Are these in your fruit basket yet?

We all know that fruits are good for health. Fruits provide vitamins, minerals and energy. Fruits have to be a part of your daily diet. But do you know what fruits are absolute must-haves in your fruit basket? Experts have listed the following five as the best in terms of health benefits.

 

Guava: (Amrud in  Hindi. Peru in Marathi): This is the uncrowned king of the fruit basket. We are lucky that being a tropical fruit, guavas are available almost throughout the year in our country. A guava tree is one of the most common fruit tress growing in many a backyard. Even in a concrete jungle like Mumbai, one frequently comes across guava trees. Why is guava the star? Recent reports suggest that guavas are packed with anti-oxidant properties and are abundant in Vitamin C. In fact it is said that it beats other fruits hollow when it comes to Vitamin C.  Guavas are also the richest in fibre and have age and inflammation fighting properties. Not surprising then that this fruit is the top chartbuster here!

 

Lychee: Lychees are beautiful to look at, and taste great too. But did you know that just three lychees can meet a third of your Vitamin C requirement of the day? 100 gms of fresh lychees gives you 72 mg of Vitamin C. Other good points of lychees include copper, potassium and riboflavin. Avoid lychee juices and stick to the whole fruit.

 

Papaya: Another one from the wonder fruits stable. Papayas are wonderful for your skin as they help you fight wrinkles. Vitamin C, folate and potassium are present in papayas. Papayas contain papain, a natural digestive aid, which helps to cleanses the digestive track. Other nutrients include Vitamin A, E and carotenoids and lycopene. In comparison to an orange papaya has 13 times more Vitamin C and 50 times more potassium and four times more Vitamin E than oranges and apples. All this at a lower calorie count.

 

Banana: Easy to afford and easily available, bananas are a universal favourite. Quick to digest, bananas come with a host of vitamins, A, B, C and also calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and zinc. Experts say that the fiber in a banana is good for your heart. People suffering from acidity are often asked to consume bananas, as they are said to protect from stomach ulcers. Raw bananas are also used in Indian cooking and are high in iron content. 

 

Pomegranate: Red wine and green tea are said to be high in anti-oxidants. But did you know that the content of anti-oxidants in pomegranates are almost three times higher! So next time say 'cheers' with pomegranate juice. Also indulging in this juice frequently is extremely beneficial for your heart and it cuts down the risk of artery clogging. Additionally they contain Vitamin B, C, calcium and phosphorous. It also contains a powerful agent that helps fight against prostrate cancer. It is also said to be effective against anaemia, intestinal parasite irritation, piles, asthma, diarrhoea, morning sickness and poor appetite.