The natural and God-given gift of fruits!

Fruits have always been recognized as one of the healthiest foods there is and are a natural, God- given gift that are a pleasure to sink our teeth into. The beauty about them is that they can be eaten raw and unprocessed, and for this reason it comes as no surprise that many people are naturally drawn to them. We are used to hearing that eating fruits promotes a healthy lifestyle, for example apples are packed with antioxidants & flavonoids which enhance the activity of vitamin C, thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke. Papayas have a high content of vitamin C, and are also rich in carotene which is good for your eyes. According to Dr. Jeff Otiti- a medical practitioner at King Faycal Hospital, there are several advantages when it comes to eating fruits. One advantage is that they include natural sugars which are much healthier than refined ones. In addition to providing our bodies with natural sugars as a source of energy, some fruits such as oranges, guavas and pineapples contain fiber- a key component for promoting healthy bowl movement and consequently the removal of toxins. “Fruits contain a lot of fiber, which is good for digestion; the fiber in fruits absorbs water which is essential for regular bowl motion thus avoiding constipation” confirmed Dr. Otiti. Dr. Otiti added that eating fruits before your meals is an effective weight loss strategy because the fruits will fill you up and you are therefore less likely to eat as much starchy foods and carbohydrates during the meal than you would have consumed otherwise. A great and fun way to eat more fruit is to make fresh fruit smoothies. Smoothies do not need to be complicated to be tasty. For example, blending a few bananas with ice water can make a simple yet tasty smoothie. I once experimented by blending mangoes with apples and papaya, and amazingly it turned out to be mouth watering, to say the least. In conclusion, fruits are healthy food options that are bursting with nutrients and vitamins. In addition to this they are easy to eat and don’t require much preparation time so really, there is no excuse for not giving it a well deserving place in your diet! Ms.efuahagan@yahoo.com