15/11/2016
Why fruits should be your best friend:
Have you heard of the theory of aging that seek to answer the questions a) why do we age? b) how do we age?
There are so many theories & hypothesis including: the cross-linking/glycation hypothesis, the evolutionary senescence theory of aging including disposable soma theory & the theory of antagonistic pleiotropy, the genome maintenance hypothesis of aging, the neuroendocrine hypothesis of aging, the rate of living theory of aging etc. All these theories and hypothesis could be combined to explain why we age and why there are age related illnesses.
The two most outstanding ones are: the evolution senescence theory and the oxidative damage/free radical hypothesis of aging.
Oxidative free radicals are one of the toxic byproducts of normal metabolism(the body making use of the food we eat) Natural substances within our cells called antioxidants sop up and neutralize these dangerous free radicals. But those that escape this clean up process can damage DNA, protein and mitochondria( energy producing house in all cells.) The damage called oxidative damage accumulate over time. This lead to several other reactions that breakdown cells causing injury to the body. The expression could be seen cumulatively in weakening & aging.
So we see antioxidants are so helpful and fruits are a major source:
-fruits compose of many antioxidants such as poly-phenolic flavonoids, anthocyanin etc. Meaning fruits have oxygen radical absorbent capacity. (experiments have shown fruit flies exposed to 100% oxygen had their life span reduced from 2 month to about a week.) Antioxidants in fruits deal with these free oxygen species that could reduce our life span through aging.
-fruits put your body into a fat burning mode. Going on a fruit diet with proper guide is so helpful.
-fruits provide plenty of soluble dietary fiber warding off cholesterol.
-fruits rich in vitamins, minerals, etc help prolong the natural changes of aging by protecting and renewing cells, tissues and organs. They protect from wrinkle, hair loss, memory loss etc. Vitamins help absorption of iron in the intestine, irons are vital in forming your blood( we all know the importance of blood)
- you can eat 3 servings of food a day, a serving=250grams of fruits.
-Eating dry fruits like dried grape, date, etc. enhance overall bioavailability of nutrients.
- yellow and orange colored fruits are rich sources of alpha and beta carotene, zea-xanthin and crypto-xanthin.
-blue, black colored fruits like black/blue berries are good sources of poly phenolic anthocyanin antioxidants.
- rinse fruits with salt water for few minutes and rinse with cool running water till it's completely clean.
- Eat fruits while fresh.
- after metabolism of acidic fruits, the end product is a base so eating fruits on empty stomach is not harmful has popularly believed it's rather the best way to get the full benefit.
*Let fruits be your best friend. Change from the 'I don't like fruits ' attitude to understanding their importance in healthy living & long life.
