Health is Wealth

                                           WATER

Hydration is one of very few primary needs for human beings. But what role does water play in our body?

A healthy adult living in a temperate climate should drink 1.5 litres of water per day. This threshold of drinking water enables to balance water losses and keep one’s body properly hydrated. Water is a major constituent of our bodies and vital organs. It provides five vital functions in our body :

 

The 5 functions of water in our body

1.     Cell life
2.     Chemical and metabolic reactions
3.     Transport of nutrients
4.     Body temperature regulation
5.     Elimination of waste

 The Functions of Water

Water is involved in many of our body’s vital functions

1. Cell life
Water is a carrier, distributing essential nutrients to cells, such as minerals, vitamins and glucose.


2. Chemical and metabolic reactions
Water removes waste products including toxins that the organs’ cells reject, and removes them through urines and faeces.


3. Transport of nutrients
Water participates in the biochemical break-down of what we eat.


4. Body temperature regulation
Water has a large heat capacity which helps limit changes in body temperature in a warm or a cold environment. Water allows the body to release heat when ambient temperature is higher than body temperature (1). The body begins to sweat, and the evaporation of water from the skin surface very efficiently cools the body.


5. Elimination of water
Water is an effective lubricant around joints. It also acts as a shock absorber for eyes, brain, spinal cord and even for the foetus through amniotic fluid.


Water is at the center of life. This is why nobody can live more than 3 to 5 days without any water intake.


 

                                                Fruits

Why fruits?

Fruits are nature’s wonderful gift to all humans; indeed, medicines filled with: 
vitamins
minerals
anti-oxidants and
many phyto-nutrients (Plant derived micronutrients).

They are an absolute feast to our sight, not just because of their color and flavor but for their unique nutrition-profile that help the human body free of diseases and stay healthy!

1. Fruits are low in calories and fat and are a source of simple sugars, fiber, and vitamins, which are essential for optimizing our health.
   
2. Fruits provide plenty of soluble dietary fiber, which helps to ward of cholesterol and fats from the body and to get relief from constipation as well.
   
3. Fruits contain many anti-oxidants , vitamin-C.
   These compounds, 
   firstly, help human body protected from oxidant stress, diseases, and cancers, and
   secondly; help the body develop capacity to fight against these ailments by boosting our immunity level.
   Many fruits, when compared to vegetables and cereals, have very high anti-oxidant value, which is something measured by their "Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity" or (ORAC).
   
4. Anthocyanins are flavonoid category of poly-phenolic compounds found in some "blue-fruits" like blue-black grapes, mulberries, acai berry, chokeberry, blueberries, blackberries, and in many vegetables featuring blue or deep purple color. Eating fruits rich in blue pigments offers many health benefits. These compounds have potent anti-oxidant properties, remove free radicals from the body, and thus offer protection against cancers, aging, infections, etc. These pigments tend to concentrate just underneath the skin.
   
5. Fruit’s health benefiting properties are because of their richness in vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients, anti-oxidants, which helps the body prevent or at least prolong the natural changes of aging by protecting and rejuvenating cells, tissues and organs.
   Their overall benefits are manifold!
   Fruit nutrition benefits are infinite!
   You are protecting yourself from minor ailments like wrinkling of skin, hair-fall, and memory loss to major ailments like age-related macular degeneration (AMRD) of the retina in the eyes, Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancers, weak bones (osteoporosis)…etc.
   
   
   

   Apple

   Delicious and crunchy apple fruit is one of the most popular fruits, favorite of health conscious, fitness lovers who believe in the concept “health is wealth.” This wonderful fruit is packed with rich phyto-nutrients that in the true senses indispensable for optimal health. The antioxidants in apple have much health promoting and disease prevention properties; thus truly justifying the adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
   Scientific name: Malus domestica. estica)
   Apples are obtained from the medium-sized tree belonging to the Rosaceae family. The apple tree is originated in the mineral-rich mountain ranges of Kazakhstan, and now being cultivated in many parts of the world.
   Apple fruit features oval or pear shape; and the outer skin has different colors depending upon the cultivar type. Internally, the juicy pulp has been off-white to cream in color and has to mix of mild sweet and tart taste. Its seeds are inedible because of their bitter taste.
   Hundreds of varieties of apples are either eaten as table fruits or as dessert fruit grown in the US and worldwide. Some of the apples are sought-after in cooking and baking too.
   
   

   Health benefits of apple

   • Delicious and crunchy apple fruit is notable for its impressive list of phtyto-nutrients, and anti-oxidants. Studies suggest that its components are essential for normal growth, development and overall well-being.
     
   • Apples are low in calories; 100 g of fresh fruit slices provide only 50 calories. They, however, contain no saturated fats or cholesterol. Nonetheless, the fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which helps prevent absorption of dietary-LDL or bad cholesterol in the gut. The fiber also saves the colon mucous membrane from exposure to toxic substances by binding to cancer-causing chemicals inside the colon.
     
   • Apples are rich in antioxidant phyto-nutrients flavonoids and polyphenolics. The total measured anti-oxidant strength (ORAC value) of 100 g apple fruit is 5900 TE. Some of the important flavonoids in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2. Additionally, they are also good in tartaric acid that gives tart flavor to them. Altogether, these compounds help the body protect from deleterious effects of free radicals.
     
   • Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-C and beta-carotene. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
     
   • Further, apple fruit is a good source of B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin, and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Together these vitamins help as co-factors for enzymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body.
     
   • Apple also contains a small amount of minerals like potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus, counters the bad influences of sodium.

Apple fruit (Malus domestica), Fresh,
Nutritive value per 100 g,
ORAC value-5900
(Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)

Energy	50 Kcal	2.5%
Carbohydrates	13.81 g	11%
Protein	0.26 g	0.5%
Total Fat	0.17 g	0.5%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	2.40 g	6%
Vitamins
Folates	3 µg	1%
Niacin	0.091 mg	1%
Pantothenic acid	0.061 mg	1%
Pyridoxine	0.041 mg	3%
Riboflavin	0.026 mg	2%
Thiamin	0.017 mg	1%
Vitamin A	54 IU	2%
Vitamin C	4.6 mg	8%
Vitamin E	0.18 mg	1%
Vitamin K	2.2 µg	2%
Electrolytes
Sodium	1 mg	0%
Potassium	107 mg	2%
Minerals
Calcium	6 mg	0.6%
Iron	0.12 mg	1%
Magnesium	5 mg	1%
Phosphorus	11 mg	2%
Zinc	0.04 mg	0%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß	27 µg	--
Crypto-xanthin-ß	11 µg	--
Lutein-zeaxanthin	29 µg	--

Selection and Storage

Fresh apples are readily available in the stores all around the season. Choose fresh, bright, firm textured apples with rich flavor. Avoid fruits with pressure marks over their surface as they indicate underlying mottled of pulp.

Fresh apples can be kept at room temperature for few days and stored inside the refrigerator for two to three weeks. Wash them in clean running cold water before use to remove any surface dust and pesticide/fungicide residues.

Preparation and Serving tips

Wash apples thoroughly in the running water to remove any surface dust, insecticide/fungicide sprays. Trim off top end using a paring knife and cut the fruit into two equal halves. Take out tiny, centrally placed, bitter seeds. Slice the fruit into desirable cubes or slices.

Apple fruit sections.	Apples pie.

Here are some serving tips:

• Eat apple fruit as they are, along with their peel in order to get maximum health-benefits.
  
• Sliced apple turns brown (enzymatic brownish discoloration) on exposure to air due to conversion in iron form from ferrous oxide to ferric oxide. If you have to serve them sliced, rinse slices in water added with few drops of fresh lemon.
  
• Cloudy as well as clear apple juice is a healthy alternative drink with dinner.
  
• Apple fruit is also used in the preparation of fruit jam, pie, and fruit salad.

 Papaya

Nutritional Benefits of Papaya

Papaya gives you glowing skin

• Papaya’s nutrition facts are beneficial against acne, pimples and other skin infections. It opens your pores of the skin. Papayas are mostly used in face packs.
• Fresh papayas possess dead cell dissolving ability that gives you a perfectly glowing skin.
• It is protective against skin infections and wounds too. Isn’t it great! This nutritional benefit of papaya is used by all beauty product companies

Helps in digestion

• Papayas contain digestive enzymes that digest proteins by breaking the protein content. The enzyme that helps in digestion is mostly found in unripe state.
• It is full of digestive supplements and is also used in chewing gums. So next time your stomach is upset, cheer it up with a papaya.

Papaya leaves increase the appetite in your body and cures menstrual pain

• The usage of blended papaya leaves in Luke warm water increases appetite in your body.
• The nutritional benefits of papaya are more useful for women, as papaya leaves also works as a cure for menstrual pain. You can take papaya leaf, tamarind and salt along with water that is helpful in frequent pain in women menstruation cycle.

It heals wounds and prevents from blood clots

• An active enzyme fibrin is found in papaya which is also available in animal and human body. It helps in digestion and also prevents blood clots. It acts as healing reagent for external and internal wounds as well.
• It also prevents unnecessary blood clotting inside body.

 It controls bowel movements

• Papaya and its seeds possess anti-amoebic and anti-parasitic characters which controls the bowel movements. It cures diseases like indigestion, constipation, acid reflux, heart burn, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers and gastric problems also.

It has anti cancer properties

• Papaya’s nutritional benefits are very good for curing cancer as it contains Flavonoid contents which act as antioxidants for your body which include beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin are essential for curing cancer diseases.
• As we know fruits which contain carotenes protects from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• It controls the production of oxygen free radicals which cause harm to body and health.

It protects heart

• Potassium is also present in a large amount in fresh papayas which helps in regulation of cell body fluids.
• It controls flow of blood maintain the proper blood pressure. It regulates harmful sodium effects inside the body. So it protects you from heart diseases. This is why nutritional benefits of papaya do wonders for heart patients.

It is used for weight loss treatment

• Papayas are very low in calories with lot of vitamin contents, essential nutrients, minerals that is helpful in giving your body a perfect healthy diet.

• Papayas contains Vitamin C, E & A, folate, it also gives only 39 calories per a 100 gram. Presence of antioxidants burns your calorie down and extra fat deposits. So you can have a healthy breakfast with papaya. Papaya’s nutrition benefits are amazing, you can eat it as in salads, juice. The cocktails of papaya have lot of health benefits.

Papayas are known to be natural medicine

• Papayas cure many diseases, infections and maintain good health. Papaya seeds also show different health benefits. The seeds also kill ring worms inside your stomach.
• Papaya leaves cure fever, dengue, skin diseases and several other diseases. So it is one of the best fruit with lot of health benefits.

Nutrition Facts of Papaya:

   

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	179 kJ (43 kcal)
Carbohydrates	10.82 g
- Sugars	7.82 g
- Dietary fiber	1.7 g
Fat	0.26 g
Protein	0.47 g
Vitamin A equiv.	47 μg (6%)
- beta-carotene	274 μg (3%)
- lutein and zeaxanthin	89 μg
Thiamine (vit. B1)	0.023 mg (2%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2)	0.027 mg (2%)
Niacin (vit. B3)	0.357 mg (2%)
Pantothenic acid (B5)	0.191 mg (4%)
Vitamin B6	0.038 mg (3%)
Folate (vit. B9)	38 μg (10%)
Vitamin C	62 mg (75%)
Vitamin E	0.3 mg (2%)
Vitamin K	2.6 μg (2%)
Calcium	20 mg (2%)
Iron	0.25 mg (2%)
Magnesium	21 mg (6%)
Manganese	0.04 mg (2%)
Phosphorus	10 mg (1%)
Potassium	182 mg (4%)
Sodium	8 mg (1%)
Zinc	0.08 mg (1%)
Lycopene	1828 µg

It contains:

• Carbohydrates: 92%
• Protein: 5%
• Fat: 3%

FIBER

What is fiber ?
fiber or "roughage" as it is also known, is essentially a carbohydrate and is found solely in plants. It is found in the walls of the plant's cells and is the only part of the plant that cannot be digested by the human body.

Insoluble fiber
fiber passes through the body virtually unchanged along with other digested food until it arrives at the large intestine. What happens next depends on which type of fiber is present.

In the case of insoluble fiber , it promotes the growth of a certain friendly bacteria that ferments and makes the waste material soft and bulky, which in turn helps it to pass through the intestines quicker to the bowel and out of the body.

Insoluble fiber prevents constipation, which consists of small, hard and dry faeces that are hard to pass, by adding bulk and liquid to aid movement, and promote regular bowel movements. A larger and softer stool is able to pass through the intestines and bowel more easily and fluidly and is easier to evacuate.

As waste material passes through the body quickly and does not stay in the intestines or bowel for very long, toxins are not able to build up and accumulate. This is important in the prevention of distressing diseases such as bowel cancer or other cancers, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, haemorrhoids and diverticulitis.

Sources of insoluble fiber
Insoluble fiber can be found in foods such as bran, wholemeal flour and breads, brown rice, whole grain cereals, vegetables, edible peels of fruit, nuts and seeds.

Soluble fiber
Soluble fiber absorbs water in the intestine, which softens the stool and helps the waste material move through the body more quickly.

It is thought that soluble fiber may help to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood. This is due to the fact that soluble fiber binds the cholesterol from food or from bile acids, which are made up of cholesterol, preventing it from being absorbed into the bloodstream. This is then eliminated as waste, as the fiber cannot be digested.

Soluble fiber also slows down digestion and the sudden release of energy, especially from carbohydrates into the bloodstream. This means that blood sugar levels are more stable, which is good for people with diabetes, and energy or glucose is released slowly and steadily, preventing sudden feelings of tiredness, lack of energy or hunger pangs.

Sources of soluble fiber
Soluble fiber -rich foods include fruits, vegetables, lentils, peas, beans, oats, barley, oatmeal, potatoes, dried fruit, soya milk and soya products.

Sources:

• Eat more portions of fruit and dried fruit.
• Eat potatoes with their skins intact.
• Include chickpeas or lentils to salads, stews and curries.
• Try to eat more raw fruit and vegetables.
• Add seeds and nuts to salads or eat as a snack.
• Switch to brown rice, brown bread and wholemeal pasta.
• Buy foods containing whole grains.
• Remember to also increase your water intake.

Remember:
Foods that are rich in fiber are generally low in fat and calories and do not make you put on weight.

In addition, fiber slows down digestion, making you feel satisfied and full up for longer. This will stop you from snacking on unhealthy foods, which do make you put on weight.

fiber -rich foods are often bulky and fill you up quicker as well, which prevents you from overeating. This type of food also slows down the rate at which you eat, giving your brain time to register that your stomach is full with food.