Importance of Fruits in Diet

Fruits are one of the oldest forms of food known to man. In fact, Adam, the first man ate an apple, the 'forbidden fruit' of heaven. There are many references to fruits in ancient literature. Vedas state that the fruits form the base of the Food of Gods. According to Quran, the fruits like grape, date, fig, olive and pomegranate are gifts and heavenly fruits of God.

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 food, 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 avail of a salt-free diet. So pregnant ladies eat 2-3 helpings of fresh fruits in a day.

Fruits are mostly rich in minerals. For example, fruits like custard apple have as much as 800 mg of calcium per fruit. If we consume one custard apple each day, it will be almost sufficient to meet almost the entire daily requirement of calcium, by the body.All the fruits contain carbohydrates, mainly in the form of sugar, dextrin and acids. These types of carbohydrates get digested by the body very easily and are also absorbed quickly. This makes fruits extremely good for sick and invalids, as a quick source of energy.

Different coloured fruits and vegetables contain different minerals, nutrients and antioxidants and therefore it is recommended that we consume a wide variety of fruit and vegetables in order to receive the benefits from the various types.For example, dark green leafy vegetables such as watercress, cabbage or spinach contain certain carotenoids that protect, delay and may prevent the onset of degenerative age-related eye diseases such as cataracts or macular degeneration.

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 good kidney cleansers. Pineapple, 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. Even the kernel of walnut is a helpful remedy for weakness of the brain.

Some fruits like guava, oranges, lemon etc. contain vitamin C, which is a very good antioxidant which helps to fight the various free radicals produced in the body due to different oxidative damages. These free radicals cause various diseases like cancer and leads to aging. Fruit juice is also beneficial to the body as it supplies instant energy in addition to all the benefits of raw fruit. It is better to consume whole fruits than fruit juice because the whole fruits contain fibers which act as a laxative and helps to reduce constipation.

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