MONSOON FRUIT FOR GOOD HEALTH

The rainy season comes with its health hazards, but there are ways to boost your immunity naturally and successfully withstand the onslaught of bacteria and viruses. One way is to eat the following fruit:

Cherries :

Choose the ripe red ones and refrigerate the ones you don’t eat immediately. Eat them plain or make Cherry puree or jam.

•          Health benefits:

High in potassium, low in sodium, low in calories and high in antioxidants. Cherries help fight heart disease as they lower bad cholesterol. They also have anti-carcinogenic properties; reduce high blood pressure, lower the uric acid level and are useful to those suffering from gout and arthritis. Good source of Vitamin A.

•          Beauty benefits:

They slow down the ageing process. Regular consumption arrests hair fall.

Plums: Choose ripe ones and store in the refrigerator, but don’t keep them too long. Eat fresh juicy plums as they are, or bake or poach them. They also make excellent jams.

•          Health benefits:

Good course of Vitamin C and K, Copper, dietary fibre and Potassium. Plums help relive constipation and absorb iron, prevent anaemia, and contain a reddish-blue pigment that may protect against cancer by cleaning up free radicals.

•          Beauty benefits:

Plums have excellent anti-ageing properties while plum juice can rejuvenate lifeless hair.

Peaches:

Choose peaches that are ripe and firm, but not over ripe or too soft. Refrigerate as soon as you buy them, but bring the fruit back to room temperature before you bite into them. They are best eaten as they are, or made into jam.

•          Health benefits:

Rich in Vitamin A, B carotene and Vitamin C, and are thus excellent for the skin and eyesight. This fruit contains fluoride which prevents caries. Excellent as a stress/anxiety reliever.

* Beauty benefits:

Eating peaches keeps your skin looking “peachy”, healthy and youthful, as they have moisturising, anti-ageing and UV protection properties.

Litchis:

Buy them in bunches and avoid loose litchis. They remain delicious and juicy when stored in a refrigerator. They can be used in savoury dishes and salads, as well as eaten as they are.

* Health benefits:

 Excellent source of dietary fibre, high in Vitamin C, B, and Potassium. Litchis help fight common colds. Use the bark, root and flowers of the fruit, boiled in water, to gargle with in the case of a sore throat.

•          Beauty benefits:

Litchis promote weight loss and protect the skin from UV rays. They also reduce acne and skin spots.

Jamuns:

Select plump, firm jamuns and eat them as soon as they are bought. Never store them for too long. Eat them fresh or make jamun juice.

•          Health benefits:

Known to reduce blood sugar levels and are used to treat gastric disorders. Jamuns also promote kidney and liver health.

•          Beauty benefits:

 Eating jamuns keeps your skin looking fresh and youthful.