I have been travelling South-East of Asia for over 5 months and I have tried fruits I have never knew existed and have high Nutritional value. While travelling it is still possible to stay healthy and one way is, to try these antioxidant, mineral and vitamin rich fruits, that I am about to introduce to you!
Durian
Durian has a very intensive smell, which makes this very nutritious fruit hard to eat for some of us. However, if you can ignore the smell I would definitely recommend to try it. There are different types of Durian’s, where some of them are sweeter and has less intense taste.
Durian is celebrated for its long list of health benefits. It has a soft creamy texture and the taste is a little bit like sweet garlic, just not as strong taste and its edible. I quite like it so its not impossible. It contains 147 Cal/100 g and quite high in carbohydrates: 27 g/100 g but also very filling as contains 3.80 g of dietary fiber.
Its high water content and 0 mg value of Cholesterol makes it also a special fruit to try.
Its other important minerals like Iron can relieve anemia, potassium which is required for healthy muscle function and development of healthy bones and the list goes on. Durian is also high in vitamins like B6 , A and folic acid which promotes healthy pregnancy. It contains that many vitamins and minerals and organic chemicals and antioxidants that they believe consuming durian with a healthy balanced diet can fight and prevent cancer. If you are battling anxiety or depression Durian contains an amino acid called tryptophan which increases serotonin level which is a happy chemical in our body which looks after our well-being and happiness. Other health benefits of Durian include:
anti – aging, aids digestion, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory
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Mangosteen
One of my favorites! It tastes delicious and is addictive because of this reason. It has a white flesh and has a soft texture with few seeds inside of the flesh so be careful when eating it. However the seed is is quite soft so don’t worry it won’t break your teeth.
Great news is, while it tastes so good it also gives you lots of health benefits due to its rich supply of nutrients, fiber, and unique antioxidants. It.It is low in calories where 1 serving – 196g has only 143 Cal and 35 g of carbs. It has vitamins and minerals like B1, B2 and C and Magnesium and due to these high content of antioxidants it boosts your immune system, has anti – ageing and healing benefits and it also has anti – inflammatory and cancer preventing effects too.
The anti-inflammatory effect can help in promoting fat metabolism and preventing weight gain which means it can aid weight loss, but again this is only possible with a healthy balanced diet. Mangosteens have Xanthones (see research) which is an organic compound and has lots of medical properties including reductions in insulin resistance, chemo preventive and are known to control cell growth.
. It is also good to maintain healthy skin as it can increase elasticity of it too. Mangosteen is also great to look after your heart, brain and digestive health. These are few of the reasons you should buy this fruit while you are on a holiday.
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Passion Fruit
MY NO1! Passion Fruit has a more liquidly texture with few green seeds inside the yellow/orange liquid, so when you are eating it be careful as it can be quite runny. Tastes sweet-sour (has low glycemic index) and crunchy while biting on those little seeds. It is an amazing taste and can be compared to nothing I love it and you can see how passionate I am about it: P
health benefits:
Passion fruit has magnesium, potassium and calcium which is very important for the normal function of muscles and for healthy bone development it has1.9g of dietary fiber and 0.29mg of iron which can treat anaemia. It is also known of its high vitamin content like A and C and antioxidants which can improve blood flow and reduces cellular stress and inflammation.
Can be consumed by people with diabetes and improves insulin sensitivity. It also supports heart health as well as boosts your immune system. Like Mangosteens, it can help to easy anxiety and depression and most effectively when consumed with a healthy balanced diet.
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Tamarind
Tamarind is a tropical fruit which looks more like nuts. You need to peel it than eat the soft part of the fruit. The seeds are inside of the soft brown fruit flesh. It has a very sweet and slightly sour taste. People make Tamarind drink and Tamarind Spice out of it in Indonesia.it is definitely a MUST try as it tastes different than any other fruits and is also very nutritious.
Health benefits:
If you looking for a healthy supply of iron and vitamin C which can ensure healthy red blood cells, and with Vitamin C which helps the absorption of Iron, Tamarind is the one to consume. It also supports blood circulation. Lack of iron in the body can course anaemia. This can lead to fatigue, stomach and cognitive issues, reduced muscle function, headaches etc.
People also used It as medicine for diarrhea, constipation and other digestive issues. As it has anti-inflammatory properties this can protect against diseases like cancer, heart disease and lots more. It can boost your Immune System which will keep you away from Fungal and microbial Infections. Studies showed that consuming Tamarind as the part of your healthy balanced diet can Lower your LDL(bad) Cholesterol, and helps with cardiovascular health. Its high alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) content, it exfoliates your skin in a natural way, which will give your skin a glow, reduce occurrence of acne and protects the skin against UV damage.
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Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit is a good-looking Pink gradate shaped fruit. It has a white or purple flesh in the middle with grey/black little seeds inside the flesh. It is less sweet with less sugar than some other fruits so can be consumed by people with diabetes.
One cup (227 g) of Dragon fruit contains 136 Cal with loaded 7 g of Fiber and 3 g of Protein. Its high-fiber content can help you meet your recommended daily values! Women should consume 25 grams/day and men should consume 38 g of Fiber daily. Studies suggest that diets high in antioxidants may help prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and arthritis. Dragon fruit is also high in antioxidants and vitamins and contains probiotics. These probiotics are responsible for healthy bacteria in your gut leading to digestive health.
Do you need more reasons to try this great tasting tropical fruit?
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Custard/Sugar Apple
Sugar apple is also known as sweetsop. It a small fruit with soft, creamy white flesh which has a very sweet custardy flavour. One Cup of Sugar apple contains 235Kcal.
It has a rich source of vitamin C, B6 an excellent source of Fabre and Magnesium which maintains/regulates blood pressure, looks after your Digestive health and also helps with anemia due to its Iron content. Because of its high Mineral, Vitamin and Antioxidant content its health benefits include Respiratory health and hair and skin health too.
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Mango
While discovering South-East of Asia I have met with lots of different type of Mangoes. Including Brazilian Mango, Harumanis Mango, White Mango and lots of others. They all taste slightly different, some of them sweeter and darker colored than the others. We most loved the Brazilian Mango which you can see on the picture above.
Mango is a stone fruit, which means that it has a large seed in the middle. Together with its great taste, it has an impressive nutritional profile. Its nutritional benefits include: Improved immunity, digestive health and eyesight. Mango is low in calories where one cup 165g contains 99 Cal and only 24,7 g of Carbs. It is high in Vitamin C which can contribute to a strong immune system, helps your body to absorb iron and promotes growth and repair. It Magnesium, Selenium, Calcium content can help to promote muscle function and healthy bones.
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Salak
Salak or snake fruit got its name of its brown/orange snake looking skin. It is a sweet and little sour, crunchy fruit with a large seed inside.100g of snake fruit contains 82Kcal and 21g of Carbs and 2g of dietary fibre.
Snake fruit also has high nutritional value, including beta-carotene, an antioxidant that can prevent cardiovascular disease. It contains high amount of dietary fiber which is important for digestive health, bowel movement. They also make Salak tea which is good for weigh loss due to its high carbohydrate and calcium content, which helps with energy while dieting. This fruit in overall helps improving overall health, like lots of other fruits I have mentioned previously, as antioxidants can help to fight damage to the cells.
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Pineapple
This is probably one of the fruits which we have all tried and well known all around the world of its sweet taste. We all heard of its amazing benefits too. One cup 165g of Pineapple contains 82Kcal and 21.5g Carbs.
It is very high in Vitamin C it gives 131% of your recommended daily intake. It is also high in Magnesium. The enzymes found in Pineapple can ease digestion and its high antioxidant content can fight inflammation and disease. One of them is cancer which is characterizes by uncontrolled cell growth. Eating pineapple can also boost your immune system thanks for all its vitamins. As it can reduce inflammation in your body it can also fight Arthritis as it contains bromelain, digestive enzyme which is also found in pineapple and can ease pain. It can also speed up your recovery after exercise.
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Papaya
Papaya is a pear shaped fruit, which is yellow (ripe) outside and orange/yellow inside with little black seeds, that are edible but is quite bitter.
It has very low calorie content where one cup (152g) contains only 59Kcal with 15 grams of Carbohydrates, lots of vitamins like B1, B3, B5, C, A, antioxidants like magnesium, Folate, Potassium and lots others. One very important antioxidant which we can find in Papaya is carotenoids – lycopene which can neutralize free radicals, – your body absorbs these antioxidants even better than from other fruits.
It is also a fruit that can help with pre-diabetes and has anti-cancer properties. One study showed that Papaya demonstrated anticancer activity in breast cancer cells. As Papaya can reduce the LDL Cholesterol, it can also keep your heart healthy.
Other health benefits include: Fights inflammation, Improves Digestion, improves skin damage and is also very delicious!
Try these delicious fruit and fuel your body with all their nutrients!
Enjoy,
Alexandra xxx