excellent source of nourishment loose weight

Fruits are an excellent source of nourishment and should be consumed in moderation as part of a healthy diet.  Like vegetables, fruits are a great source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and water.  In the fruit group, several fruits are considered to be superfoods.  What determines a fruit (or any other plant food) to be a superfood is it's nutrient density.  The superfoods in the fruit group includes berries, citrus, coconuts, mangoes, papaya, and melons.  All of these superfoods contain a vast supply of various nutrients. One of the most profound health benefits of fruits is that they're an excellent source of both types of dietary fiber (soluble and insoluble).  Dietary fiber is made up of a variety of compounds that are beneficial to the digestive system and also provide health benefits to other functions in the body.  Fiber compounds are found only in plant foods and are not broken down when they pass through the small intestines.  Although fiber is generally known as passing through the digestive system undigested, some types of fiber undergo digestion (by bacterial enzymes) while traveling through the vast intestine or colon. Soluble fiber is that which is soluble in water.  Insoluble fiber (also known as roughage) doesn't assimilate into water.  Most plant foods contain both types of fiber in varying amounts, but some plant foods provide a rich source of one or the other.  Studies show that soluble fiber helps to lower blood cholesterol levels thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.  Soluble fiber is also beneficial in the management of diabetes.  It helps to keep blood glucose (sugar) levels balanced.  When consumed with adequate amounts of fluid, insoluble fiber helps to prevent constipation.  It adds bulk to stools and stimulates peristalsis (the involuntary contractions that move food through the intestinal tract).  Research studies indicate that insoluble fiber plays a role in the prevention of colon cancer.  Since high-fiber foods are filling and tend to be low in fat, both types of fiber can help to promote weight loss. Along with fiber, fruits also provide an excellent source of several vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.  Fruits supply several minerals including potassium (especially in bananas, pears, and oranges), iron (mostly in berries and dried fruits), and small amounts of calcium and magnesium.  The main contribution that fruits make to the diet is vitamins, especially vitamin C and beta carotene.  Tropical fruits, citrus fruits, berries, and melons are all great sources of vitamin C.  Yellow and orange fruits such as apricots, cantaloupes, peaches, nectarines, mangoes, and papayas are the best sources of beta carotene. Vitamin C plays many roles in the body.  It's essential for the proper functioning of the immune system, it's important for wound healing and helps to prevent bruising, it provides structure to capillary and cell walls, it's crucial in the production of collagen (the connective tissue that stabilizes bone, muscle, and other tissues in the body), it helps to form hemoglobin (the protein in red blood cells), and it enhances the absorption of iron. Beta carotene is the precursor of vitamin A.  Carotenoids are the yellow and orange pigments in fruits and vegetables.  There are more than 600 carotenoids.  About 50 of those carotenoids are converted to vitamin A in the intestine.  Once carotenoids are converted into vitamin A, they perform all of the functions of vitamin A.  Carotenoids help to protect against heart disease and certain forms of cancer.  Vitamin A is essential for several functions in the body.  It promotes great vision (especially night vision). Deficiency of vitamin A can cause night blindness or total blindness.  Vitamin A also helps to maintain epithelial tissues (those that make up the skin surface and the linings of systems like the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts).  Epithelial tissues contain a high amount of immune cells and are the body's first line of defense against disease. Therefore, vitamin A plays a major role in maintaining immunity.  Vitamin A also plays a major role in bone growth. Other fruit nutritional benefits include enzymes, water, few calories, and some have protein. Fruit health benefits go beyond the nutritional content of fruits.  Fruits also satisfy the craving for sweets.  Facts from nutrition research indicate that consuming fruits several times a day, reduces the cravings for sweet junk foods which are filled with unhealthy fats, processed sugars, toxic additives, and little to no nutritional benefits.  Fruits provide natural sugar and a great balance of fiber and other nutrients.  Although fruits are generally healthy, they should be consumed in moderation.  Some fruits are high in sugar and may cause the blood sugar to rise when consumed in excessive amounts. Individuals who are diabetic or hyperglycemic should eat fruits that are lower in sugar and high in fiber.   Fruits should be consumed in moderation as part of a healthy diet.casteas.comcasteas.comcasteas.comcasteas.comcasteas.comcasteas.comcasteas.comcasteas.com
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