It's said that eating more fruit is good for your health, but each season has its own preferred fruits. Eating the right fruits will make you healthier! So, what fruits are best to eat in autumn?
1. Apples: Protect the stomach.
Clinical studies have found that people who eat more apples are less likely to catch a cold than those who eat few or no apples.
In addition, apples also have a protective effect on the stomach and intestines. After the hot summer, the body's gastrointestinal function is often at a lower level. Apples can promote gastric acid secretion and enhance digestive function. The aroma of apples can make people feel happy and stimulate appetite. Apples contain pectin, a soluble fiber whose metabolites are short-chain fatty acids, which can provide energy for the large intestine mucosal cells and protect the stomach and intestines.
People without diabetes can eat 1-2 medium-sized apples per day. People with diabetes, provided their blood sugar is stable, can eat about half an apple per day.
2. Fresh dates: High in vitamins.
Fresh dates contain up to 243 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, which is almost 60 times that of apples, 40 times that of pears and watermelons, 30 times that of peaches, 10 times that of lemons, and 4 times that of kiwis.
The above are just average figures. Some varieties of winter jujubes have the highest vitamin C content, sometimes reaching 500-600 mg/100g. Vitamin C has strong antioxidant properties and helps maintain immunity.
When eating fresh dates, it's important to chew them thoroughly and slowly, making sure to break down the outer skin before eating. Otherwise, because the date skin digests slowly in the gastrointestinal tract, eating it too quickly may cause gastrointestinal discomfort.
Fresh dates have a relatively high sugar content. Healthy adults can eat as many as they like each day, holding a handful. However, people with diabetes should exercise caution when consuming them.
3. Pomegranate: Beneficial for cardiovascular health
Pomegranates are a seasonal fruit in autumn. They are sweet, tart, and juicy. They are a berry rich in dietary fiber. In ancient Europe, pomegranates were known as "the sacred fruit from heaven."
Pomegranates are rich in ellagitannins, which are metabolized in the human intestines to form urolithin. Studies have found that urolithiasis can improve muscle strength and delay muscle aging.
The organic acids in pomegranates also help protect our heart health. Studies have found that adults who eat one pomegranate or drink 200-300 ml of pomegranate juice daily can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.
If you have normal digestive health, you can chew the pomegranate seeds before swallowing them. Studies have found that pomegranate seeds are rich in polyphenols, vitamins, and organic acids, which are beneficial to health.
Of course, you don't need to eat the whole pomegranate seed; just eat a small amount to avoid affecting intestinal digestion. If you're worried about the seeds being too hard, you can buy soft-seeded pomegranates, which are easy to chew.
Pomegranates have a high sugar content and should not be eaten in large quantities. A healthy adult can eat no more than one medium-sized pomegranate a day, while healthy elderly people and children should eat less than half. Rinse your mouth immediately after eating a pomegranate to prevent the organic acids in it from damaging your teeth.
By Yu Kang
