Fruit's nutrition in our everyday life

[Golam Kibria]

We are working for our success. For that, we work hard and for that our health needs sufficient nutrition. If we get this, we can hold a sound health. For that, fruit can give us much nutrition in our everyday life. If we eat fruits everyday, we can get much nutrition.
If we know the nutrition of all fruits, we can get nutrition easily and we can find the fruits what is needed for us.
Here the nutrition facts of all fruits will be posted. I think, it helps us to get much fruits in our every day life.
May Allah help to get a sound health.

[Golam Kibria]

Why fruits?

Fruits are nature’s wonderful medicines packed with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and many phyto-nutrients (Plant derived micronutrients). They are absolute feast to our sight, not just because of their color and flavor but help body keep fit and healthy!

   1.Fruits are low in calories and fat and are a source of simple sugars, fiber, and vitamins, which are essential for optimizing our health.

   2. Fruits provide plenty of soluble dietary fiber, which helps to ward of cholesterol and fats from the body and to get relief from constipation as well.

   3. Fruits contain many anti-oxidants like poly-phenolic flavonoids, vitamin-C, anthocyanins. These compounds, firstly, help body protect from oxidant stress, diseases, and cancers, and secondly, help body develop capacity to fight against these ailments by boosting our immunity level. Many fruits, when compared to vegetables and cereals, have very high anti-oxidant values which is something measured by their "Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity" or ORAC.
    4.Anthocyanins are flavonoid category of poly-phenolic compounds found in some "blue fruits" like blue-black grapes, mulberries, acai berry, chokeberries, blueberries, blackberries, and in many vegetables featuring blue or deep purple color. Eating fruits rich in blue pigments offers many health benefits. These compounds have potent anti-oxidant properties, remove free radicals from the body, and thus offer protection against cancers, aging, infections etc. These pigments tend to concentrate just underneath the skin.

    5.Fruit’s health benefiting properties are because of their richness in vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients, anti-oxidants which helps body prevent or at least prolong the natural changes of aging by protecting and rejuvenating cells, tissues and organs in the human body. The overall benefits are manifold! Fruit nutrition benefits are infinite!
   
You are protecting yourself from minor problems like wrinkling of skin, hair fall, memory loss to major ailments like age related macular degeneration of retina in the eyes, Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancers, weak bones (osteoporosis)… and the list of fruit nutrition benefits never ends!

[Golam Kibria]

Apple fruit nutrition facts

Delicious and crunchy apple fruit is one of the most popular fruit favored by health conscious, fitness freaks who believe in “health is wealth.” This wonderful fruit packed with rich phyto-nutrients that in the true sense are indispensable for optimal health. The antioxidants in apple have many health promoting and disease prevention properties; thus justifying the adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Apples are obtained from the medium sized tree belonging to the rosaceae family. Scientific name: Malus domestica. The apple tree is originated in the mineral rich mountain ranges of Kazakhstan, and is now being cultivated in many parts of the world.

Apple fruit features oval or pear shape; and the outer skin has different colors depending upon the cultivar type. Internally, the juicy pulp has off-white to cream in color and has mix of mild sweet and tart taste.

The seeds are inedible because of their bitter taste.

Several hundred varieties of apples grown in the US and worldwide either for just eating or as a desert fruit to cooking or baking in many recipes.

Health benefits of apple

   * Delicious and crunchy apple is one of the popular fruit that contain an impressive list of essential nutrients, which are required for normal growth and development and overall nutritional well-being.

    *Apples are low in calories; 100 g of fresh fruit slices provide only 50 calories. The fruits are however, contain no saturated fats or cholesterol; but rich in dietary fiber, which helps, prevent absorption of dietary LDL cholesterol in the gut. The dietary fibers also help protect the mucous membrane of the colon from exposure to toxic substances by binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon.

    *Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-C and beta-carotene. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.

    *Apples are rich in antioxidant phyto-nutrients flavonoids and polyphenols. The total measured anti-oxidant strength (ORAC value) of 100 g apple fruit is 5900 TE. The important flavonoids in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2. Apples are also good in tartaric acid that gives tart flavor to them. These compounds help body protect from deleterious effects of free radicals.

    *In addition, apple fruit is a good source of B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin, and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Together these vitamins help as co-factors for enzymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body.

    *Apple also contains small amount of minerals like potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus counters the bad influences of sodium.

Golam Kibria

[Golam Kibria]

Banana fruit nutrition facts

Go for banana fruit, nature's own energy rich food that comes in a safety envelope! Fresh, delicious bananas are available year around and are very cheap. Botanically, the fruit belongs to the family of Musaceae. Commercially, it is one of the widely cultivated crops in the tropical and subtropical zones.

Scientific name: Musa acuminata colla.

Health benefits of banana fruit

   * Banana fruit is rich in calories, but very low in fats. The fruit contains good amounts of health benefiting anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins.

   * Banana pulp is composed of soft, easily digestible flesh with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly; thus, for these qualities, bananas are being used by athletes to get instant energy and as supplement food in the treatment plan for underweight children.

    *The fruit contains good amount of soluble dietary fiber (7% of DRA per 100 g) that helps normal bowel movements; thereby reducing constipation problems.

    *It contains many health promoting flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zeaxanthin, beta and alpha carotenes in small amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.

    *It is also a very good source of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), provides about 28% of daily-recommended allowance. Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has beneficial role in the treatment of neuritis, anemia, and decreasing homocystine (one of the causative factor for coronary artery disease (CHD) and stroke episodes) levels in the body.

    *The fruit is also good source of vitamin-C (about 8.7 mg per 100g). Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals.

   * Fresh bananas provide adequate levels of minerals like copper, magnesium, and manganese. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has cardiac-protective role as well.  Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells.

    *Fresh banana is a very rich source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 358 mg potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure, countering bad effects of sodium.


Thank you,
Golam Kibria

[Golam Kibria]

Lychee fruit nutrition facts

Delicious and juicy Lychee or "Litchi" reminds you the arrival of summer. Botanically, this exotic fruit belongs to the family of Sapindaceae and named scientifically as Litchi chinensis.

Health benefits of Lychee

   * Lychee fruits are low in calories, contains no saturated fats or cholesterol, but rich in dietary fiber which, can be very important for individuals who are concerned about their excess body weight.
    *Research studies suggest that oligonol, a low molecular weight polyphenol found abundantly in lychee fruit. Oligonol has been found to have several anti-oxidant, anti-influenza virus actions. In addition, it helps improve blood flow in organs, reduce weight, and protect skin from harmful UV rays (Takuya Sakurai (Kyorin University, Japan), Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem., 72(2), 463-476, 2008).

    *Litchi, like citrus fruits, is an excellent source of vitamin C; 100 g fresh fruits provide 71.5 mg or 119% of daily-recommended value. Studies suggest that consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.

    *It is a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, niacin and folates. These vitamins are essential since they function by acting as co-factors to help body metabolize carbohydrates, protein and fats.

    *Litchi also contains a very good amount of minerals like potassium and copper. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids help control heart rate and blood pressure; thus offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells.

[Golam Kibria]

Watermelon nutrition facts

Want to quench thirst and re-boost your body with anti-oxidants lycopene and vitamin-A? Watermelon has everything you need to beat the scorching summer heat. Wonderfully delicious, thirst-quenching melons are the great source of much needed water and electrolytes to beat the tropical summer temperatures.

Botanical name: Citrullus lanatus.

Health benefits of watermelon

    *Rich in electrolytes and water content, melons are nature’s gift to beat tropical summer thirst.

    *Watermelons are very low in calories (just 30 cal per 100 g) and fats yet very rich source of numerous health promoting phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants that are essential for optimum health.

    *Watermelon is an excellent source of Vitamin-A, which is a powerful natural anti-oxidant. It is essential for vision and immunity. Vitamin-A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin-A is known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

    *It is also rich in anti-oxidant flavonoids like lycopene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. These antioxidants are found to be protective against colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers. Phyto-chemicals present in watermelon like Lycopene (4532 mcg/100 g) and carotenoids have the ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen free radicals. Studies have also shown that lycopene protects skin damage from UV rays and from prostate cancer.

    *Watermelon fruit is a good source of potassium; Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.

    *It also contains good amount of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), vitamin-C and manganese. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase.

[sethy]

Fruits are very nutritious. It provide us a lots of energy and nutrition. Seasonal fruits are highly enrich able. So we should take it in our daily food manu.

[DBH]

We are working for our success. For that, we work hard and for that our health needs sufficient nutrition. If we get this, we can hold a sound health. For that, fruit can give us much nutrition in our everyday life. If we eat fruits everyday, we can get much nutrition.
If we know the nutrition of all fruits, we can get nutrition easily and we can find the fruits what is needed for us.
Here the nutrition facts of all fruits will be posted. I think, it helps us to get much fruits in our every day life.
May Allah help to get a sound health.

Thank you for your quote regarding everyday nutrition intake.
Bangladesh having  natural source of different session  fruits , so should try to eat all types of fruits if may possible.
All session fruits will  coverage the phyto nutrients as essential micro nutrients in our immunization system.

So try to eat all session fruits of Bangladesh
DR MD BELLAL
NFE

[Golam Kibria]

Unique for its size, delicious jack fruit is rich in energy, dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. Like some other tropical fruits such as durian, banana etc it is also rich in energy. However, it contains no saturated fats or cholesterol, making it one of healthy fruit to savor!

Scientific name: Artocarpus heterophyllus.

Health benefits of jackfruit

    *The fruit is made of soft, easily digestible flesh (bulbs) with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly.

    *Jack-fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which makes it a good bulk laxative. The fiber content helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time and as well as binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon.

    *Fresh fruit has small amounts of vitamin-A and flavonoid pigments such as carotene-ß, xanthin, lutein and cryproxanthin-ß. Together, these compounds play vital roles in antioxidant and vision functions. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining integrity of mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin-A and carotenes has been found to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

    *Jack fruit is also good source of antioxidant vitamin-C; provides about 13.7 mg or 23% of RDA. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals.

    *It is one of the rare fruits that is rich in B-complex group of vitamins. It contains very good amounts of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), niacin, riboflavin and folic acid.

    *Fresh fruit is a good source of potassium, magnesium, manganese and iron. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

[Golam Kibria]

Lemon nutrition facts

Juicy, acidic, and flavorful lemon is the most widely used citrus fruit worldwide. It is the smallest among citrus fruits yet contains more health benefiting nutrients than oranges, pomelo etc.

Scientific name: Citrus limon.

Health benefits of lemon

    *Lemons are packed with numerous health benefiting nutrients. The fruit is low in calories, 29 calories per 100 g, one of the lowest among citrus group.

    *It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol, but is rich in dietary fiber (7.36% of RDA).

    *Its acidic taste is due to citric acid. Citric acid is present up to 8% in its juice. Citric acid is a natural preservative, aids digestion. Studies found that citric acid help dissolve kidney stones.

    *Lemons, like other citrus fruits, are excellent source of ascorbic acid (provides about 88% of DRI). Ascorbic acid or vitamin-C is a powerful water soluble natural anti-oxidant. This vitamin is helpful in preventing scurvy. Besides, consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the blood.

    *Lemons like oranges contain a variety of phytochemicals. Hesperetin and naringenin are flavonoid glycosides commonly found in citrus fruits. Naringenin is found to have a bio-active effect on human health as antioxidant, free radical scavenger, anti-inflammatory, and immune system modulator. This substance has also been shown to reduce oxidant injury to DNA in the cells in-vitro studies.

    *They also contain small level of vitamin A, and other flavonoid anti-oxidants such as α and ß-carotenes, beta-cryptoxanthin, zea-xanthin and lutein. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties. Vitamin A also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also essential for vision. Consumption of natural fruits rich in flavonoids helps body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

    *Total ORAC value, which measures the anti-oxidant strength of 100 g of fresh lemon juice is 1225 µmol TE (Trolex equivalents).

    *They also a good source of B-complex vitamins such as pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, and folates. These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish.

    *They contain healthy amount of minerals like iron, copper, potassium, and calcium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids helps control heart rate and blood pressure.

[Golam Kibria]

Papaya fruit nutrition facts

Exotic papaya fruit or pawpaw is jam-packed with numerous health benefiting nutrients. The fruit is one of the favorite of fruit lovers for its nutritional, digestive and medicinal properties. Papaya tree is grown extensively all over the tropical regions and cultivated for its fruits and latex papain, an enzyme that is used in food industry.

[b]Scientific name : Carica papaya.

Papaya fruit health benefits[/b]

    *The fruit is very low in calories (just 39 cal/100 g) and contains no cholesterol; but is a rich source of phyto-nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

   * Papayas contain soft, easily digestible pulp/flesh with good amount of soluble dietary fiber that helps to have normal bowel movements; thereby reducing constipation.

    *Fresh, ripe fruit is one of the fruit with highest vitamin-C content (provides about 103% of DRA, more than in oranges, or lemons). Research studies have shown that vitamin C has many important functions like free radicals scavenging, immune booster and anti-inflammatory actions.

    *It is also an excellent source of Vitamin-A (provides 1094 IU/100 g ) and flavonoids like beta carotenes, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthins. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for vision. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties; help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play role in aging and various disease processes. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotenes known to protect body from lung and oral cavity cancers.

   *Papaya fruit is also rich in many essential B-complex vitamins such as Folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin, and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish and play vital role in metabolism.

    *Fresh papaya also contains good amount of potassium (257 mg per 100 g) and calcium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids and helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure countering effects of sodium.

    *Papaya has been proven to be a natural remedy for many ailments. In traditional medicine, papaya seeds are anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, and analgesic, and they are used to treat stomach-ache and ringworm infections.

[Golam Kibria]

Plums nutrition facts

Scientific name: Prunus domestica.

Health benefits of Plums

    *Delicious, fleshy, succulent plums are low in calories and contain no saturated fats; but contain numerous health promoting compounds, minerals and vitamins.

    *Certain health benefiting compounds present in the plum fruits, such as dietary fiber, sorbitol, and isatin are known to help regulate the functioning of the digestive system and thereby used in constipation conditions.

    *Fresh plums are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is also a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents, counter inflammation and scavenge harmful free radicals.

    *Fresh plums, especially yellow Mirabelle type, are very good source of vitamin A and beta carotene. Vitamin A is essential for vision. It is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin A known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

    *The fruit is also good in health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin in significant amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease process.  zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions.

    *Plums are rich in minerals like potassium, fluoride and iron. Iron is required for red blood cell formation. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

    *Rich in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid. These vitamins are acting as cofactors help body metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They also provide about 5% RDA levels of vitamin K. Vitamin K is essential for many clotting factors function in the blood as well as in bone metabolism and helps reduce Alzheimer's disease in the elderly.

[Golam Kibria]

Guava fruit nutrition facts

Guava is another tropical fruit rich in nutrition. With its unique flavor, taste, and health-promoting qualities, the fruit easily fits in new functional foods category, often called “super fruits.”

Health benefits of guava fruit

    *Guavas are low in calories and fats but contain several vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant poly-phenolic and flavonoid compounds that play pivotal role in prevention of cancers, anti-aging, immune-booster etc.

    *The fruit is very rich source of soluble dietary fiber (5.4 g per 100 g of fruit, about 14% of DRA), which makes it a good bulk laxative. The fiber content helps protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time to toxins as well as binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon.

    *Fresh guava-fruit is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin-C; provides more than three times the DRI (daily-recommended intake). Outer thick rind contains exceptionally higher levels of vitamin C than central pulp.

    *Scientific studies shown that regular consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge cancer causing harmful free radicals from the body. Further, the vitamin is required for collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones.

    *The fruit is very good source of Vitamin-A and flavonoids like beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and cryptoxanthin. The compounds are known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for optimum health. Further, vitamin-A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotene is known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
    *Studies suggest that lycopene in pink guavas prevents skin damage from UV rays and offers protection from prostate cancer.

    *Fresh fruit is a very rich source of potassium; contains more potassium than banana per 100 g of fruit weight. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

    *It is also a moderate source of B-complex vitamins such as pantothenic acid, niacin, vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin E and K, and minerals like magnesium, copper, and manganese. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells.

[Golam Kibria]

Health benefits of grapes

    *Grapes are rich in polyphenolic phytochemical compound resveratrol. Resveratrol is one of powerful anti-oxidant, which has been found to play protective function against cancers of colon and prostate, coronary heart disease (CHD), degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer's disease and viral/ fungal infections.

    *Resveratrol reduces stroke risk by altering the molecular mechanisms in the blood vessels. It does so firstly by reducing susceptibility of blood vessels damage through decreased activity of angiotensin (a systemic hormone causing blood vessel constriction that would otherwise elevate blood pressure) and secondly, through increased production of the vasodilator substance, nitric oxide (a beneficial compound that causes relaxation of blood vessels).

    *Anthocyanins are another class of polyphenolic anti-oxidants present abundantly in the red grapes. These phyto-chemicals have been found to have anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, as well as anti-cancer activities.

    *Catechins, a type of flavonoid tannin group of anti-oxidants found in white/green varieties has also shown to have these health protecting functions.
    *In addition, the berries are very low in calories. 100 g fresh grapes just provide 69 calories but zero cholesterol levels.

    *Grapes are rich source of micronutrient minerals like copper, iron and manganese. Copper and manganese are an essential co-factor of antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is specially concentrated more in raisins. In addition 100 g of fresh grapes contain about 191 mg of health benefiting electrolyte, potassium.

    *They are also good source of vitamin-C, vitamin A, vitamin K, carotenes, B-complex vitamins such as pyridoxine, riboflavin, and thiamin.

By,
Golam Kibria

[Golam Kibria]

How much fruit nutrition should be included in our daily diet?

Research studies suggest that one may eat any servings of fruits daily. It is recommended to eat at least 2-3 servings of fresh fruits every day.

The term one fruit serving is about 250 g of cleaned, edible-portion of the fruit, excluding discards like peel, seeds etc.

Include seasonal fruits in the daily diet. Variety of fruit's type, color, and flavor should be encouraged to get maximum health benefits. Yellow and orange color fruits are rich sources of α and β carotenes, zea-xanthins and crypto-xanthins, while blue, black colored like black or blueberries are good source of poly-phenolic anthocyanin anti-oxidants.