Eating fruit in moderation promotes better health for men: the nutritional components and health benefits of fruit.
43. Eating fruit in moderation promotes better health for men.
Fruits refer to the sweet and juicy fruits of plants, which are not only nutritious but also aid digestion. It's a general term for some edible plant seeds and fruits. We all know that eating fruit is beneficial to health, but improper consumption can have the opposite effect. Therefore, middle-aged men must know how to properly "eat" fruit.
Fruits are rich in vitamins, especially fresh fruits, which are an important source of vitamin C. Hawthorn, fresh dates, lemons, and citrus fruits are particularly high in vitamin C. Red and yellow fruits such as apricots, citrus fruits, persimmons, and pineapples contain large amounts of carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A through the action of enzymes in the body. So what other nutrients do fruits contain?
Other nutrients in fruits
Pectin. The firmness of fruit flesh is mainly related to the connections between cells and the chemical composition of the cell walls. There exists a water-insoluble protopectin in the cell walls of fruit flesh. Like lime and cement binding bricks in construction, it makes the connections between cells tighter, resulting in a firmer, more brittle fruit. Conversely, when this insoluble protopectin is hydrolyzed into soluble fiber and pectin by pectinase, the connections between fruit flesh cells become looser, and the fruit becomes softer.
Sugar. The sourness of fruit comes from the organic acids it contains, while the sweetness comes from its sugar content. The sour and sweet taste that people perceive after eating fruit is mainly related to the ratio of different types of acids and sugars in the fruit, as well as their content.
Minerals. Fruits are also extremely rich in minerals, which greatly help maintain the body's acid-base balance.
Organic acids. Fruits contain a variety of organic acids (such as malic acid, tartaric acid, and citric acid), cellulose, and pectin. These not only aid digestion and improve appetite, but some fruit acids can also prevent the conversion of sugars into fat and excrete excess cholesterol from the body.
Health benefits of fruits
Regulatory role. Fruits are important substances that regulate the body's physiological functions such as excretion, digestion, and absorption. They participate in controlling and maintaining the body's balance mechanisms and enhance and maintain the body's compensatory and immune system functions.
The role of lubricants. Fruits act as a "lubricant" in normal human activities.
Fruits aid digestion. The pectin and fiber in fruits can stimulate gastrointestinal motility and help food digest better. Therefore, if you have consumed too much oily food during a meal, eating some fruit afterward is more effective than some digestive aids.
Disease Prevention. Fruits possess health-preserving, disease-treating, and disease-preventing properties. The enzymes, sugars, interferons, and hormones found in fruits are essential for normal human life activities. The low-molecular-weight sugars in fruits are particularly suitable for absorption by middle-aged men, showing good effects in fighting cancer and preventing disease. The trace element potassium found in fruits is also a "good medicine" for treating stroke.
Anti-fatigue effect. The citric acid and malic acid contained in fruits can eliminate and prevent fatigue.
Which fruits are not suitable for excessive consumption?
Watermelon. Watermelon is sweet and cooling in nature. Those suffering from heat-related irritability, thirst, or other summer heat symptoms can eat some watermelon to relieve heat and cool down. However, eating too much can be very harmful to health. This is because watermelon is cold in nature, and excessive consumption can easily cause abdominal distension, stomach coldness, and decreased digestive power. In addition, watermelon is very rich in sugar. Eating too much watermelon will greatly increase sugar intake. Excess sugar will accumulate in the body as fat, making the body fluids acidic, which has an adverse effect on health. It will also disrupt dietary balance, reducing the intake of minerals and protein, leading to nutritional imbalance. Therefore, it is best not to eat too much watermelon.
Lychee. Lychee tastes delicious and is very tasty. However, it should not be eaten in excess, otherwise it can cause lychee disease. This is because the monosaccharides in lychee are mainly fructose. After being absorbed by the body, fructose must undergo a series of enzymatic reactions to be converted into glucose for energy or into glycogen for storage and then oxidized and utilized by tissue cells. If too many lychees are eaten at once, excessive fructose intake can easily lead to hypoglycemia. Therefore, lychee disease is an acute illness caused by hypoglycemia, often occurring in the early morning. Early symptoms typically include cold extremities, sweating, mild diarrhea, abdominal pain, and weakness, followed by sudden coma and convulsions. Without timely treatment, death may occur within a short period of time.
Hawthorn. Hawthorn is sweet and sour, and has excellent digestive properties, making it one of the best fruits for aiding digestion and increasing appetite. However, excessive consumption can be very harmful to the body. Eating too much hawthorn can damage one's vital energy (qi) because it is rich in fruit acids and vitamin C. From a medicinal perspective, hawthorn has a sour and sweet taste. Ancient medical texts record that "hawthorn depletes qi and should not be eaten in excess. Excessive consumption damages teeth and depletes qi." Hawthorn is a qi-depleting and stagnation-removing food; people with weak spleen and stomach or those taking qi-tonifying medicines such as ginseng should avoid it. Even healthy individuals should consume it in moderation.
Persimmons. Persimmons are a seasonal fruit in autumn. Among fruits, persimmons are the sweetest, hence the name "the sweetest fruit." Making persimmon cakes makes them even sweeter. Persimmons not only have a delicious taste but are also rich in nutrients. However, persimmons also have many drawbacks; excessive consumption can be very harmful to the body. Persimmons contain a certain amount of tannins (tannic acid), with the highest content found in the peel. The numbness and astringency experienced when eating persimmons are due to the astringent effect of tannins. Tannins have a strong astringent effect and easily combine with stomach acid in the stomach, solidifying into lumps that are difficult for the body to digest and absorb. Therefore, it is important to eat persimmons in moderation, and it is best to peel them before eating.
Apples are convenient to eat, nutritious, and have a sweet and sour taste. They are also believed to treat various ailments, making them widely popular. However, overeating apples or consuming excessive amounts can be very harmful to health. This is because apples contain a large amount of potassium and sugars. Every 100 grams of apple contains 100 milligrams of potassium but only 14 milligrams of sodium. This disparity in potassium levels is too great, and excessive intake is detrimental to kidney and heart health. This is especially true for patients with myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, diabetes, or nephritis, as it further burdens their kidneys and heart, posing a significant threat to their health. Therefore, it is best not to eat too many apples; no more than two per day is recommended.
Bananas. Bananas are a fragrant and delicious fruit, so many men like to eat a lot of them at once. However, excessive consumption of bananas can be very harmful to the body. Bananas contain relatively high levels of potassium and magnesium, which are essential minerals for the human body. Eating too many bananas at once can cause a sharp increase in blood potassium and magnesium levels, leading to an imbalance in the body's sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium levels, which can seriously harm health. Furthermore, eating too many bananas can significantly reduce stomach acid secretion, causing excessive mood swings and gastrointestinal disorders. Therefore, bananas should not be eaten in excess.
Our faces are exposed to air and sunlight almost daily, making them susceptible to damage from ultraviolet rays and harmful substances in the air. This leads to reduced sebum secretion, capillary constriction, and dehydrated, dry skin. Fruits are rich in trace elements and antioxidants like vitamin E, which nourish the skin. Moreover, the beauty benefits of fruits are unmatched by ordinary cosmetics. Fruits that can help maintain healthy skin include mangoes, bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe, apples, and oranges.