Lowering LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol in the body.
  8. Supporting joint tissue for those with arthritis.
  9. Keeping one regular by aiding in gastrointestinal health.

 

Red Apples

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”  They are healthy, nutritious fruit with numerous studies to support their benefits. Apples are high in fiber (4.4g which is 17% of the RDV) and water which can aid weight loss.

Specifically, apples contain a high content of soluble fiber which can help in lowering the “bad” blood cholesterol levels. Due to their polyphenol antioxidant content, eating apples is linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The apple skin contains quercetin, a flavonoid which can help keep the immune system strong and reduce inflammation.

 Blood Oranges

Besides the fact that blood oranges are so darn tasty, they are also rich in essential nutrients, Vitamin A and dietary fiber.

The red pigmentation of oranges is due to anthocyanin, a molecule found in many red fruits and vegetables.

Elementary evidence suggests that some anthocyanins have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Blood oranges also are rich in folic acid (Vitamin B9) which helps the body to produce new cells or more specifically, the formation of red cells depends on the appropriate levels of this vitamin.

Cherries

The intake of cherry juice before intense physical exercise may reduce muscle strength loss and could speed up muscle recovery.

Also, the consumption of tart cherry juice resulted in increased melatonin levels which helped people to improve sleep quality. Research also links cherries with reduced inflammatory and oxidative stress due to their high content of anthocyanin.

Cranberries

The antioxidants found in cranberries make them one of the healthiest fruits. Studies indicate that consuming cranberries may reduce urinary tract infections, decrease inflammation and improve immune function.

Because of the fruit’s ability to balance bacteria in the body, the cranberries are good for digestive health, and they also aid in the absorption of the nutrients.

Red Grapes

In addition to good genes, longevity is also linked to your diet and lifestyle choices. Resveratrol, found in grapes researchers connect it with increased longevity.

On the other side, due to the high amount of phytonutrients in grapes, they offer better blood insulin regulation.

Grape flavonoids can improve memory function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment by preventing neurodegenerative processes.

Red Grapefruit

This fruit is incredibly nutritious. One medium-sized grapefruit contains 64% of the RDV for Vitamin C, and 28% of the RDV for Vitamin A.

Because of the high content of Vitamin C grapefruits can aid in improving or maintaining your immune system strong. Also, studies show that eating grapefruit before a meal could help weight loss.

Red Pears

Pears are high in fiber, particularly pectin fiber which is water soluble and helps in lowering cholesterol. Pectin attaches to fatty substances in the digestive system, including cholesterol and leads to their elimination.

This process helps the body to detox and improves the digestive health. Like all other red fruits, they contain a high amount of antioxidants.

Pomegranates

Pomegranates could be one of the most powerful superfoods.  They contain punicic acid and punicalagin which are responsible for their health benefits.

The punicalagin’s have been shown to reduce inflammation which is one of the leading causes of many life-threatening diseases. Also, researchers link pomegranate with boosting cognitive function. 

Raspberries

The phytonutrients in raspberries are what makes their nutrition extraordinary.

The anthocyanins with their anti-inflammatory properties and the polyphenols with their ability to narrow the peripheral arteries make them immensely efficient for boosting heart health.

Besides the high fiber content (8g or 32% of the RDV in just one cup), the raspberry ketones and specific nutrients rheosmin could help in managing weight.

The high Vitamin C content (53% of the RDV) and the presence of the antioxidant carotenoids and quercetin can help reduce the signs of aging by fighting free radicals.

Strawberries

Strawberries are super tasty, but they are also incredibly nourishing.  They are a great source of manganese, Vitamin C, potassium and Vitamin B9 (folate). The bright red color is due to pelargonidin, the major anthocyanin in strawberries.

Because of their high content of antioxidants they can help in lowering blood pressure and reducing oxidative stress. 

Watermelon

The watermelon is packed with great nutrients including citrulline and lycopene. These two nutrients have been linked to improved metabolic health, lowered blood pressure and decreased muscle soreness after exercise.

The high content of water makes the watermelon great for maintaining hydration.

Schizandra

The Schizandra berry most often people use it as extract or powder form which you can add to smoothies. This fruit has been used in Chinese medicine for a wide range of health-related issues.

According to a recent study, Schisandrin B, a bioactive compound present in the Schizandra could have a positive effect on Alzheimer’s. Another research shows that Schizandra extract helped ease the menopausal symptoms in women.

Goji Berries

They have a high content of antioxidants, especially zeaxanthin which makes them fantastic for eye and skin health.

Goji berries tend to be more expensive than other berries, but the recent studies show that they are fantastic superfood which could help increase your quality of sleep, focus, calmness, energy, and athletic performance.