Everybody knows that fresh fruit juice is good for our body but what exactly are the nutrients in the fruits and how do they affect our health? If you know the nutrition information of fruits, you would not be drinking juices blindly. Neither would you be bored with juicing, because you can create various juice recipes according to your personal health needs.
If you have missed our previous post on the nutritional facts of berries, we strongly encourage you to check that out. Berries are super antioxidants and they make wonderful juice ingredients in both juices and smoothies. We have also covered in our previous post, the nutrition information of some popular vegetables in juicing recipes.
As part of our series on the nutritional facts of juice ingredients, we will talk about the following fruits today – apple, pear, pineapple and watermelon.
Nutritional Facts of Fresh Fruits
Apple
You have heard the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Indeed, apple contains a good supply of beta-carotene, which not only protects the eye but has cancer-fighting properties too. Besides beta-carotene, apples also supply us with a host of vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, folic acid and biotin. Vitamin B1 is crucial for building a healthy nervous system. Together with vitamin B2, it is also needed for energy production in our body.
Apple juice should be every lady’s good friend. Besides supplying antioxidants to fend off the free radicals (hence preserving beauty), apples also help to balance hormonal changes in women.
If you are on a mission to lose extra pounds, you’d be glad to know that the malic acid and tartaric acid in apple helps to break down fatty food and excess protein. Apple juice is beyond thirst quenching, it is also an appetite quencher and an excellent food if you are on a slimming diet.
Eating apple or drinking apple juice also supplies our body with good amount of minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. So, juice an apple today and keep the wrinkles and fats away.
Pear
Nobody likes to have a pear-shaped figure but using pear as a juice ingredient should be welcome by all. There are different varieties of pears and all of them contain important vitamins like beta-carotene, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, C, folic acid and biotin. Pears also contain important minerals like potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulphur and iron.
Pear is an excellent ingredient for weight loss juicing recipes. A natural source of energy provider, pears contain high amounts of fructose and glucose. Almost 98% of the energy provided by a pear is made up of carbohydrates. As carbohydrates have only half as many calories as fat, they are helpful for weight reduction. Being a nutrient dense food, pears provide more nutrients per calorie. You can indulge on pear juice without having to worry about calorie count.
We know how important it is to have adequate potassium in our body. Potassium is essential for maintaining regularity in heartbeat, muscle contractions, healthy blood pressure and nerve transmission. It is also required to metabolize carbohydrates and proteins. Think potassium and mostly, banana will come to mind. Unknown to many, pear is also a good source of potassium. In fact, a pear provides 30% more potassium than an apple.
Pineapple
“Ananas comosus” or pineapple, as it is more commonly known is one of the most popular tropical fruits in the world. Containing smaller amounts of beta-carotene and vitamins B, pineapple is in fact, a wonderful source of vitamin C. Vitamin C plays an important role in the prevention of sagging skin and wrinkles. Besides aesthetics, vitamin C is also vital for protection against cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, immune system deficiencies and even prenatal health problems. Studies have also shown that vitamin C may help in reducing inflammation and cancer risks.
Pineapples are a rich source of potassium. Potassium is the most important electrolyte inside our cells. Muscle contraction and nervous system requires adequate potassium to function properly. A deficiency in potassium can result in cramps, fatigue and heart irregularities. Other minerals found in pineapples include magnesium, calcium, sulphur and phosphorus.
Unique to pineapple is a proteolytic enzyme called bromelain, which aids in digestion by breaking down protein. Studies have shown that bromelain is also effective in treating blood clots. Bromelain is mostly used to aid in treating digestive problems, vein problems and a host of other conditions.
Given the rich nutrition that pineapples offer, you can consider adding it to your next juice recipe. Fear not about gaining weight for pineapples are low calorie fruits. Besides, it does not contain saturated fats or cholesterol.
Watermelon
Watermelon is more than just a thirst quencher. Delicious, colorful and juicy, the watermelon is packed with loads of nutrients that are beneficial to our body. As with most fruits, watermelon contains beta-carotene in high amounts. This vital nutrient is needed for maintaining good health for eyes, skin, teeth, bones and immune system. Research has also shown that beta-carotene helps in cancer prevention.
Other vitamins that we can benefit from consuming watermelon include vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folic acid and biotin. Watermelon is often used as a juicing ingredient in detox juice recipes due to its excellent cleansing properties. It is a mild diuretic fruit and a great antioxidant too.
Lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes offer protection against cell damage caused by free radicals. Unknown to many, watermelon actually contains more lycopene than tomatoes. That makes watermelon an excellent fruit for anti-aging; not forgetting its benefits in cleansing, detox and health-boosting properties.
Watermelon is also a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and phosphorus.
Conclusion
Whether your juicing goal is to enhance your health or lose weight, understanding the nutrition information of the juice ingredients will equip you with better knowledge to customize your juices.
Enjoy the fun of juicing as you reap the benefits of fresh, healthy juices. And if you need advice on fresh juice storage, check out our tips on storing fresh juice. What is the shelf life of fresh juice? What should you look for when buying glass bottles for juice storage? Get the answers and more from our useful tips on storing fresh juice.
