Why is the consumption of fruits important? How much of it should be consumed?

Hello dear reader, this is Dr Ashwini Joshi of Aloha Clinic, of the best diabetes-reversal facilities in Pune that these days is also getting its share of recognition worldwide! In this article, I speak about something that all of us are well aware of but seldom care to give a serious thought! Fruits and their being consumed in the right quantity!

Nature is the best judge of equilibrium. It may take a while for it to form but once formed, there’s just about no reason for it to go out of sync. Foods, and more so fruits are one of nature’s way of providing humanity with all of its nutritional needs in one place. Be it apples, pears, grapes, bananas, papayas or guavas, all of them have nutrients and ingredients that have extreme importance in human lives. From major ones including carbs, proteins to trace chemicals including folic acid, magnesium, phosphorous, vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E, and zinc, all of that is to be found among fruits. These besides, fruits provide other major benefits such as:

Much-needed nutrients in their most natural form! Among fruits, there’s hardly a concept of anything going overboard. Unlike manufactured foods, naturally grown fruits have a natural balance of their nutrients which if consumed in the right quantity at the right time, can bring the body all the nutrients it needs- without side effects that’s the bane of factory-produced medications.
Is balanced in most things that humanity is known to over-indulge in including carbs, sugar, sodium, fats! No one’s know to over-indulge in fruits! You overdo, the body expels it either in the form of vomit or in the form of a bad stomach. Either way, it doesn’t get stored for long within the body to harm - something that remains the bane of manufactured foods that finds its way in distorting our nutritional needs, sometimes badly.
Is the only source (besides vegetables) known to provide trace chemicals including folic acid, magnesium, phosphorous, vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E, and zinc. These chemicals, besides others, are known to appear ONLY in the form of these fruits with little scope to find in other places- unless the same is extracted, chemically processed and sold as pills and potions. The latter in most cases aren’t always the best and most reliable sources of such nutrition.
Provides gut health with ruffage. Fruits are physical. Their entire supply of nutrition comes on the back of much-needed roughage that goes into cleaning our gut through and through. One part of healthy living is to have a super-clean and happy gut that has just the right bacterial and other life support which nothing but fruit extracts in the form of roughage can ever provide. Eating fruits on every occasion is thus a much-needed activity for healthy living.
Natural protection against certain kinds of cancers and heart diseases: Fruit rich in vitamin c lower the risk of stomach and oesophageal cancer. Carrots, rich as they are in carotenoids reduce the risk of lung, mouth, pharynx, and larynx cancers. Tomatoes, guava, and watermelon rich as they are in lycopene are said to lower the risk of prostate cancer. And these are only some of the fruits that are available to us lucky Indians!
Best hunger-busters that do away with the need to over-indulge with processed foods rich. The latter in most cases with an excess of salt, sugar, preservatives and chemicals lead to all manner of lifestyle diseases. They are easy to carry and are loaded with nutrients.
Easy on the pockets in most cases! Unless one desires exotic fruits, the stuff you get near you is affordable in most respects.

That said, how much should be their portion sizes is something that needs attention these days given that consuming more or less doesn’t serve the purpose of infusing the right quantities of nutrients into the body. A great way to address the same could be to use the below information:

In the US, their acclaimed agency the USFDA terms it as adequate if

Women consume 1.5 to 2 cups of fruits every day
Males consume between 2 and 2.5 cups of fruits every day
Both men and women ought to consume up to 2 cups of fruits every day beyond the age of 60 years
Where one consumes over 7 cups of fruits and veggies every day, chances of cancer lower significantly
With the present recommended consumption of fruits being 5, where it is doubled, instances of conditions including cardiovascular disorders including stoke, cardiac- arrest, heart-disease and the likes reduce significantly
This is the LEAST that needs to be consumed. Anything less can be termed as deficient and may not serve the intended purpose. Anything over is always welcome by the body!

The need for fresh fruits and vegetables varies basis a person’s

Height
Weight
Sex
Age
physical activity levels
General health conditions

It’s been found that the higher the intake of fruits, the more protected is one’s health
Where a person consumes a balanced diet in terms of pulses and cereals, fruits in any quantities are a healthy addition.
Diabetics, despite their state, should aspire to eat fruits, and more so those rich in fibres that are low in starch.
Diet plans should have adequate provision for portions of fruits and their share of dry fruits and nuts, a rich source of antioxidants and vitamins, proteins and good fats.
Among others, one can add citrus fruits to water and the concoction throughout the day to effectively detox the body.

With so much going in favour of fruits, and given how much India produces, don’t you think it’s time to look at fresh fruits in a different light? And for once, ditch all that come in cans and packs??

At Aloha Clinic in Pune, our ascent remains to help our patients and visitors get well with the least of active medical interventions, if possible. One of the essential ways is to advise them to increase their consumption of seasonal fruits, nuts and veggies.