12 Healthy Reasons to Eat Fruit [Infographic]

12 Healthy Reasons to Eat Fruit
Infographic

Need a few more good reasons to eat a variety of fresh fruit?

Aside from being rich in naturally occurring vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, organic fruit has an abundance of phytochemicals - phytonutrients that are being studied and strongly linked to preventing and healing a wide array of medical conditions and chronic diseases.

This infographic illustrates 12 excellent fruit choices, including health benefits associated with each one:

❤ Apples
❤ Bananas
❤ Blueberries
❤ Cherries
❤ Grapes
❤ Kiwi
❤ Mango
❤ Oranges
❤ Peaches
❤ Pineapple
❤ Strawberries
❤ Watermelon

Remember to buy organic whenever possible!  Organically grown fruits and vegetables are more nutrient dense and have far fewer harmful pesticides and other toxic substances than conventionally grown produce.

Related:
15 Foods to Include in an Every Day Diet
Top 10 Superfoods for Exceptional Health
15 Foods to Include in an Every Day Diet
Low Calorie, High Fiber Summer Fruits and Veggies
Clean Food Labels

Infographic Source:  unknown - please contact us for proper credit.

Banana: Properties and Health Benefits [Infographic]

Bananas: Properties and Health Benefits Infographic
from MedicinalPlants-Pharmacognosy.com

Lately, the trend has been to seek out exotic super fruits and other foods that promise recently discovered and amazing health benefits.  A perfect example is maca, mangosteen, acai and goji berries.

Yet, one of the most common, widely available and cheapest of the superfruits is often overlooked:  the humble banana.

Organic bananas are easily digestible, calorie dense, nutritional powerhouses, providing important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and an array of health benefits, as this infographic illustrates.

Always choose organically grown over conventionally grown bananas and other fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds.

Mounting evidence suggests that organic produce is significantly richer in nutrients while being significantly lower in harmful, toxic pesticides.

Related and Further Reading:

Amazing Health Benefits of Bananas

Food Matters: 25 Powerful Reasons to Eat Bananas

Infographic Source and More Information:

MedicinalPlants-Pharmacognosy.com - Banana, Properties and Health Benefits

Summer Fruits and Veggies [Infographic]

Summer Fruit and Vegetables - Eat Seasonally

Eat a Wide Variety and Seasonally for Good Health

Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables all year round is vital to good health, weight loss and healthy weight maintenance.

For optimum nutrition, we should eat seasonally.  That is, eating locally and organically grown food when it is at its peak during a particular season.  Local, organic food eaten at its peak is fresher, tastier, more nutritious and safer.

This infographic illustrates 10 fruits and vegetables that are low in calories, high in dietary fiber and that are in season in the summer months in North America:

Blackberries
Blueberries
Broccoli
Carrots
Corn
Nectarines
Peaches
Raspberries
Snap Green Beans
Snap Peas (Sugar and Snow)

Other fruits and vegetables that are in season in the Summer include:

Apricots
Arugula
Beets
Beet Greens
Bell Peppers
Cherries
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Figs
Garlic
Kohlrabi
Lemons
Limes
Melon
Mulberries
Passion Fruit
Plums
Radish
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Zucchini

Related

75 Healthiest Foods on the Planet
15 Foods to Include in an Every Day Diet
Top 15 Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Top 15 Nutrient Rich Foods (Powerhouse Foods)
15 Foods that Boost Metabolism
12 Healthy Reasons to Eat Fruit


Infographic

Infographic Source:  Blogilates

How to Remove Toxic Apple Wax [Infographic]

How to Remove Toxic Apple Wax

Conventionally grown apples are often waxed.  The wax prevents the apple from drying out and acts as a preservative, allowing it to be transported long distances and stored for a long period of time.

Related: Health Benefits of Apples

According to this infographic entitled "How to Remove Toxic Apple Wax" and other sources, some apples found at your local market can be up to one year old!   Wax can also trap residue pesticides and other harmful industrial chemicals commonly used in non-organically grown produce.

While ingestion of small amounts of certain types of "edible" waxes are considered safe for human consumption, some producers use petroleum-based waxed, which is thought be harmful to human health. 

Peeling the Skin 

Since one can never be sure which type of wax was used, eating potentially harmful wax can be avoided by simply peeling the apple.  The downside to peeling the skin is that you will be missing out on the many important nutrients that skins of most fruits and vegetables often contain.  

Safely Removing Wax

It is also possible to remove the wax by first soaking the apples in lemon juice and baking soda and then gently brushing the outside of the apples, as this infographic explains.

Buying Unwaxed, Organic and Local

Whenever possible, buy unwaxed, locally and organically grown produce at local farmer's markets.  Organic fruits and vegetables are not only grown without harmful industrial chemicals but are also more nutritious.  Locally grown ensures freshness.

Further Reading:

Be Careful - Apples Coated with Harmful Wax

Buy Unwaxed Fruit

Infographic Source:  Step Into My Green World