Importance of Fruits in Diet

Fruits are amongst the first food items known to human beings. In fact, they have been in existence since the inception of mankind (even Adam and Eve ate apple - the ‘forbidden fruit’!). In many religions, fruits have been given the status of the ‘food of Gods’. Fruits, whether fresh or dried, have always formed a part of the staple diet of human beings. The reason for this is that they are rich in nutrients and provide some of the essential minerals, vitamins, and the like, to our body. Apart from that, they also help in curing a number of diseases. In the following lines, we have listed the benefits of having fruits in your diet.

Importance of Fruits in Diet

Fruits, whether taken as a whole or in the form of juice, have a hydrating effect when eaten by an individual. They replenish water, apart from numerous nutrients, in the body. In fact, the water absorbed by a person, in the form of fruit juices, has additional benefits of providing sugar and essential minerals.
Most of the fruits are rich in potassium, magnesium and sodium. These nutrients act as a diuretic and dieresis, increasing the frequency of passing urine. This high frequency results in a lower urine density, which ultimately speeds up the process of elimination of nitrogenous waste and chlorides from the body.
Fruits are rich in fiber, which is very essential for the smooth passage of the food in the digestive tract. In the other words, consumption of fruits helps maintain easy bowel action. If you consume fruits on a daily basis, it will help prevent as well as cure constipation.
The salts present in fruits have organic acids which, when transformed in the body, produce alkaline carbonates. This leads to alkalization of the fluids and, in turn, promotion of intestinal elimination. In other words, regular consumption of fruits helps the body stay free of toxic wastes.
Fruits are mostly rich in minerals. For example, fruits like custard apple have as much as 800 mg of calcium per fruit. If we consume one custard apple each day, it will be almost sufficient to meet almost the entire daily requirement of calcium, by the body.
All the fruits contain carbohydrates, mainly in the form of sugar, dextrin and acids. These types of carbohydrates get digested by the body very easily and are also absorbed quickly. This makes fruits extremely good for sick and invalids, as a quick source of energy.

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