Fruits with Healing Benefits

This information about fruits with healing benefits is for everyone to prevent your health

Source: Yahoo 7 News

photo by

Many fruits deliver more than just good taste; they can help prevent and cure conditions and boost your overall health and wellbeing. Here's a list of some superfruits that pack quite a nutritional punch and whole lot of health benefits!

Want to know more about the healing power of foods? Buy The Doctors Book of Food Remedies today!

photo by

PineappleIn lab and human studies, bromelain, an enzyme extracted from pineapple, eased the swelling and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, soft-tissue injuries, inflammatory conditions in the colon and even chronic pain.Pineapple is also a rich source of vitamin C, and it contains substances that keep bones strong and promote digestion. One cup of pineapple chunks, for example, contains about 24 mg of vitamin C. Juice is even better: a glass of pineapple juice contains 60 mg of C.

photo by

ApplesPut away the peeler, and eat your apples with the peel intact. “The peel contains three- quarters of the fibre and most of the antioxidants in the apple,” says Wendy Davis, RD, director of communications and consumer health for the US Apple Association. Cornell University food scientists who tested four varieties of apples found that the peels better inhibited the growth of cancer cells than the rest of the apple. As a result, apple peels “may impart health benefits when consumed and should be regarded as a valuable source of antioxidants,” the researchers wrote

photo by

GuavasOne cup of guava has nearly five times as much skin-healing vitamin C (a key ingredient in collagen production) as a medium orange (377 mg versus 83 mg)—more than five times your recommended daily intake. Women who eat a lot of vitamin-C-packed foods have fewer wrinkles than women who don’t eat many, according to a recent study that tracked the diets of more than 4,000 women aged 40 to 74. You’ll also get bacteria-busting power. Guava can protect against foodborne pathogens such as listeria and staph, according to research by microbiologists in Bangladesh. And a study by Thai scientists and the US Department of Agriculture found that guava has as much antioxidant activity as some well-known superfoods, such as blueberries and broccoli.

photo by

LycheesA French study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that, of all fruits tested, lychees had the second-highest level of heart-healthy polyphenols—nearly 15 per cent more than the amount in grapes (considered a ‘king of polyphenols’). “Polyphenols protect your cells by neutralising free radicals in the body. They also keep your arteries flexible and elastic,” says Catherine Saxelby, nutritionist and author of Nutrition For Life ($29.95; Hardie Grant). Lychees are also thought to help protect against breast cancer: A recent test-tube and animal study from Sichuan University in China found that lychees may help prevent the formation of breast-cancer cells, thanks to the fruit’s antioxidant activity.

photo by

ApricotsMost of apricots’ health benefits are due to the same substances that make them look so luscious, their carotenoids. These are the powerful pigments in plants that paint many of our favourite fruits and vegetables red, orange and yellow. Researchers have identified more than 600 carotenoids, and apricots contain some of the most potent—including betacarotene.Women whose diets contain high levels of betacarotene had significantly less risk of coronary-artery disease, according to a study that followed 73,000 women for 12 years, and a significantly lower risk of heart attack, according to another study.

photo by

AvocadosOleic acid, a monounsaturated fat in avocados, can help lower cholesterol. In one study, researchers compared the effects of two low-fat diets, which were identical except that one diet included avocados. Although both diets lowered levels of dangerous LDL (bad) cholesterol, the avocado-inclusive diet raised levels of healthy HDL cholesterol.The fibre in avocados also helps in our cholesterol-lowering quest. Fibre adds bulk to stool, causing it, and the cholesterol it contains, to be excreted from the body more quickly. One avocado packs more fibre—about 10g— than a bran muffin.

photo by

 BlueberriesPacked with antioxidants, vitamin C, manganese and fibre, blueberries boost brain health, improving learning and keeping memory sharp. Look for berries that still have their silver-white surface bloom. This coating signals freshness and helps them retain their juices. Jiggle the punnet: the fruit should move around easily, a sign that no soft or mouldy berries are stuck together. Eat half a cup and you could double your daily intake of anti-ageing antioxidants.

photo by

Nashi PearsOne large nashi pear offers a whopping 10 g of cholesterol-lowering fibre, about 40 per cent of your daily requirement. In a recent US study, people who ate the most fibre had the lowest total and LDL cholesterol levels. The researchers also found that those who ate the most fibre also weighed the least and had the lowest body-mass indexes and waist circumferences.

photo by

 WatermelonSeedy in a good way, watermelons are water-dense (hence their name) and a great source of carbs, too, which help you refuel. An added bonus: this fruit fights nausea.

Want to know more about the healing power of foods? Buy The Doctors Book of Food Remedies today!



The best foods for better sex

Photo by istock

It's no secret that the unhealthy Western diet is contributing to an epidemic of obesity. But there's another hidden epidemic that our fatty diets are at the root of: a national sex crisis. Beyond slimming you down, changing what you eat can boost your performance in bed - these great foods ideas will help combat the crisis.
PICK UP THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE ON SALE NOW FOR OUR LOVE BITES ARTICLE: foods to get your engine revving!

Photo by sxc.hu

Snacks for you
Cranberry juice
20 per cent of women suffer from chronic urinary tract infections, increasing their risk of kidney infections. Ward off the painful infection and keep your sex life alive by drinking half a cup of unsweetened cranberry juice, a natural antibacterial, every day. Research shows that tannins in cranberry juice decrease a woman's risk of an infection by 34 per cent.

 

Photo by sxc.hu

YoghurtTry yoghurt with "live active cultures." The yoghurt contains probiotic bacteria called Lactobacillus, which helps prevent the spread of E. coli in the urethra. Finnish researchers found that women who ate this type of yoghurt three times a week were almost 80 per cent less likely to have recently developed a UTI than those who ate it less than once a week

Photo by sxc.hu

Midmorning snacks: for you and himThese might be foods for kids’ lunches, but it has some very grown-up implications. Here's why:

Celery (mostly for men)
Every stalk of the stuff is packed with androstenone and androstenol, two pheromones that can help men attract women. Every time you chew on a stalk of celery, you release odour molecules, which help boost your arousal, turning you on and causing your body to send off scents and signals that make you more desirable to women.

Photo by sxc.hu

Peanut butter Research shows that men with diets high in monounsaturated fat—the kind found in nuts—have higher testosterone levels than those who don't eat enough of the healthy fat. Plus, nuts are also the best food source of arginine, an amino acid that improves bloodflow throughout your body—including below the belt.



Photo by Women's Health

Fuel your libido
PorridgeUnsexy oatmeal has a hidden talent – whole grains increase testosterone, which boosts sex drive. Serve porridge with honey: it contains boron, a mineral that has libido-enhancing effects. This, in combination with B vitamins (needed to make testosterone), and fructose (which aids stamina) can explain that "honeymoon" thing – ancient Persian newlyweds drank mead, an alcoholic drink made with honey, every day for a month after they married.

Photo by Women's Health

Sashimi Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon and tuna) keep sex-hormone production humming along. Tuna is also good source of selenium (a mineral that increases his sperm count). Serve it with pickled ginger and edamame. “Ginger aids circulation, and edamame contains phytoestrogens, which help lubricate the vagina,” Paget says.



Photo by Women's Health

Coffee People who enjoy a brew have higher libidos and hit the sheets more often, according to a study by Southwestern University, US. Skip sweetner for real sugar. “Sugar releases serotonin, a neurotransmitter that provides a brief euphoric feeling,” says psychologist Dr Abby Aronowitz.



Photo by Women's Health

Foods for him
Chicken Chicken contains a powerful combo of vitamin B6 and zinc – both essential for the production of testosterone, vital for the health of his libido, sperm and erectile function. Chicken is also a rich source of arginine, which “triggers the body to make protein and may enhance sperm production”, says nutrition expert Sharon Natoli.



Photo by Women's Health

WatermelonBoost his boner with this sweet fruit. US researchers have found that watermelon’s citrulline and arginine boost production of a compound called nitric oxide that relaxes blood vessels – the same thing that little blue pill does, but for a way better price.



Photo by sxc.hu

Get him in the mood
CinnamonThe scent of baked cinnamon buns turns a man on. This was the conclusion of neurologists following a unique experiment in which they monitored penile blood flow in 25 medical students while the students sniffed different smells. The researchers exposed the students to a wide range of fragrances, from lily-of-the-valley to rose to musk, but found that cinnamon buns turned men on most. The scents of pumpkin pie and black liquorice also ranked high. Researchers speculate the smells may evoke a nostalgic memory that relaxes a man, making him more aware of sexual cues.



Photo by sxc.hu

Original aphrodisiacs...
FigsConsidering their resemblance to female genitalia, it’s no surprise the fig has long been lauded as a sexual symbol. Adam and Eve used its leaves to cover their privates, the ancient Greeks celebrated the arrival of the fig crop with sex rituals, and Cleopatra declared them her top snack.



Photo by sxc.hu

WalnutsThe Romans allegedly tossed walnuts at newlyweds as a symbol of fertility. Nuts contain fats that your system creates cholesterol with – and your sex hormones need cholesterol to work properly, says



Photo by Women's Health

Never miss an issue - subscribe today!