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.