Health facts of fruits and veggies

Dieters can eat all the fresh fruits and vegetables, under a new system unveiled Monday by Weight Watchers.

The new Points plus System replaces Weight Watchers' Points plan, which has been used by tens of millions. According to Karen Miller-Kovach, the company's chief scientific officer, Weight Watchers wanted to reflect the latest nutrition science. The formula to calculate the new Points Plus values is based on the amounts of protein, fiber and fat in foods. She also said, it also factors in how hard the body has to work to process food into energy.

In the Points Plus system, a medium croissant with a pat of butter gets a 7, 3 oz of ham and one slice of whole wheat toast with a pat of butter gets a 6 where both breakfasts have 270 calories.

Miller-Kovach says, Fresh fruits and most veggies were given zero points so they would be more enticing since most Americans don't eat enough of them.

Tips for buying fruits

While shopping fruits from your grocer make sure that you are selecting the best ones so that you enjoy the fruit as well as save your money. Here are some tips which will help you to buy fresh fruits:

• Bananas should be free from blemishes, bruises and other injuries. Ripe bananas should be firm and bright yellow in color. Do not buy bananas which are overripe.

• While buying oranges, see to that it is bright orange in color, firm and heavy. Do not buy oranges which are light weight and having rough skin texture since it lacks flesh content and juice.

• Pineapples should have dark green leaves and must be heavy in size. Larger the fruit, more the edible flesh. It can be ripened quickly by making it stand upside down. Avoid pineapples which have discolored and decayed skin.

• Buy grapes which are bright colored and firmly attached to the stem. Do not buy soft or wrinkled grapes which are symptoms of decay.

• Lemons should have firm, smooth and lustrous skin. Smaller and firmer lemons give more juice than larger ones. Avoid lemons having dull yellowish color since they might have high acidity content.

Sapodilla health benefits

Sapodilla is a delicious tropical fruit which has season all round the year. The pulp of the fruit is soft and is made up with sugars like fructose and sucrose which rejuvenates the body with energy. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and also has a high content of fiber.

 Not only the fruit, but also the leaves and seeds of sapodilla have medicinal values. Decoction of its leaves cures cough and cold whereas the liquid extracted from crushed seeds removes stones from kidney and bladder and also acts as a medicine in treating venomous stings and bites.

Minerals such as potassium, copper and iron present in sapodilla are very essential for health as they involve in various metabolic activities.Since it has a ratio of good potassium and low sodium level, it reduces the risk of heart related diseases.

The fruit is also rich in vitamin c and vitamin A. vitamin C protects the body by developing resistance against various infectious agents and vitamin A enhances vision and helps in maintaining healthy skin.

Top 5 healthy fruits

Fruits are not only delicious but also have a rich source of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which prevents us from many diseases. All fruits are healthy, but the following are the top five healthiest fruits:

Apples:

As per the saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, it has many health benefits. It also may keep away from asthma, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and many other diseases. Apigenin, an antioxidant that is present in apple suppresses asthma and allergies. Eating an apple a day cuts the risk of mouth cancer. They also help to throttle blood clots and plaque in arteries, which lead to heart disease.

The pectin content in apples supplies galacturonic acid to the body which reduces the risk of diabetes.

Banana:

Banana is a tropical fruit which mainly consists of sugar and fiber acting as a good source of energy. The fiber content in it regulates the bowel movement and helps to cure constipation.  Potassium is present in high amount in bananas which prevents blood pressure; stabilize the heart beat hence acting as a stress reliever.

Apricot:

Apricots are a rich source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, fiber and potassium. Beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the body protects the eyes and helps to keep the teeth and bones stronger. The fiber content in it prevents constipation and maintains the digestive track. Vitamin C develops resistance in the body against infectious agents.

Plum:

Plums have a huge amount of minerals and vitamins which mainly improves the digestive system and immunity against cancer related diseases. Minerals such as potassium, fluoride and iron are present in abundance in plums which is essential for RBC formation and to control blood pressure. Plums also reduce the risk of heart diseases.
 

Strawberry:

Strawberries are one of the best health remedies. The anti-oxidant present in them protects us from vision defects. Strawberries are a rich source of iron which is helpful for the proper functioning of brain and nervous system. Also the folate content in it protects from birth-defects.

Strawberry health benefits

Strawberry is a bright red colored fruit which is very tempting to eyes.It has a great taste and is commonly liked by everyone. It is an aggregate fruit since it has seeds on outside rather than inside.

Strawberry is a very nutritious fruit which has the ability to clean the blood from harmful toxins. It helps to relieve from high blood pressure since it has a rich content of potassium and magnesium.

The anti-oxidants present in strawberries helps in reducing the risk of cancer and other heart diseases.The ratio of vitamin c content is high in strawberries compared to other nutrients which neutralizes the effect of the oxidants and prevents from infections and cold.

Also the iodine content in strawberry is responsible for proper functioning of brain and nervous system enhances the memory function.

It also has beauty benefits for skin. The strawberry facial mask removes the impurities and reduce the inflammation in the skin.The salicylic acid present in it destroys the dead cells present in the skin thereby making it look brighter and shining.

Avocado health facts

• Avocados contain vitamin E, lutein and beta-carotene in abundance.
• Vitamin E is an antioxidant which prevents the damage of cells and tissues
• The beta-carotene content in avocados helps to maintain the cholesterol levels.
• The fat content in it is good for health and it can be given for babies at the initial stage.
• Avocados raises the level of high density lipoprotein(HDL), which is considered as the bad cholesterol thereby reducing the risk of heart problems.
• They contain a healthier monounsaturated fatty acids which absorbs the phytochemicals from other foods and helps in digestion, which also contributes to weight loss.
• Their potassium content lowers the blood pressure
• Folate and vitamin k are other important nutrients found in avocados. folate helps in cell development and vitamin k helps in calcium absorption.
• Avocado is a fruit which has a rich nutrient content consisting of vitamins, minerals and proteins protecting us from a number of diseases.
  

health facts of lychee fruit

Lychees are brightly colored strawberry shaped fruits with thin large skin and sweet musky aroma.

Health Benifits of Lychee Fruits:

Lychee, Chinese translated the best one as ‘gift for a joyful life’, of course lives up to its name. The lychee fruit contains vitamins and minerals that help a healthy diet, it is sweet and delicious and it has been enjoyed joyfully by natives of southeast Asia for centuries.

Everybody who eats the lychee fruit immediately falls in love with it. But if the information that lychee is so delicious doesn’t not influence you to try it, maybe hearing some of the health benefits of lychee will make you give this tropical fruit a second look

Many studies enclose publicized that eating lychee fruit may reduce the risk of cancer. One such study was a published in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology showing that lychee fruit inhibits the construction and development of breast cancel.