Not an Apple Lover? Here Are Five Other Power Fruits to Keep the Doctor Away
By: Bean Jones
I've always been bothered by the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." You see, I'm not an apple person. Thankfully, the apple's not the only fruit that can keep you healthy.
Here are five fruits that give the apple some serious competition for the Power Fruit title:
Cranberry. Known for preventing bacteria from taking over the urinary tract, the cranberry's antioxidant properties protect the heart by boosting levels of high-density lipoprotein or HDL ("good cholesterol") in your body. In a study conducted at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, participants who drank three eight-ounce glasses of cranberry juice daily increased their HDL by 10 percent after three months.
Strawberry. Strawberries contain phytonutrients--such as flavonoids, anthocyanidins and ellagic acid. They help in enhancing memory function and fighting off rheumatoid arthritis.
Orange. More than being packed with Vitamin C, oranges have been proven to be more than what they seem. In 2004, a study undertaken by the US Department of Agriculture and KGK Synergize, a Canadian nutraceutical company, revealed that orange peels have medicinal value. Orange peels contain polymethoxylated flavones or PMFs--compounds that serve as potent, natural alternatives for lowering low-density lipoprotein or LDL ("bad" cholesterol).
Banana. With their high potassium content (about 400 to 600 mg in each fruit, depending on the size), bananas are easily the favorite of athletes and gym rats. Potassium keeps the body hydrated by preventing sodium from overpowering your body. Thus, bananas help strengthen your muscles and nerves.
Peach. Rich in antioxidants, peaches can ease digestion. Plus, they can also help prevent kidney diseases and anemia. Moreover, their phosphorus content enables them to protect nerve cells.
So, go ahead and pick your favorite power fruit and make sure you get to have it on a regular basis. Doing so would probably count as one of the most basic moves of preventive health care.
As for me, I'm a banana fan--and not just because it's an "athlete's fruit." It's because, like most guys, I prefer a fruit that's easily brown-bagged and doesn't make a mess when eaten. Like I always say, I love keeping things simple--especially when it comes to eating right.
Comments
As for me, I could never eat a banana, even since I was a baby.
Love al the other fruits, though it is hard to find cranberries where I live.
My son steals fruit! mainly apples, and so we have to keep them up on the ledge.
You may think, why would you not encourage it?
Well, firstly, he eats the whole thing, seeds and all and second, too many apples a day may keep the doctor away but it doesn't keep the runs away.
When you're driving in your Chevy your pants are getting heavy....
hi there,
If you are not an apple lover you can easy become one and get hooked on it.
I have been eating an apple and a handful of Almonds for braekfast for years, it is light tasty,sweet and comoplete.
I could never eat apples without my teeth clinching when I was a child and in younger years.
And to take other fruit and berries further. I love bluberries, all kind of berries actually and I consume a lot every day. It keep my body in controll,specially I need to keep my blood thinner than normal. All vedges, fruit and berries give the body vitamin K (among others) and prevent me from having a spontaniouse hemmorage. I think everyone once had a hartattack know this problem too well. So go ahead, enjoy all kind of fruit or berry.
How could you not like Honeycrisp apples? There's a brand new one I think is called Frost King that's supposedly even better. Thumbs up to Elsa for her berry comments.