What makes our diet and our snack products healthier? A natural way to increase nutritions and health benefits while also boosting taste is to include fruit. Different types of fruit add a certain freshness to foods and snacks. They can be sweet, sour or both and they even add a delicious pop of color to your product.
Of course, we know that fruits are incredibly healthy. They contain vitamins, nutrients and fiber. However, they also provide additional benefits, that you may not know of. In this blog post we will give you 10 facts about healthy fruits that you can use for your food products or your personal diet.
Processed fruits that are healthy
First of all: Fruit does not have to be fresh to be healthy. At Paradise Fruits for instance we process all our fruits in a way that preserves their nutrients. All our fruits retain almost all of their nutritional value and health benefits as well as taste and colour. By using the most advanced technology we ensure a gentle processing. This way your customers do not need to sacrifice their health when snacking on your products! And if you have decided to use healthy, gently processed fruits in your products – let your customers know! After all, they are looking for healthy snacking options and whether you are using bananas, pears or kiwi in your products – they each benefit our health in a certain way. As a reminder, here are: 10 important facts about healthy fruits:
1. Fiber
Dietary fiber is important for our well-being and particularly linked to our gastrointestinal health. A daily minimum intake of 25 grams is recommended for adults. However, research does show a gap between the recommended and the actual intake. Fruits are a great source for fiber. With passion fruit containing the most fiber per serving (10,4/100g ). Kiwis, pears, and oranges for example are also rich in fiber as well as berries, because they are low in sugar and calories. Also baking a product can increase the fiber content, which means baked goods containing fruit can be even more beneficial. As a dried fruit alternative figs & peaches are a great option.
2. Satiety
Eating fruit, just like any other food, affects our feeling of satiety reason for this is the above-mentioned fiber. Fiber consists of a wide range of compounds, which affect satiety and create a healthy feeling of fullness. This can be beneficial regarding weight loss and overall fitness. Berries, apples, and pears are particularly associated with weight loss. Though losing weight also depends on many varying factors. But: Eating a lot of fruit during a diet should be combined with regular exercise and avoiding foods with a lot of refined carbohydrates (e.g., white bread and fast food).
3. Cardiovascular health
A study with over 460,000 participants found that a higher intake of fruit and vegetables reduced the risk of death from a cardiovascular disease¹. Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit are especially healthy for cardiovascular matters. The product range at Paradise Fruits includes a great variety of citrus fruits that are rich in vitamins and nutrients.
4. Iron
Iron is an essential mineral for our overall health. It transports oxygen around our bodies in the form of hemoglobin. Iron deficiency can thus lead to anemia and – in case of chronic deficiency – even to organ failure. Contrary to popular belief, fruits are a good source of iron. Fruits that are rich in iron include passion fruit, raspberries, and dried fruit such as apricots. Additionally, they contain a lot of vitamin C, which helps increasing the absorption of iron into the body.
5. Diabetes
A regular and balanced consumption of fruit is linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Several studies have conducted that in a group of participants with no pre-existing conditions the regular intake of fruit was linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes Blueberries. Grapes and apples were deemed particularly beneficial in this cause. You can find these fruit options in our product range in various shapes and textures.
6. Immune system
Fruits are good for the immune system. Most immune cells can be found in the human intestine. Healthy food choices ensure that sufficient micronutrients will get where they’re needed.⁶ Bananas contain a lot of vitamin B6, oranges, lemons and strawberries plenty of vitamin C, which are important to keep the immune system strong and healthy. Check out our blog post on Strengthening the immune to find out even more!
7. Eyesight
Even our eyesight benefits from a healthy dose of nutrients. Studies have long found that fruits rich in vitamins C and E can not only improve one’s eyesight but also help prevent age-related maculopathy and other diseases.⁴,⁵ While vitamin C is found in most fruits, vitamin E is especially present in mangos, kiwis, blackberries, and black currants.
8. Mental Health
Fruit consumption has a positive effect on our mental health. As we’ve been able to detect various fruits contain important nutrients and vitamins, many of which have been linked to helping with anxiety, depression, and general mental well-being. Check out our blog post on mood boosting fruit to learn more about this!
9. Combination with vegetables
Many fruits work extremely well in combination with vegetables. Vegetables are just as healthy as fruit and have similar health benefits. Vegetables that are rich in color are also rich in antioxidants that are necessary for the antioxidant defense systems in our bodies that suffer from oxidative stress. Tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce, or beets are great sources for antioxidants⁷. Powerful pairings of fruits and vegetables include apples and cucumbers, apricots and sweet potatoes, mangos and spinach as well as apples and carrots.
10. Supplements
Fruit can be of great use when looking for or creating natural supplements. The market for active self-care is booming and consumers are looking to improve their diet efficiently. Paradise Fruits Health covers this demand by making healthy fruit gummies that are enriched with botanicals, vitamins, minerals as well as pre- and probiotics. The taste and color of the fruit helps make the supplements fun and easy to eat – especially for consumers suffering from pill fatigue.
What now?
We have now discovered many new facts about healthy fruits. What does that mean for you? Our tip: include fruit and let your customers know how it can benefit them! Inform consumers about the health benefits of fruit and your products in particular, so they can make the conscious decision to by a product that is good for them and tastes great. The CDC recommends a daily intake of 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit8. This can take various forms like fresh fruits, fruit juice, dried fruits – or food products with healthy fruits in them. We at Paradise Fruits think there is no better way to be healthy than be snacking on delicious fruit!
¹ Wang X. et al. (2014). Fruit and vegetable consumption and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer: systematic review and doseresponse meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.
² Muraki I. et al. (2013). Fruit consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from three prospective longitudinal cohort studies.
³ Bazzano LA. et al (2008). Intake of fruit, vegetables, and fruit juices and risk of diabetes in women.
⁴ Cho E. et al. (2004). Prospective study of intake of fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and carotenoidsand risk of age-related maculopathy.
⁵ Christen WG. et al. (2008). Dietary carotenoids, vitamins C and E, and risk of cataract in women: a prospective study.
⁶ Niki, E. et al. (1995). Interaction among vitamin C, vitamin E, and betacarotene.
⁷ AlAmmar, W.A. et al. (2020). Food and Mood: the Corresponsive Effect
8cdc.gov (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7101a1.html)
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