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Surprising And Amazing Health Benefits Of Passion Fruit (#4 Is Our Fave!)
Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com
Passion fruits may be small, but they sure do pack a nutritional punch! These little vitamin C powerhouses with their highly distinct smell and tropical flavour boast a range of amazing health benefits. These benefits include passion fruit’s ability to prevent cancerous growth, enhance digestion power, boost immune function, improve eyesight and skin health, regulate fluid balance in the body, lower blood pressure, boost circulation, and improve bone mineral density. Read on to find out even more about this amazing little fruit and why it should make up a big part of your diet.
1. Packed with vitamin C
It’s a well-known fact that vitamin C plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy and properly functioning immune system. But did you know that a single serving of passion fruit, which is 100 grams, provides about 30 mg of vitamin C? All of these vitamins act as antioxidants, which scavenge free radicals from the body and neutralize them before they can harm the organ systems and result in conditions like cancer, heart disease, or premature aging. Furthermore, vitamin C stimulates the activity of white blood cells and the rest of the immune defense system, and so protecting you from common illnesses and serious diseases at the same time.
2. Promotes healthy digestion
All types of fruits are good, reliable sources of dietary fiber which is essential in promoting healthy digestion. Passion fruits are a particularly vital source, and a single serving provides the human body with approximately 98% of its daily requirement. This fruit is an especially rich source of soluble fiber, both in the pulp and in the rind, which acts as a bulk laxative moving food through the digestive tract and reducing exposure time of the colon to any toxins.
3. Can treat insomnia
One often overlooked compound in passion fruit is a medicinal alkaloid, harman, which works like a sedative. This compound of passion fruit has been connected to a reduction in restlessness, insomnia, and nervous anxiety which can keep you from getting a good night’s sleep. So instead of reaching for comforting carbs if you have trouble sleeping, get yourself a passion fruit or two to see some real results!
RELATED: 15 Reasons To Eat More Of This Delicious Tropical Fruit, And Don’t Forget The Seeds!
4. Boosts bone health
Since passion fruit has such a rich source of minerals like iron, copper, magnesium, and phosphorus, it is a very important fruit for increasing bone mineral density and bone strength. Some of these minerals play an integral role in creating additional bone matter, strengthening existing bone matter, and speeding up repair. This can be a means of eliminating, preventing, or alleviating the symptoms of osteoporosis and the associated pain and inflammation that occurs when bones deteriorate with age and activity.
5. Promotes healthy blood pressure
High potassium content with almost no sodium makes passion fruit highly effective in protecting from high blood pressure. High sodium levels are associated with an increase in blood pressure and consequently resulting in another disease like heart attack or stroke. Sodium is required in very limited quantities in our body, but most of it is derived from our usual diet containing salt. Therefore, any salt eaten over and above your meals and fruits makes for an extra consumption of sodium. Potassium regulates electrolyte balance and controls the muscle function of our entire body including heart muscles. It also prevents the release of calcium into the blood stream that can cause blockages in the arteries if released in excess.
6. Eye-friendly nutrients
All of us will experience some level of deterioration in eyesight as we get older especially with so many of us working all day long with computer screens. The good news is that loss of eye vision and general improvement in eyesight can be attained by including healthy food in the diet. Passion fruit is among those healthy foods that prove beneficial for eyes. It contains a high number of antioxidants like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and flavonoids. These nutrients protect eyes from free radical damage and take care of the mucous membranes that shield the cornea of the eye. Apart from the beta carotene in this fruit, it is known for its positive effects on eye and vision. It is a phytonutrient and a precursor to Vitamin A.
7. Assists in cell regeneration
As our cells get damaged in the line of duty and age, our body needs to constantly regenerate them. To do this it requires antioxidants to fight back against free radicals which can cause cell damage in the first place. Passion fruit is an excellent source of antioxidants that fights free radicals effectively. Consuming it regularly will provide enough substances in the body to make sure free radicals do not affect the healthy cells. What’s more the antioxidants contained in passion fruit are also effective in making sure the cell regeneration process runs smoothly.
READ ALSO: The Surprising Benefits Of Unripe Fruit Not Enough People Know About Video
Bet you didn’t realise quite how amazing the humble little passion fruit was? Here we’ve covered just the top 7 amazing benefits of the fruit, but the best news is that the list goes on! With that in mind, it’s most definitely time to consider having passion fruit as part of your everyday diet or continuing to enjoy them if they already are!
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