White Rice Nutrition Facts

One of the main diets that are used mainly in the Asian culture is white rice. It is the best nutritious food and is found to be beneficial for the entire system. It is major source for fiber and has to be consumed before undergoing polishing process, because polishing may remove some valuable elements in rice.  Another best alternative for white rice is brown rice or wild rice that is much nutritious and is not harvested as white rice.  This rice contains dietary fiber and all essential vitamins and minerals that help is digestion process and even helps in bowel functioning.  You can use this rice in many forms such as in sweet dishes, sushi and even in soups. You can use it add an addition with curries that add some taste and even adds flavor to your dish.  Because of its nutritional benefits and delicious taste it is used in many dishes. Since white rice is tasteless and starchy it has to be included with some spicy curries or herbs.

You will get around half of the required daily value of calories from this white rice. White rice has gained its popularity because of its nutritional benefits. Rice is considered as beneficial cereal as grain, since it provides with all the nutrients as grain provides. It is the essential food source for the humankind. Rice is grown in over 100 countries but the majority of rice that is around 95 percent of rice is grown in Asia. At the same time the same majority of people even consume this white rice. When compared with brown rice, we have to accept the fact that brown rice is much popular and nutritious. The nutritional value in brown rice will be high when compared with white rice.

As we know that there are several varieties of rice that can be found in this world. Surprisingly all these varieties come under only two classifications. Normally white rice is produced by removing the complete hull part of grain and it even undergoes polishing before it is actually sent into market. This polishing process will result in removal of all essential nutrients that are present in the rice. In case of brown rice only the outer layer of the grain is removed and is sold in the market. This rice remains unmilled or in some cases it is sold as partially milled rice. This shows that all the essential nutrients like fiber, fatty acids and remaining nutrients remain same in the grain thus ensuring us with nutritious food source.

White rice is taken from rice plant seeds and these seeds are formed through a huller. This removal of outer grain results in brown rice. If you process this grain further by removing inner husk and polishing it with talc will result in white rice.  White rice is the natural source for the vitamins and minerals such as thiamin, iron, manganese, folate, and niacin. You can find this white rice in mainly three varieties namely, Long grain rice, medium grain rice and short grain rice. Let us find the details of these varieties in brief:

  • Long grain rice contains long kernels that remain separate even after cooking. When we see the nutritional facts of this long grain rice, a single cup of long grain serving contains around 205 calories, proteins of 4.25g, fat of 0.44g, and carbohydrates of 44.51g.  In addition to these nutrients it even contains minerals like calcium (16mg), iron (1.90mg), Phosphorous (68mg), potassium (55mg) and sodium (2mg).  The vitamins present in the long grain rice are Niacin (2.332mg) and very minute amounts of Vitamin B6, thiamine and riboflavin. It even contains folate and choline.
  • When compared with long grain, medium grain rice is shorter and is mainly used in risotto. A single cup of medium grain rice serving contains around 242 calories, proteins of 4.43g, fat of 0.39g, and carbohydrates of 53.18g.  In addition to these nutrients it even contains minerals like calcium (6mg), iron (2.77mg), Phosphorous (69mg), potassium (54mg) and sodium (0mg).  The vitamins present in the medium grain rice are Niacin (3.413mg) and very minute amounts of Vitamin B6, thiamine and riboflavin. It even contains folate of 108mcg.
  • Short grain rice will be very sticky after it is cooked and it will be in round shape. It is mainly used in rice puddings. A single cup of short grain rice serving contains around 242 calories, proteins of 4.39g, fat of 0.35g, and carbohydrates of 4g.  In addition to these nutrients it even contains minerals like calcium (2mg), iron (2.72mg), Phosphorous (61mg), potassium (48mg) and sodium (0mg).  The vitamins present in the short grain rice are Niacin (2.777mg) and folate of 110mcg. It contains very minute amounts of Vitamin B6, thiamine and riboflavin.

Another kind of rice that is normally seen is sticky rice. It is also called as glutinous rice and is mainly used in rice balls and sushi. It is almost similar to that of short grain rice and it remains sticky after cooking. A single cup of white rice that is sticky contains around 169 calories, proteins of 3.51g, fat of 0.33g, and carbohydrates of 36.70g.  In addition to these nutrients it even contains minerals like calcium (3mg), iron (0.24mg), Phosphorous (14mg), potassium (17mg) and sodium (9mg).  The vitamins present in the sticky white rice are Niacin, Vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin and even contains smaller amounts of folate (2 mcg).

White rice health benefits:

The benefits of white rice mainly unpolished rice is very vast and they have gained much popularity because of these health benefits. You can consume this rice twice in a week to gain many benefits. Let us see more details about the health benefits of white rice.

  1. Firstly white rice helps in strengthening of immune system. It even aids in muscle growth and even repairs the muscles.

2.    This is found to be beneficial mainly for the people who are suffering from acne, burns and measles.

3.    Calcium present in white rice will ensure healthy bones and even helps in growth of these bones.

4.    It is found to be effective in maintaining healthy hair, skin and nails.

5.    This is the best food product that solves the cholesterol problems, since it is free from cholesterol.

6.    White rice contains very less amounts of sodium. This fewer amounts will help in maintaining proper blood pressure.

7.    For the people who are intolerant to gluten, can consume this white rice without any problem since it is completely free from gluten.

8.    White rice helps in proper functioning of brain.

9.    This will help in increase of appetite for all those people who do not have any intend to eat.

10. In some cases it helps us to be away from some types of cancer.

11. White rice contains very less fat, so you need not fear about increase in weight if you consume this white rice. You can maintain proper weight if you eat in adequate quantities.

12. It will keep us away from digestion problems.

13. It will support and maintain bowel system.

14. It possesses some anti-inflammatory properties that help us to fight against diseases and harmful agents.

White rice nutrition facts:

You can find three main tables below that can help you with the complete nutritional facts of white rice in different forms.  It gives the information of 100g of white rice. However if we consider it with one cup of serving then the average calories that will be available are 205 calories and it contains around 10 percent of daily recommend level of calories.  It contains around carbohydrates of 45g, dietary fiber of 0.6g, sugar of 0.1g and proteins of 4.25g. It is free from cholesterol and fat.  The table below gives the information of nutrients that are present in 100g of white rice.

  Carbohydrates Fiber Fat Protein calories
Cooked White Rice, Glutinous(100g) 21g 1g 0g 2g 97
           
Cooked White rice, long grain(100g) 28g 0g 0g 3g 130
           
Cooked white rice, enriched(100g) 26g 1g 0g 3g 123
           
White rice, Glutinous, Raw(100g) 82g 3g 1g 7g 370

A single cup of serving contains all essential vitamins. These vitamins include thiamin of 0.26mg, niacin of 2.33mg and Folate of 92mcg. It even contains some minerals like calcium (16mg), iron (1.9mg), magnesium (68mg) and manganese (0.75mg). The following table gives you with the details of water and sugar content that are present in 100g of white rice.

  Water Energy Cholesterol Sugar
Cooked White Rice, Glutinous(100g) 76.6g 406KJ 0mg 0.1g
         
Cooked White rice, long grain(100g) 68.4g 544KJ 0mg 0.1g
         
Cooked white rice, enriched(100g) 70.4g 515KJ 0mg 0.1g
         
White rice, Glutinous, raw(100g) 10.5g 1549KJ 0mg 0g

In addition to the nutrients, white rice even contains some vitamins like Niacin, thiamine, and folate. Folate is the important vitamin that is found in this white rice. It ensures healthy red blood cells and even helps in maintaining blood circulation.  It has been observed that by consuming the foods that are rich in folate, you will be away from the risk of cardiovascular problems, osteoporosis and even Alzheimer’s disease. This essential vitamin also helps in production of cells and even promotes growth of central nervous system. It prevents some neural defects to the child during pregnancy.  A single cup of white rice provides you with 23 percent of recommended daily value of folate.

White rice is the main source for Vitamin B3 which is also termed as Niacin. It is responsible for energy production and controls DNA production. It maintains cholesterol levels in liver and plays an important role in maintaining bold sugar levels and metabolism. One cup of serving of the white rice will provide you with 12 percent of daily value of niacin.  Another vitamin that can be seen in white rice is Thiamin which is called as Vitamin B1. This aids in energy production and also protects the outer layer of nerves in the body. It plays a vital role in functioning of neurotransmitters. This will promote proper message transfer between the muscles and nerves.  A cup of white rice contains around 17 percent of recommended DV of Thiamin.

  Sodium Calcium Magnesium Potassium Manganese Phosphorus
Cooked White Rice, Glutinous(100g) 5.0mg 2.0mg 5.0mg 10.0mg 0.3mg 8.0mg
             
Cooked White rice, long grain(100g) 1.0mg 10.0mg 12.0mg 35.0mg 0.5mg 43.0mg
             
Cooked white rice, enriched(100g) 2.0mg 19.0mg 9.0mg 56.0mg 0.4mg 55.0mg
             
White rice, glutinous, raw(100g) 7.0mg 11.0mg 23.0mg 77.0mg 1.0mg 71.0mg

From the above table we can find that the white rice contains all essential minerals that protect our body.  Out of all these minerals, manganese is most important trace mineral that works as enzyme activator. It performs all the enzyme functions like hormone production, bone formation and metabolism process. A single cup of serving of manganese contains 37 percent of daily recommended value of manganese.

You can prepare rice in different forms. However the cooking procedure of white rice affects the nutritional value of this rice. B vitamins are soluble in water and if your recipe includes dipping the rice into water before cooking then there are chances of depletion of these essential vitamins. Similarly if you are using excess water to cook the dish then these B vitamins will be washed out when this excess water is removed from rice.

Conclusion:

Nutrition facts of white rice that are mentioned in this article will definitely help us to identify its importance in our regular diet. It contains very less fat and it can be consumed regularly. However in some cases if we consume this food for longer periods then it may result in digestive problems.  You can consume it very easily and it is very easy to cook and serve.  If not regularly you can include this rice at least on the alternate days. If you want to maintain healthy life then you can even shift to brown rice for sometimes as it even has many nutritional benefits.  It would be better to be away from polished rice as it does not contain any nutrients and may lead to illness in the near future.

Honey Nutrition Facts

From ancient times, honey is considered as a natural sweetener and it is a source for several nutrients.  Though it is a natural food product, it contains several advantages when compared with other sweeteners. In addition to several health benefits, there are some risks that are associated with honey. It is a natural product that is produced by the bees and is extracted from nectar. It is a sticky and sweet substance that is taken from bees and it is the best source for carbohydrates. A simple table spoon of honey contains around 64 calories stored. The sweetness for honey comes from fructose and glucose that are available in this product. You can find several variations in taste and nutritional values. These variations happen depending upon the actual source that is nectar. It is acidic in nature and contains very less amount of water content, so that there are very less chances of development of bacteria. Although honey contains high levels of sugar content, it even includes major compounds like iron, minerals, antioxidants and even B vitamins but in lesser amounts.

We can find several varieties of honey that varies according to color, aroma and even flavor. There are around 300 varieties of honey that are available in U.S. Normally lighter honey will have mild taste when compared with darker honey that has strong taste.  Generally people use the honey that is in liquid form, but it is even available in chunks, crystallized, and in creamy forms. You can even find honey that is fruited, flavored and even organic honey in today’s market.  The average nutrient composition of honey is 17 percent of water, 83 percent of carbohydrates, 1 percent of proteins, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The carbohydrates that are present in honey include from 31 percent of glucose and 40 percent of fructose. The remaining percentage includes other sugars and sucrose.

Health benefits of honey

Many of us have a similar doubt that whether honey is good for us or not. Let us have a look at the health benefits of honey and later we will get an answer to this question. Obviously many of us say that it is definitely as healthy nutritious food product that is preferred by many people. Let us see the details in depth.

  • Honey is considered as healthy choice when compared with the table sugar or other sweeteners. Since honey is directly taken from honey bees it contains all essential vitamins like Thiamin, B6, Niacin, and riboflavin. It even contains essential minerals.
  • Honey contains good Glycemic index. This means that the sugar content present in honey will be easily absorbed by the blood stream and prevents us from digestive problems.
  • Honey contains several antioxidant properties that help to destroy the cancer causing chemicals in the body. Apart from the elimination of free radicals it even supplies nutrients for new tissue growth.
  • Honey works as a best energizer. Honey is the major source for proteins and carbohydrates. These nutrients will help in gaining instant energy and reduces the muscle fatigue. The sugar content, glucose and fructose that is present in honey help in preventing this fatigue.
  • Honey does not contain any cholesterol and by consuming the honey regularly you will never face any problem of cholesterol increase.
  • In addition to these health benefits, honey even works as best cosmetic. You can find honey in several cosmetic products like sunscreen lotions, facial scrubs, and hair care and even in moisturizers.
  • Due to the presence of hygroscopic properties, it is considered as best cosmetic ingredient that keeps our skin fresh. Apart from this the antioxidant properties help in making the skin soft and prevent skin from getting dry.
  • According to recent experiments it has been proved that honey helps in controlling blood sugar and insulin levels. This proves that honey is even good for diabetic’s patients.
  • We know that the sweetened products may result in weight increase. But honey is one of the best exceptions to this rule. It even helps in reducing our weight.
  • It even heals some skin related problems and wounds.
  • The interesting fact about honey is it can even help us in getting sleep. By consuming honey there are chances of increase in blood sugar levels and it results in insulin growth which makes some amino acids to enter brain. These amino acids are converted into serotonin that will provide relaxation. In some cases honey is even know for treating some sleeping disorders.

Honey nutrition facts

We have seen that honey contain major components like water, glucose and fructose. It even contains other sugars as well as vitamins, minerals and some amino acids. Every nutrient that is present in honey helps us in one form or another. It contains all these elements in smaller amounts. The nutritional value of honey depends upon the origin of honey and the source. Generally honey contains fewer amounts of vitamins like A, C, D, E and K.

Honey contains both simple sugars and complex sugars. Simple sugars that are present in honey are called as monosaccharides and the complex sugars that are present are called as oligosaccharides. You can find the complex sugars mainly in cell secretions and cell membranes. They are considered as basic components for hormones, blood proteins and blood cells. Hormones are made up with the links of proteins called glycoproteins and some complex sugars. The blood proteins are also made from these glycoprotein links. Blood cells are linked to complex sugars only in the case where the person contains ABO blood group.

Now the common question arises is that in which type of honey can we find these complex sugars. The answer would be it depends on nectar type that is collected by bees. For example, nectar that is taken from blackberry, coral vine, cranberry, raspberry, thistle, tulip trees, sumac, poison oak or chinquapin contains high complex sugar levels.

Since we have got a complete idea about the types of honeys, now let us have a look at the nutritional facts of this honey. The following table mentions the list of nutrients that are available in honey.

Nutrients available in 100g of honey

Nutritional value
Calories 304
Fat 0g
Carbohydrates 82.4g
Sugar 82.1g
Dietary fiber 0.2g
Protein 0.3g
Water 17.1g

From the above table we can see that 100g of honey contains around 304 calories. These calories are received from carbohydrates of 303 calories and from protein with 1.0 calories. It contains excess sugar and this is converted into glucose and it is digested very easily.  In addition to these nutrients honey contains essential vitamins like Thiamine, vitamin B6, Niacin, Pantothenic acid and riboflavin. It even contains some amino acids and flavonoids that works as antioxidants and prevents us from free radicals. In fact the honey that is darker contains high oxidant levels when compared with lighter honey. The table below gives you with the details of vitamins that are present in honey.

Vitamins available in 100g of honey

Nutritional value
Vitamin A 0.0IU
Vitamin C 0.5mg
Vitamin k 0.02mcg
Vitamin E 0.05mg
Vitamin B6 0.02mg
Thiamin 0.01mg
Riboflavin 0.05mg
Folate 2.0mcg
Niacin 0.1mg
Choline 2.2mg
Pantothenic acid 0.1mg
Folate 2.0mcg
Netaine 1.7mg

Apart from the above vitamins, honey also contains around 2 percent of mineral stored in it. Some of the minerals that are found in honey are calcium, phosphorous, manganese, iron, copper, sodium, zinc and magnesium. The vitamins and minerals that are present in honey help in the process of metabolizing the cholesterol and prevent us from the risk obesity and help us to maintain healthy life…. The following table mentions the details of minerals that are present in 100g of honey.

Minerals available in 100g of honey

Nutritional value
Potassium 52.0mg
Magnesium 2.0mg
Phosphorous 4.0mg
Iron 0.4mg
Sodium 4.0mg
Calcium 6.0mg
Selenium 0.8mcg
Zinc 0.2mg
Manganese 0.1mg

The carbohydrates and proteins that are present in raw honey help us to gain energy instantly. It boosts up the energy levels in the body.  It contains several properties like antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral that helps in to be away from several infections. Honey is used as natural remedy product for several disorders like ulcers, Diarrhea, indigestion, and other gastrointestinal problems.  It was even used as a treatment procedure for treating cough and sore throats. The raw honey that has been harvested locally helps in treating some allergies and hay fever. Thus we should include honey in one form or another regularly so that we can stay fit and healthy…

As we have seen several health benefits associated with honey, let us see few risks that may be occurred because of consuming honey. It is better to avoid honey that contains some spores and allergens. There are chances where you can get honey that is crystallized, avoid such type of honey because it may result in production of bacteria that can be harmful to our health. Normally the life time of honey will be for longer periods, but it is better t o avoid the honey that is not fresh since there are chances where it can lead to contamination. However the risks with honey are very mild and it can be avoided very safely and easily. The benefits of the honey are more when compared with risks so it is better to consume this natural sweetener instead of consuming artificial sweeteners. It is definitely a preferable choice when compared with other sugar products and this is because of its higher and richer nutritional profile.

Conclusion

Honey is considered as one of the natural sweeteners; especially raw honey is taken directly from beehives and is sold to customers directly without any processing. It is a store of several essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals that helps us to be healthy. Raw honey contains higher nutritional benefits when compared with the processed honey. This is because during the processing m raw honey may lose its nutritional contents. However we should avoid giving raw honey to children who are below one year as this can cause some problems mainly to infants.

Olive Oil Nutrition Facts

Olive oil is considered as one of the favorite choices that contains distinct taste and is used by many cooks. Normally all popular cooks prefer using the olive oil in regular dishes because of their excellent benefits. The people living in Mediterranean region use this olive oil regularly and according to research it has been proved they remain healthier and they live for longer periods than others. This is because of this regular consumption of olive oil. Normally we think that oil contains excess fat and it is not good for our health, this is the reason we try to regulate oil usage. However olive oil is different from the remaining oils and it contains excess unsaturated fats that are definitely good for our health. It is much nutritious and provides with several health benefits which we may not even expect.

The important point is that this olive oil is considered as healthier choice that promotes healthy heart. It helps in proper functioning of heart. This is possible with the help of unsaturated fats that help in reducing bad cholesterol levels and thus protects us from cardiovascular problems. We know that these days olive oil is extracted from olives with the help of machines. In the ancient days people use to extract oil by crushing olives with stones or foot. You can find several types of olive oil in the market. They differ according to type of olives from which oil is extracted. If olive oil contains high levels of unsaturated fats then it is considered as best one.  Normally olive oil color is dependent upon the color of pigment in that fruit. Suppose that the pigments are green in color then it gives olive oil in green. This green color comes because of high levels of chlorophyll in olives. Some olives will give yellow color oil and this color comes because of carotenoid pigments that usually will be Yellow red in color.

In olive oil of 10g, you can find antioxidant polyphenols of 5mg. The green oil is best source for antioxidants and even for Vitamin K. We know that all green vegetable contains high Vitamin K content. The same reflects even for olive oil. You should store olive oil only in refrigerator and should be avoided from heat or from light.

Olive Oil Health benefits

  • Olive oil is mainly important for proper functioning of heart. It ensures healthy heart. Unsaturated fats that are available in olive oil help in trigylcerides levels thus prevent the problem of hypertension. In addition to this they even help in reducing bad cholesterol levels and improve good cholesterol levels in the body. This will protect us from heart problems.
  • It contains some Phytonutrients that contain anti inflammatory properties. These properties will prevent us from allergies, asthma, inflammation and arthritis.
  • Olive oil also prevents us from disorders like osteoporosis that is related to bone loss and helps in regaining bone density.
  • Olive oil contains high vitamin E levels that help in maintaining healthy hair, skin and nails.
  • The antioxidant properties present in olive oil help in improving the performance of immune system and reduce the risk of cancer and other aging problems.
    • Olive oil is free from Tran’s fats. However if you cook olive oil beyond smoke point then the chemical properties of olive oil may change and it starts producing trans fats which can become unhealthy.
    • Another important health benefit of olive oil is it helps in the process of reducing weight. This is because the unsaturated fats in olive oil will make you to feel heavy stomach very sooner and it keeps your stomach heavy even after your meal. This makes you to eat less with full stomach thus resulting in weight loss. If you are performing daily physical activity with the consumption of olive oil then you can observe the results very early.
    • If you include olive oil in your regular diet then the chance of production of unwanted bacteria mainly in the digestive tract will be reduced. This reduced production will prevent us from digestion problems, stomach infections, and ulcers. This can be achieved by just including few table spoons of olive oil regularly.

It is very easy to include olive oil in our regular diet. You use it as a substitute for butter or you can use it directly as cooking oil. Before grilling any meat or other poultry, you can brush it with olive oil. Another way to add olive oil into diet is to use it fir dressing of salads. Because e of its distinct taste, you can use it for making sauce for breads or you can add it to favorite spices. Since olive oil contains high unsaturated fats as we have discussed in above section, it makes us very clear that this olive oil is perfect healthier choice mainly for our heart….

Olive Oil Nutrition facts:

            To understand the details of nutritional facts of olive oil we must know about the types of fats that are available. Basically olive oil includes both unsaturated and saturated fats. In unsaturated it contains both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.  Saturated fats are considered as bad fats and they are responsible for promoting bad cholesterol into the body. Unsaturated fats can be seen in different forms, one is monounsaturated and other one is polyunsaturated fats.  Monounsaturated fats are good for health and they are responsible for promoting goods cholesterol into the body whereas polyunsaturated fats are even good for health and they help us in lowering cholesterol levels.  Normally all types of oils contain all these fat contents. However the only difference exists is in terms of their proportion.  Olive oil contains high levels of monounsaturated fat; this fat is termed as oleic acid. The levels of this acid depend upon type of olives from which the oil is extracted. Apart from the oleic acid it even contains some omega 3 fatty acids called as alpha-linoleic acid and Linoleic acid which is omega 6 fatty acids.

In addition to these fatty acids olive oils also contains several antioxidants like tocopherols and phenols. It is the main source for Vitamin E. The following table gives the information about the nutrients that are present in olive oil.

  Fiber Fat Carbohydrates Protein calories
Olive oil Cooking(100g) 0g 100g 0g 0g 884
Olive oil, blend(100g) 0g 71g 0g 0g 643

Olive oil is one of the best sources for many healthy fatty oils. These oils are much essential for proper functioning of body and it ensures good health. Around 100g of olive contains polyunsaturated fats of 11g, saturated fats of 13.8g, and monounsaturated fats of 73.0g. It even contains omega 3 fatty acids of 761mg and omega 6 fatty acids of 9763mg.  These values may differ according to type of olive oil. It even contains essential vitamins that help us in proper functioning of the body. The following table mentions the list of vitamins that are present in olive oil.

  Omega 6 fatty acids Omega 3fatty acids Vitamin E Vitamin K
Olive oil blend(100g) 3.1g 1.5g 14mg 62mcg
Olive oil, Cooking(100g) 9763mg 761mg 14.3mg 60.2mcg

We know that olive oil is much important for skin care. It works as a moisturizer and smoothens the skin. It is even used in facials and even helps in hair growth.  It helps in prevention of hair fall and ensures shiny hair. It is known that olive oils are good for our bones. They do not have any direct calcium in the oil but they are helpful in absorbing calcium into the body.

All these nutrients of olive oil are obtained only when it is used in cooking. The excess usage of olive oil is done mainly in Mediterranean regions and they use it mainly in salads or any cold foods.  Another interesting fact of olive oil is it helps to maintain proper weight and the unsaturated fat in olive oil helps in reducing the fat content; in fact it burns the fat.  By consuming olive oil regularly, you will find very less amount of fat that is accumulated in your body. Normally this is used as a substitute for butter and it even enhances the flavor of dish.

Conclusion

From the above discussion we can observe that olive oil contains high nutrition facts than expected and we can tell that olive oil helps in reducing the risk of heart diseases. It is better to take this olive oil in limited amounts and should not be used as addition to normal fat consumption. It should be replaced by existing fatty acids. In some cases olive oil is even used for preparation of soaps and lamp oil. It even works as lubricant and can be replaced for machine oil. Because of these nutritional facts and health benefits, it is also called Liquid Gold.

Pineapple Nutrition Facts

Pineapple is one of the essential and popular fruits that are also called as ananas. It has originated in South America and has spread across several regions in the world. It is scientifically called as “Ananas comosus” and it belongs to Bromeliaceae family. It is normally grown in tropical regions and the height of the tree will be up to 8ft. It has the capacity to spread across 4ft. It is a small fruit that contains some needle tipped leaves. It is a seasonal fruit and starts from March and continues till the end of June.

It is described as a fruit that is derived from several small fruits that are fused together as a central core. It contains both the fleshy and juicy core that works as fibrous core. The outer layer of the fruit will be tough, scaly and rough rind that usually exists in yellow, reddish, dark green or Orange yellow color. This color exists when the fruit is still in ripe state. It changes its color after completion of this state. The inner part of fruit will be in creamy color or it may be in yellow color. The taste of the fruit will be sweet and contain rich flavor.  Generally the size of the fruit will be 12inches long and its weight will be around 8 pounds. The quality of fruit does not change depending upon size of pineapple. The only difference that exists is in terms of the edible flesh inside fruit. Larger pineapples contain more flesh while smaller ones will have less.

You should choose the fruit that contains no spots or molds or bruises. These symbols indicate that the fruit is not fresh. Some people will check the freshness of fruit by tapping it with finger. If the fruit is fresh and ripe then it does not have high sound, if it is of poor quality then it is recognized by hollow thud. Always choose the one that contains sweet smell and avoid the fruit that smells sour or musty.

There are several chances where the ripe fruits will perish easily if they are placed in room temperature. So they should be maintained in chill atmosphere but they should be kept only for shorter periods as they are very sensitive. However you can place these fruits in refrigerator for maximum of 2 days.

Pineapple health benefits:

Pineapples are store for many compounds that are essential for maintaining healthy life. It contains all the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals that help us in one form or another. Pineapple contains very less calories and they are free from cholesterol or saturated fats. It is the major source for dietary fiber such as pectin. Let us see the health benefits of pine apple.

  • It contains an enzyme called as bromealin that helps in digestion process. It does so by breaking the proteins in food. This compound contains some properties like anti cancer, anti inflammatory and anti clotting. Thus by consumption of pine apple regularly, you will gain the capacity to fight against conditions like indigestion, arthritis and other conditions.
  • By consuming fresh pineapples, you will get enough amount of vitamin C into your body. Vitamin C contains some antioxidant properties that help in proper functioning of body.
  • Vitamin C is essential for controlling and maintaining bones, skin, blood vessels and several other organs. This vitamin C will help you to fight against harmful agents and free radicals that can cause infection in your body.
  • It is major source for vitamin A and even contain good amount of beta carotene levels. These nutrients also contain antioxidant properties that help us to have proper eye vision and ensure healthy skin and mucus membranes.
  • Vitamin B1 present in pineapple helps in blood circulation and even supplies required amount of oxygen to blood cells. Vitamin B1 is even essential for proper digestion.
  • It contains flavonoids that will protect us from lung cancer and even oral cavity cancer.
  • Apart from above nutrients, pineapples also contain B vitamins such as thiamin, folates, riboflavin and pyridoxine.
  • Pineapples even contain essential minerals like potassium, manganese and copper. Copper helps in synthesis of red blood cells.
  • Manganese contains an enzyme that helps to fight against free radicals,
  • Potassium is essential for maintaining blood pressure and it even controls heart rate. It is the main component for body fluids.
  • If you want to get rid of the intestinal worms and want to keep your kidney clean then pineapple would show many effective results. It removes all the toxins that are present and ensure healthy metabolism.
  • Enzymes that is present in pineapple help in the condition of sore throats and sinusitis. It even helps in healing wounds and shows its positive effects during surgery. If these pineapples are taken with meals then you will not have any problem of inflammation.

In addition to above benefits, pineapple also contains good levels of dietary fiber that helps in treating irregular bowel movements and even treats constipation problems. If you are suffering from nausea or any kind of motion sickness then pineapple juice would be the best choice.

Nutritional facts of pineapple:

In Indonesia people call pineapple as Nanas. It is a nutritious fruit that contains several essential vitamins and minerals that helps us to have good health. The important fact about pine apple is its bromealin content. This is essential for proper digestion of proteins.  Bromelain helps to have balanced fluids levels in the body. It even helps in stimulation of hormonal secretions in pancreas that helps in digestion. We will find the complete details of nutritional facts of pine apple in this section. The following table gives you with the information regarding the nutrients details of pineapple.

Nutrients available in 100g of pineapple

Nutritional value
Calories 50
Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0g
Carbohydrates 13g
Dietary fiber 1g
Sugars 10g
Protein 1g
Water 86.0g
Phytosterols 6.0mg

From the above table we can see that pineapple contains fewer calories and is rich in proteins and even dietary fiber. Pineapple would be the best option for the people who are in diet. Since it contains fewer calories you need not worry about increase in calories in your body. However you must definitely be aware of daily intake of calories to manage your weight. Normally all the calories that are present in pineapple will be in carbohydrates form and the remaining portion is received from proteins. Apart from above nutrients, pineapple also contains vitamins such as B1, B2, and B3 and Vitamin C. It contains high levels of Vitamin C and vitamin B1, but the remaining vitamins will be available in lesser amounts.

Vitamins available in 100g of pineapple

Nutritional value
Vitamin A 58.0IU
Vitamin C 47.8mg
Vitamin k 0.7mcg
Vitamin E 0.0mg
Vitamin B6 0.1mg
Thiamin 0.1mg
Riboflavin 0.0mg
Folate 18.0mcg
Niacin 0.5mg
Choline 5.5mg
Pantothenic acid 0.2mg

In addition to above vitamins it also includes essential minerals like potassium, copper, manganese, magnesium. The table below gives you with the details of minerals that are present in pine apple.

Minerals available in 100g of pineapple

Nutritional value
Potassium 150mg
Magnesium 12mg
Phosphorous 11mg
Iron 0.28mg
Sodium 1.0mg
Calcium 16mg
Selenium 0.1mcg
Zinc 0.10mg

Pineapple contains sweet taste and it should never be taken by the patients who are suffering from diabetes. Moreover it should not be consumed by the people who have very less blood sugar levels. However if you want to enjoy the sweetness of pineapple then you can dilute this fruit with some water for tasting. You can even mix it with some juices that are not sweet.

You can include pineapples in many dishes. The great way of serving is to add it to fruit salads or it can be used as toppings.  The pineapple juice is considered as refreshing drink and can be taken at anytime. It is used for preparing jams, jellies and desserts. This pineapple mainly works as ingredient that adds flavor to dishes.

The only thing that has to be taken care of with pineapple is the bromealin that is in pineapple may result in bleeding in uterine mainly during pregnancy. So it is better to avoid consuming pineapple during pregnancy.

Conclusion:

Pineapple is considered as one of the best juiciest fruits that contain delicious taste as well as contains several essential nutrients. You can add it to any cream or even be used in custard for additional flavor. Pineapple juice is another refreshing drink that can be more beneficial mainly in summer season. From the above article we have seen all these benefits of pineapple and now we are sure that pineapple provides essential nutrients that are definitely good for our health.  Another interesting fact about pineapple is it even helps in improvement of your complexion. So do not delay to consume this nutritious fruit, just enjoy the taste and gain all the health benefits by including them in your regular diet.

Orange Nutrition Facts

Juicy and delicious fruit with essential nutrients-Oranges

Oranges are one of the juicy and delicious fruits that contain all essential nutrients, minerals, vitamins that help us to have normal development and growth. Orange is scientifically called as Citrus sinensis and it comes under Rutaceae family. It grows in tropical regions and the tree will be 8m in length and bears fruits of 3inch in diameter. The weight of each fruit will be 150g. These fruits are categorised into two types. One is sweet and other is bitter. Generally people consume only sweet oranges and they avoid the bitter ones.  Some of the popular varieties are Blood orange, Navel, Valencia, and Persian variety.  These fruits belong to citrus group. This is a seasonal fruit and it comes in October and ends in February. Normally matured fruits are harvested with the help of machines and they are easily prone to injuries and they will not sustain for longer time. However these injuries will not affect the quality of that fruit.

You can purchase the fruits that are firm and have bright colour. It is better to avoid the oranges that have some spots on it as they may tend to spoil very easily. They have to be stored in room temperature; they will last for a complete week. If you have purchased any oranges with molds on it then leave them to air and avoid any moisture as they affect other fresh oranges as well. You can even prepare orange juice from these oranges and can store it in refrigerator for future usage. The orange juice also contains essential vitamins and minerals that are really helpful.

Health benefits of oranges:

Oranges contain very few calories and these calories help us to reduce our weight.  It is very easy to decrease our weight with the help of these oranges. However one must be aware of the calorie count as well to accomplish the goal.  Normally all the fruits contain high water and fiber. The same is even in case of oranges. The calories in raw fruit will be less when compared with the calories in orange juice. This fruit will be a perfect choice at the time of hungry and it makes you to feel full till your lunch or dinner time.  Since it is rich in vitamins and contains fewer calories, you need not worry about the calories level.  In addition to these calories, the taste of this fruit is very delicious and is a store of many essentials nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Normally all the physicians suggest taking this fruit during illness because they immediately boost up your energy level and it is major source for all the vital vitamins.  Oranges play a prominent role in maintaining fat and carbohydrates level in our body. It even helps in digestion process and ensures healthy hear and nervous system.

Let us see some more health benefits of oranges:

  • You can find plenty of nutrients in oranges. This fruit is free from cholesterol and saturated fats and contains very low calories. However it contains high fiber and pectin that will help mainly to the people who are suffering from obesity.
  • Pectin in oranges protects mucus membrane of colon and helps it from exposure to chemicals that can lead to cancer in colon. It even reduced cholesterol levels in blood.
  • As we know that citrus fruits contain high levels of vitamin C, even orange contain Vitamin C that acts as a natural antioxidant. By consuming the foods that are rich in Vitamin C, your body will gain much resistance to fight against the agents that can be harmful.
  • It contains some phytochemicals that are found in almost all citrus fruits. The flavonoids that are present in these oranges work as antioxidants and prevent us from inflammation, free radical attack. They will reduce the risk of DNA injury.
  • They contain high levels of vitamin A and flavonoids antioxidants. They include Lutein, beta carotene, and Zeaxanthin.  These entire components contain several antioxidant properties.
  • Vitamin A is essential for proper vision and even maintains mucus membranes. Moreover by consumption of the fruits that are rich in flavonoids one can reduce the risk of oral cavity cancer and Lung cancer.
  • It is even a major source for B vitamins like folate, thiamine and pyridoxine.
  • It contains good levels of minerals like calcium and potassium. These minerals help in maintain heart rate and even control blood pressure.

We know that citrus fruits contain good antioxidant properties and they are highly nutritious fruits. All the citrus fruits mainly oranges contain high levels of vitamins and minerals that are providing with these health benefits. Moreover these fruits contain some antioxidants and dietary fiber that prevents us from risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. It even prevents from obesity problems and ensures healthy functioning of heart.

Nutritional facts of orange:

Oranges are rich source for vitamins and minerals. It contains all the essential nutrients that help us to be healthy. It is even used for medicinal purposes and is used to treat several diseases. Let us see some details of nutritional values of oranges. This information can help us to analyze about the nutrition facts thus shows its importance. Many of us just eat the internal section of oranges and try to throw the peel part. In fact the peel part is even nutritious as the inner sections. The following table gives details about the nutrients in the peel and even in oranges.

  Fiber Fat Carbohydrates Protein calories
           
Oranges, Raw(100g) 2g 0g 12g 1g 47
           
Orange Juice(100g) 0g 0g 10g 1g 45
           
Orange Peel(100g) 11g 0g 25g 1g 97
           

Raw oranges contain around 47 calories; these calories are received from carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It even contains some amount of water and orange juice can contain some amount of sugar content in it. Orange peel includes higher calories when compared with oranges. In addition to the consumption, orange peel can even be used in cosmetics and it helps in smoothening of skin and even avoids skin problems. The following table mentions the values of vitamins present in oranges, orange juice and orange peel.

  Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin E Niacin Choline Vitamin B6
Oranges, Raw(100g) 225IU 53.2mg 0.2mg 0.3mg 8.4mg 0.1mg
             
Orange juice, (100g) 200IU 50.0mg 0.0mg 0.4mg 6.2mg 0.0mg
             
Orange peel(100g) 420IU 136mg 0.3mg 0.9mg 0.2mg
             

Oranges are good source for Vitamins and minerals. From the above table we can observe that raw oranges and its peel contain high vitamins when compared with juice. When oranges are converted into juice format, there are chances of addition of preservatives to make the juice last longer periods. This addition may result in reduced amount of vitamins. So it is better to have raw oranges instead of orange juice. The following table gives the information about the minerals that are present in oranges.

  Calcium Magnesium Iron Potassium Phosphorus
Oranges, raw(100g) 40.0mg 10.0mg 0.1mg 181mg 14.0mg
           
Orange juice(100g) 11.0mg 11.0mg 0.2mg 200mg 17.0mg
           
Orange peel(100g) 161mg 22.0mg 0.8mg 212mg 21.0mg
           

In addition to these minerals, Oranges even contain some amount of selenium, zinc, sodium and copper. The nutritional value of these minerals varies according to the part and variety. For example orange juice contains 0.1mcg of selenium, 1.0mg of sodium and 0.1mg of zinc where as oranges in raw form contains 0.5mcg of selenium and 0.1mg of zinc.  Orange peel contains 0.1mg of copper, 0.3mg of zinc and 3.0mg of sodium.

You can consume this fruit in many ways. Basically everyone will peel off the skin and enjoys the inner part of the fruit. You can even cut them into two slices and can remove the sections with the help of spoon. Another way of consuming this fruit is in the form of juice.  This juice is most popular among all juices. However it is better to take raw fruits instead of juice to gain maximum benefits. The fiber that is present in oranges will be reduced if it is converted into juice format thus the health benefits even reduce.  If you are willing to have in the form of juice then make it home made so that it does not contains any preservatives. Around 100g of orange contains 60 calories. All these calories will be available in sugar form and it is observed very easily. That is the reason the juice is normally given to the people who are weak and are facing illness.  If you are storing the fruit in refrigerator then allow it to attain room temperature before you consume. Let us see some of the serving tips for these oranges:

  • You can include the sections of oranges to fruit salads or green salads.
  • You can consume orange juice which is refreshing drink.
  • It is even used in jams, jellies and even in desserts.
  • The peel of orange is used in some dishes to add some flavor to dish.
  • The leaves and blossoms of oranges can be used in herbal tea.

You can carry orange fruits to any place without any trouble. You can consume this fruit at any time, But before consuming wash it with cold water so that any dust particles be removed. Peel off the skin of orange and enjoy the taste of this delicious fruit……

Conclusion:

We have seen that orange is best source for several minerals and vitamins. It also contains some levels f chlorine and vitamin C. This vitamin will help to absorb calcium and ensures healthy bones and teeth.  In addition to this it even contains Vitamins A, C.  All the nutrients that are available in oranges will help in prevention against digestion problems, constipation, heart diseases, respiratory problems, pimples, fever, typhoid, T.B and it ensures proper bone health which is very much essential.  However we have to be cautious about one thing. These fruits contain some insecticide sprays that are given over the crops. To get rid of these insecticides wash them in cold water before usage. If you are purchasing orange fruits that are organic then they may not contain these chemicals and would be best suited for preparing Zest. It would be recommended to include more fruits and vegetables in the regular diets, mainly oranges for few days in a week so that everyone can maintain proper health.

Nutritional Value Of Mushrooms

Fungi that is used both for both consumption and medicinal purposes- Mushrooms

The nutritional facts of Mushrooms are much higher than normal level. Every one think that it is just a basically fungi that contains a fleshy body and is used for only consumption. However it is more than this when it is seen in depth. These Mushrooms are even used for medicinal purposes and helps in treating several diseases. It is considered as healthier foods when compared with other food products that we eat. It contains fewer calories and is rich in fiber. It is a store of essential vitamins and minerals that are required for our body.  Some of these nutrients in these mushrooms exhibit the medicinal properties. For example the carbohydrates that is present in mushrooms help in strengthening the functioning of immune system. Since all these facts of mushrooms sounds interesting, let us have a look at mushroom nutrition in depth. We will see both the nutritional benefits and nutritional facts of these mushrooms. We can tell that these mushrooms are not only a delicious food but they are even good for health.

The scientific name of mushrooms is Agaricus and it has different names depending upon the type of species. They are considered as saprophytes which extract the nutrients from decaying and dead plants and animals. They differ according to their color, shape, texture and its properties.  You will find around 14,000 varieties of mushrooms and out of these varieties, 3,000 are edible and around 700 are known for its medicinal properties. Some mushrooms are considered poisonous.  In these recent days, these mushrooms are eaten by everyone because of its excellent taste and texture. In addition this it even adds some health benefits.  These health benefits are provided by the essential nutrients that are present in these mushrooms. It is major source for potassium, selenium, magnesium and phosphorus. It even contains some important nutrients that may not be found in the foods that are highly processed. Moreover these mushrooms are completely free from cholesterol or fat and contain very low levels of sodium. It is the major source for fiber. Since we have discussed that some mushrooms are toxic, we have to be careful while selecting the mushrooms. If you are purchasing the mushrooms from the stores or supermarkets then you need not worry about this toxicity.

Always choose the mushrooms that contain rich texture and is completely free from slime and spots. If you are choosing the closed veil mushroom then it contains mild flavor and the open veil mushroom contains rich flavor. You can store it in refrigerator for about one week. Do not soak the mushrooms in water just clean them with water and remove the water content on mushrooms with towel. You can cook mushrooms in different ways like frying, boiling, grilling and broiling. Enjoy it with sauce or soup and even can be added as substitute for burger.

Health benefits of mushrooms:

Since mushrooms contain very few calories it will protect us from obesity problems. Obesity is the main source for many health problems like diabetes, cancer and cardio vascular problems. Since it is protecting us from obesity, it implies that it even protects from these diseases. Other mushroom health benefits include reduced cholesterol levels, prevention of cancer like breast and prostate, and relief from the risk of diabetes. It even helps in decreasing our weight and in turn increases the ability of resistance. They really help us to fight against some infections and diseases. It contains high levels of proteins, minerals and vitamins that will help in accomplishing this task.  It even contains antioxidants, antibiotics and amino acids that will help in providing us with several health benefits. It is major source for B vitamins, D vitamins, and minerals like copper, potassium and selenium. These nutrients help us in one form or another thus ensures good health. Let us see the details of mushroom health benefits in depth.

  • Mushrooms contain fewer carbohydrates, fats and zero cholesterol.  The fiber content that is present in these mushrooms will help in reducing cholesterol levels. The protein content that is available in mushrooms will help in burning cholesterol as soon as they are digested.
  • The amino acids like Linoleic acid and beta Glucans available in mushrooms help in prevention of prostate cancer and breast cancer. As we know that estrogen will result in breast cancer. These estrogen levels are suppressed by the linoleic acid. Beta Glucans will help in reducing the development of cancer cells that can result in prostate cancer.
  • Even the selenium helps in suppressing the effect of cancerous cells in the body.
  • Since mushrooms contain low carbohydrates and rich water and fiber content, it is proved to be effective for diabetic patients. In addition it contains some natural insulin that will break down the sugar content.
  • They even contain some compounds that help in liver, pancreas and endocrinal glands functioning. This regulation will help in production of insulin and in turn results in proper flow of insulin throughout body.
  • We know that diabetic patients are often prone to some kind of infections mainly limb infections. The antibiotics that occur naturally in mushrooms will protect them from these kinds of infections.
  • Another antioxidant that is present in these mushrooms is Ergothioneine. This antioxidant is found to be effective in protecting from free radicals and boosts up the immune system performance.
  • We know that mushrooms contain good levels of vitamin A, B and C. These vitamins will strengthen immune system.
  • Mushrooms are known for burning fat content in body thus helps in reducing weight.
  • This is one of the vegetable that contains high levels of Vitamin D.
  • Mushrooms contain high calcium levels that help in maintaining good bone strength, Iron is essential  to overcome anemia, potassium is helpful for reducing blood pressure, copper is known for its anti bacterial activities, and finally selenium helps in maintaining healthy bones, hair, nails, and it even works as an antioxidant.

Nutritional facts of mushrooms:

Mushrooms are normally grouped under vegetables and the nutritional benefits that are provided by these mushrooms will be almost similar to the one that are found in meats, grains and beans.  They contain very few calories and are free from fat, cholesterol and contain less amount of sodium. If you are looking for the food that is rich in Vitamin D then Mushrooms will be the best choice and it is considered as one of the best non fortified source of food. Normally plant sources do not contain Vitamin D, but these mushrooms are exception for this fact. Moreover these mushrooms are major source for selenium. It works as antioxidant that helps in protecting the body from diseases. They help us to maintain proper immune system. Another antioxidant that is found in these mushrooms is ergothioneine. This will protect the body cells from diseases. The following table provides the details of nutrients that are present in these mushrooms.

  Fiber Fat Carbohydrates Protein calories
           
Raw mushrooms White(100g) 1g 0g 3g 3g 22
           
Raw mushrooms, Brown(100g) 1g 0g 4g 3g 27
           
Cooked mushrooms(100g) 2g 0g 5g 2g 28
           

From the above table we can observe that these mushrooms contain very less calories when compared with other food sources. It even contains sugar content of 1.8g and water content of 92.4g. These figures resemble that it is good for our health and has to be included in our regular diet. Moreover these mushrooms are rich in B vitamins. They include Niacin, Riboflavin and Pantothenic acid. These vitamins will help in breaking the carbohydrates, fats and proteins in to required energy. It even plays important role in maintaining nervous system. Pantothenic acid in these mushrooms will help in hormone production and Riboflavin helps in maintaining and controlling red blood cells. Niacin will provide us with healthy and glowy skin. It even ensures proper functioning of nervous system and digestive system. The table below mentions the list of vitamins and their nutritional values that are present in mushrooms.

  Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin D Niacin Folate
Raw mushrooms White(100g) 0.0IU 2.1mg 18.0IU 3.6mg 16.0mcg
           
Raw mushrooms, Brown(100g) 0.0IU 0.0mg —- 3.8mg 14.0mcg
           
Cooked mushrooms(100g) 0.0IU 4.0mg 21.0IU 4.5mg 18.0mcg
           

In addition to these vitamins, Mushrooms also contain essential minerals which help in proper functioning of the body. The most important mineral that can be seen in mushrooms is selenium. This works as an antioxidant and protects from heart diseases, cancer and aging problems. It has even proved that this will improves fertility in men and maintains immune system. We normally think that only grains and animal products are rich source for selenium, but these mushrooms are richest source among these food products. Another mineral that is found in mushrooms is copper. This will help in production of red blood cells that carries oxygen through entire body. This will help us to maintain healthy nerves and strong bones. This table gives the information about the minerals that are present in raw and cooked mushrooms.

 

 

Calcium Magnesium Iron Phosphorus Sodium Potassium
Raw mushrooms White(100g) 3.0mg 9.0mg 0.5mg 86.0mg 5.0mg 318mg
             
Raw mushrooms, Brown(100g) 180.mg 9.0mg 0.4mg 120mg 6.0mg 448mg
             
Cooked mushrooms(100g) 6.0mg 12.0mg 1.7mg 87.0mg 2.0mg 356mg
             
             

 

 

Potassium is essential mineral but most of the people will not get this mineral from many food products. It will help in maintaining mineral balance and ensure proper levels of blood pressure. It makes sure that heart, nerves and muscles are functioning properly. Since we have seen the nutritional facts of mushrooms, it makes us clear that these mushrooms help us in several ways and has to be included in our regular. Let us see some of the serving tips through which we can easily include these mushrooms in our diet.

  • You can add these mushrooms with onions and can make it as a side dish.
  • Chop the mushrooms and add it to tomato pasta sauce and serve it.
  • Remove the stems of mushrooms and stuff it with vegetables or with soft cheese.
  • You can even make omelet with mushrooms.

In the similar manner you can include these mushrooms in several dishes and you can serve it as either a main dish or a side dish. If you put these mushrooms for longer time in water they there is a chance where they absorb the water and may become soggy. To avoid such problem, you should use minimal water to clean mushrooms and should wipe off the remaining water stinks with towel. So you can use the mushrooms in any form and the only motive should be to gain all the nutrients that are present in this excellent vegetable.

Conclusion:

So we have seen all the powers of mushrooms and now we can be sure that mushrooms provide us several health benefits and it is definitely a good nutritious food product. It is very easy to obtain benefits from mushrooms; just a simple preparation can help in taking all the advantages from these mushrooms. By consuming this nutritious vegetable you will gain nutritional benefits that can keep you healthy. It contains all the essential vitamins and minerals that will provide us with these nutritional benefits. All the nutrients present in these mushrooms will help us in one way or another. The only caution that we have to take about mushrooms is that some varieties can be toxic so we have to avoid such toxic mushrooms. These poisonous mushrooms can be dangerous to our health and they can lead us to several health problems and some time there can be chances of facing death. In either case all other varieties provide us with several health benefits thus helping us to lead a healthy life….

Grapefruit Nutrition

The evergreen tree that is grown in Caribbean is Grapefruit tree. This fruit is suggested by most of the nutritionists and dietician’s. This is because of their health benefits in boosting up energy levels, cleansing the body, providing adequate amount of vitamins. In addition to this it con provide with more benefits that help us in many ways. This grapefruit is a seasonal fruit and it will be available from September to December. However in these recent days you can find these fruits for the complete year irrespective of season. The length of grape tree will be 15m long and it has yellowish orange skin on the fruit. This will be available in clusters and each fruit has 4 inches in diameter and the weight will be around 150g.   The skin of the grape fruit will be less thick when compared with skin of oranges. It is a juicy fruit and acidic in nature. The colour and sweetness of grape fruit varies according to cultivation type. General colours that can be seen with the grape fruit are pink, white and red. You can find some grape fruits that do not contain any seeds and they will be in white colour with elliptical shape. These seeds will be of half inch in length.

Grape fruit is scientifically called as citrus paradise. This name is given according to the taste and its health benefits. Pink coloured grape fruit contains more properties and nutrients when compared with other varieties.  This fruit can be seen for the complete year, but you can find the fresh one in winter season.

You should buy the fruits that are bright in colour and are firm. It should be free from wrinkles and should have heavy size with sweet aroma. It is better to avoid the fruits that are softer and contain spots on it. These fruits will tend to be spoiled very easily and fastly. You can store them at normal temperature and it will remain as it is for 3 weeks. If you are storing in refrigerator then they are chances of getting chilling injury to these fruits.  Before consuming these fruits, wash them in cold water so that all the pesticides or residues or dirt that is present on the fruit may be removed. You can eat these grape fruits similar to that of orange by peeling the skin or you can consume it by cutting it into equal halves.

In addition to this normal grape fruit, you can even prepare oil from the peel part of grape fruit. This can be used in the process of aromatherapy and it is termed as aroma. It has been identified that this grape fruit even works as medicine for cancer. You can even extract grape fruit juice from these fruits. This juice is rich in Vitamin C and can be either sweet or tart in taste. Another research has proved that by consuming this grape fruit juice regularly, the cancer chemicals activating enzymes gets reduced thus prevents from the cancer. This could be one of the important reasons to include the fruit or the juice in regular diet.

Another important benefit of grape fruit nutrition is the fiber content that is present in this fruit. The fiber that is present in apple will be more when compared with fiber that is available in apples. The grape fruit contains high amount of insoluble fiber that prevents from constipation and colon cancer. This level of fiber would be enough to consume this fruit. It even contains Vitamin A and other Phytonutrients that helps mainly to the people who are conscious about their health. In addition this, grape fruit contains several health benefits that are listed in the following section.

Grape fruit health benefits:

Let us see some of the health benefits of grape fruit:

  • It is very delicious and contains fewer calories. 100g of grape fruit contains only 42 calories and it contains high levels of insoluble fiber that helps in protecting the mucus membrane. This helps in reduced effect of toxic substances to colon and prevents it from chemicals that can cause cancer.
  • This component called pectin also helps in reducing the cholesterol levels in blood thereby protects the colon from bile acids.
  • Grape fruit contains high levels of Vitamin A. In addition to this it also contains antioxidants like naringenin, lutein, and xanthin and beta carotene. These nutrients contain antioxidant properties that will help in having proper vision.
  • Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin and for healthy mucus membranes. By consuming the fruits that are rich in vitamin A, you can protect from lung cancer.
  • Grape fruit is major source for Vitamin C. This works as natural antioxidant that helps in fighting against the free radicals and even helps in healing process.
  • Grape fruits contain good levels of potassium and this mineral helps in maintaining heart rate and even controls blood pressure. This will overcome the problem that may be caused due to sodium.
  • Grapefruits especially red colored fruits contain high flavonoids. These flavonoids prevent us from the skin damage that may be caused due to UV rays. It even reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
  • Grape fruits contain some amount of B vitamins like Thiamin, Folate and riboflavin. In addition to this it even contains some minerals like calcium, copper, iron and phosphorus.

Nutritional facts of grape fruit

Grapefruit contains several vitamins and minerals that help u sin providing several health benefits.  This is a citrus fruit and contains high levels of Vitamin C. This vitamin is essential for reduction of cholesterol levels in the body.  It contains very less saturated fats and is the major and natural source for insoluble fiber. This fiber is helpful in removal of toxins from the body. Another interesting thing about the grape fruit is it contains some substances that will help in cleansing the colon. It is rich in Vitamin A and C. These vitamins help in improving the performance of immune system and help us to be away from certain diseases. Vitamin A is essential for proper eye vision and reduces the risk of occurrence of lung cancer and Oral cavities cancer.

It contains a nutrient called Lycopene. This nutrient belongs to the family of carotenoids and it works as antioxidant in our body. This component will even improve immune system performance. Grapefruits are completely free from fat content and these fruits are helpful mainly for the individuals who are on diet and helps in controlling weight. Since it comes under the family of citrus, it should not be consumed in empty stomach because the acid content in it may lead to severe problems.

  Fiber Fat Carbohydrates Protein calories
           
Grape fruit raw, all areas(100g) 2g 0g 11g 1g 42
           
Grape fruit raw, Florida(100g) 1g 0g 8g 1g 30
           
           

We can see from the above table that nutritional values of grape fruit will differ according to the area. The nutritional value of grape fruit in Florida will be less when compared with the grapes that are grown in remaining areas. Florida grape fruit contains 30 calories and these calories are received from carbohydrates, proteins and fat. The same is in the case of remaining areas grape fruit but they just differ in their amounts. Florida grape fruit contains less sugar content when compared with other grape fruits. The water content in these grape fruits will be 91.6g for Florida fruit and 88.1g for other areas fruits.

  Vitamin A Vitamin C Niacin Vitamin E Folate Choline
Grape fruit raw, all areas(100g) 1150IU 31.2mg 0.2mg 0.1mg 13.0mcg 7.7mg
             
Grape fruit raw, Florida(100g) 259IU 37.0mg 0.2mg —- 9.0mcg —-
             
             

Normally people think that grape fruit is helpful in reducing fat content in the body. Actually the fact that is associated with grape fruit is that they contain high levels of vitamin C and this supports immune system in the body. This will help to fight against cold symptoms.  Moreover grape fruit is used to lower the cholesterol levels in body. It contains soluble fiber called pectin that helps to reduce the development of atherosclerosis.

  Calcium Magnesium Iron Phosphorus Potassium Zinc
Grape fruit raw, all areas(100g) 22.0mg 9.0mg 0.1mg 18.0mg 135mg 0.1mg
             
Grape fruit raw, Florida(100g) 15.0mg 8.0mg 0.1mg 9.0mg 127mg 0.1mg
             
             

These fruits contain higher levels of potassium and they ensure healthy heart. They will maintain the heart beat and blood levels. It even maintains the cell functions and tissue functions. Around 250g of grapefruit contains 310mg of potassium. So 250g of grapefruit provides with 9percent of recommended daily value of potassium.

Grapefruit contains a component called furanocoumarins. This component contains an enzyme that will help to improve the blood levels in the body.  However this component may interact with the drugs that you are taking and may result in the improvement of drug levels thus leading to toxicity. So it would be better to consult the physician before consuming the grape fruit juice. These fruits and fruit juice of grape will interact with the drugs like statins, cyclosporine and calcium channel blockers. For safety purposes consult the physician if you are using these drugs. You can serve these grapefruits in variety of ways. You can include them in fruit salads or green salads. This drink will be very refreshing and it is even used while preparing deserts, jellies or jams. Fruit sections are a great addition to green and fruit salads.

Conclusion:

The nutritional facts of grape fruits are the main key for success of grape fruit. It is proved fact and many companies sell this energy drink. It is beneficial for all people irrespective of their age and it would work as best dietary supplement. It includes all the vitamins that help in maintaining optimum health.  This fruit and fruit juice is consumed by everyone irrespective of age, gender and category. It I s very easy to consume this fruit and it will be available in almost all groceries at reasonable cost. In addition to this it is recommended by most of nutritionists and dieticians. Therefore if you want to maintain good health with less cost and want to lose weight then grape fruit will be the effective choice.

Corn Nutrition

Corn is scientifically known as Zea mays. Corn is native of Americans and currently it has shown its existence in many parts of the world. Normally we can see corn in yellow colour but it comes in different forms with different colours. Normally corn comes in pink, black, blue and purple colour. You can find corn throughout the complete year and you will some varieties of corn that are grown locally especially in summer seasons. These corns have best taste and at the same they are not expensive. You should choose the corn that has green husks, tight kernel rows and fresh silks.  Another form of corn is sweet corn that is also called as sugar corn, simply corn. This type of corn contains high levels of sugar. The harvesting process for sweet corn will be different from normal corn. The general variety of corn will be harvested when kernels of corn are dry and mature. But sweet corn is harvested in immature state and is eaten as vegetable. Sometimes corn is also termed as Maize and it is one of the best cereal crops that is used in making bread and even used to make breakfast cereal. It is transformed into popcorn and other type is sweet corn that is sold as vegetable.

As the corn gets more matured it will gain the capacity to produce more starchy substances and coming to the point of sweet corn it is one of the starchy vegetable that contains more carbohydrates.  It is the major source for fiber and vitamins. It even contains potassium, Vitamin C, Niacin, and beta carotene. Mainly the baby corn seeds are rich source for folate that helps in prevention against the birth defects. You can store it in refrigerator and can use it within 2 days. It contains very less fat content and is free from saturated fat and cholesterol.

Health befits of corn:

Corn provides us with several health benefits. These benefits include prevention from occurrence of diabetes, heart ailments, hypertension and birth defects. In addition to the supply of the required calories it is major source for Vitamin A, B, and E and even contains high levels of minerals. It is rich in fiber content and helps in prevention of digestive problems like haemorrhoids and constipation. It even reduces the risk of colorectal cancer. The antioxidants that are present in corn will prevent us from cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. These health benefits are because of the nutrients that are stored in it. Since it contains large amounts of Phyto chemicals it protects us from multiple chronic diseases.

Because of the major health benefits of corn, it has gained much reputation in U.S. Some use it as staple food and some include them in snacks in the form of popcorn or corn chips. Some use it mainly in summer season. Despite of its familiarity and reputation, it is considered as best source for health benefits. So let us have a look at these health benefits of corn that make it much popular.

  • Though it is very surprising but it is true that corn is rich on Phytonutrients. These Phytonutrients will provide antioxidant benefits. Some of these nutrients include anthocyanins, caffeic acid, beta carotene, Lutein, ferulic acid, vanillic acid and many more nutrients. The level of these Phyto nutrients will vary according to color of corn. For example blue corn contains high levels of anthocyanin antioxidants where as yellow corn contains high levels of lutein. The antioxidant properties in these corns will protect from cardiovascular problems and will reduce the risk of occurrence of any chronic disease.
  • Corn is good source for dietary fiber and it helps in removing the digestion problems. It even reduces the chance of intestinal problems and thus reduces the chance of colon cancer.
  • It is the major source for B vitamins like B1, Folic acid and B5. Moreover it contains good amount of proteins that will help in providing the blood sugar benefits. Proteins and fiber are essential for transferring food through the digestive system. It will not let the blood sugar levels to rise. This will prevent from the occurrence of type 1 diabetes.
  • Corn contains good levels of nutrients like Thiamin, Pantothenic acid, Folate, and vitamin C. Thiamin is used for metabolism, Pantothenic acid helps in physiological functions, folate helps in production of new cells and it is important mainly for pregnant women. Vitamin C is essential to fight against several diseases.
  • You can even extract oil from these corns. This corn oil contains Linoleic acid that gives us healthy skin and hair. It is much essential for our body and it has to be included in our regular diet.
  • Corn is rich in calories and it is generally included in regular diet of many people. It gives highest calories among all cereals and there will be about 342 calories in 100g of corn.
  • Especially Yellow corn contains high levels of Beta carotene that is converted into Vitamin A. This vitamin is essential for proper vision and glowing skin. The corn kernels contain more amount of Vitamin E and it works as natural antioxidant that is important for growth.
  • Corn is rich in minerals mainly Phosphorous. It even contains good levels of Iron, magnesium, manganese, Copper and zinc. It even includes some trace minerals like selenium. Phosphorous in corn is essential for normal growth, proper functioning of kidneys and for bone strength.
  • Magnesium will help in maintaining normal levels of heart rate and even ensures healthy and strong bones.
  • Corn oil shows some anti-atherogenic effect on cholesterol levels thus reducing the chance of cardiovascular problems.
  • Corn even contains Vitamin B12 that helps in protection against anemia that may be caused due to vitamin deficiency.
  • You can even prepare some cosmetics from corn starch. It will protect from skin problems like rashes or irritations.

Nutritional facts of corn:

Since corn is starchy vegetable it contains more calories and carbohydrates when compared with other veggies. General form of corn is pop corn. This is the favorite snack of many people and it is very easy to prepare. A single cup of pop corn contains around 30 calories and it is completely free from fat content. If you are using any butter or salt with popcorn then it will not be considered as healthy choice. If you are using a cup of oil with one table spoon of butter in pop corn then calories will raise up to 155 from 30 calories. Moreover fat content and sodium level also rises with this addition. The best way of consuming pop corn is to season it with garlic powder, cinnamon sugar and onion powder.

Fiber Fat Carbohydrates Protein calories
Yellow corn, raw(100g) 7g 5g 74g 9g 365
Yellow corn boiled(100g) 3g 1g 25g 3g 108

From the above table we can observe that raw corn contains more calories when compared with boiled corn. The calories in raw corn will be gained from carbohydrates (300), fat (39.7) and protein (25.7). It contains 0.6g of sugar in it and the water content is around 10.4g whereas the boiled corn contains more water content of 69.6g. It is better to consume the corn that has been boiled, drained without salt. It is highly nutritious and healthy.

Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin E Vitamin K Choline Folate
Yellow corn raw(100g) 214IU 0.0mg 0.5mg 0.3mcg 19.0mcg
Yellow corn Boiled(100g) 263IU 6.2mg 0.1mg 0.4mcg 29.1mg 46.0mcg

The calories in corn provide with good amount of dietary fiber. In addition to fiber it even contains good amount of Vitamin C, folate, manganese, magnesium, and B vitamins.  Though it is a starchy food, it contains huge nutrients. Generally we will not find calories in starchy food products but corn is exception from those starchy food items. In addition to vitamins and minerals, corn also contains some protective substances like lutein and beta- cryptoxanthin. These carotenoids will give yellow colour to the corn and they possess capability of fighting against lung cancer and even macular degeneration.

Calcium Magnesium Iron Potassium Phosphorus Sodium
Yellow corn raw(100g) 7.0mg 127mg 2.7mg 287mg 210mg 35.0mg
Yellow corn Boiled(100g) 3.0mg 26.0mg 0.4mg 212mg 75.0mg 0.0mg

Here are some more interesting facts about corn.

  • The corn that is modified contains insecticidal proteins. It is better to avoid such proteins and it would be recommended to choose corn products that are organic.
  • It contains some levels of Oxalate. So the individuals who have the problem of kidney stones can better avoid the corn products.
  • The Corn syrup that can be seen in sodas and other foods may lead in diabetes. So it would be recommended to avoid such products.

Conclusion:

Corn is one of the popular vegetables that are consumed by most of the people. It contains fewer calories when compared with other products and is rich in fiber that ensures proper health. You will find different varieties of corn and depending upon your taste you can consume the required one. It has great taste and everyone likes to include it in their snacks. Apart from fiber it contains high levels of vitamins, minerals, and proteins. These nutrients will help us in proper functioning of the body. Corn even helps in weight gain and it would be recommended to avoid corn if you are looking for weight loss or if you want to maintain optimum health. Thus we can try corn either as a side dish with the onions or green chilies. You can even add these corns to soups. It is better to use corn tortillas in place of flour tortillas. If you are including the corn for at least twice in a week then you will definitely gain all these health benefits of corn.

Nutritional Value Of Watermelon

Healthiest fruit with fewer calories and more benefits

Watermelon has been originated in South Africa and now it has spreaded across several parts of the world. It is mainly cultivated in the tropical regions and you can find several varieties of watermelon. Some of them are Yellow watermelon, Melipolski, Orangeglo, Moons and stars, and many more. They will vary in their color and size. Watermelon is rich in water content and is mainly helpful in summer season. It contains very less calories and is considered as the healthiest fruit. This article gives you the complete information of watermelon. So if you want to know more nutritional facts, continue your reading….

This is considered as perfect food product during summer and it tastes sweet such that everyone likes to eat it. Moreover because of the water content, most of the people prefer to eat in summer to overcome thirsty. It keeps us away from the dehydration problems. Though major portion of watermelon contains water content, it even holds good amount of nutrients that will keep us healthy.  This healthy fruit belongs to the family of cucurbitaceae and is biologically termed as Citrullus lanatus.  Cucumber, pumpkin and cantaloupe also come under this family. You can find around 1200 varieties of watermelon currently around the world.  You can consume all these varieties in one form or another. Apart from inner flesh of water melon, the seeds of watermelon are roasted and are used for snacks and even used in pickles. While making the juice, some of them will use even the thick outer layer.  Continue reading for more information…

Perfect food for diabetic patients:

Normally the people who are suffering from diabetes will regulate their food because of chance of increase in glucose levels in blood. This may increase the sugar levels thus leading to various problems.  It is better for these people to avoid food that contains high levels of glycemic index. This will raise the glucose levels very fastly.  Even watermelon contains high glycemic index. Despite of this high index, it is considered as the best food for diabetic patients if it is taken in moderate amounts. As per the new investigation, it has been proved that watermelon has less glycemic load. The higher water content and less carbohydrates level in watermelon will reduce the glycemic load. So, diabetic patients can consume water melon in smaller amounts. It will take very longer consumption levels to affect blood glucose levels. However it is better to check the glucose levels after consuming watermelon. It would be recommended to consult doctor before consuming fruit.

Before purchasing watermelons, select the fruit that has smooth skin and which looks in dark green color.  Purchase the one that is heavy and has some yellow or white patches on it. These patches resemble the symbol for ripening. Normally watermelon seeds are in black color while the flesh is in pink or red color.  Moreover you can heat hollow sound when you thump on watermelon. So now you are completely aware of the nutritional benefits and the process to select the best watermelon, we are sure that you will select the best one and will enjoy the summer with healthy fruit…

Health benefits of watermelon:

Watermelons are the perfect and best store for vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. The taste of this fruit will be delicious and is enjoyed mainly in summer season. It is chopped into small pieces and is eaten or it is even consumed in the form of juice. This section concentrates on the nutritional benefits of watermelon.

  • Watermelons are good for our health because they are free from cholesterol or fat content and they are rich in water and fiber content. The fiber that is present in watermelon will help in removal of toxins from skin and ensures healthy and glowing skin. It works as enhancer for human digestive system.
  • They contain high levels of Phyto nutrients called as Lycopene. When compared with other fruits or vegetable, watermelon contains higher levels of these Phyto nutrients. This is the red pigment that can be seen even in tomatoes. This will help in neutralizing the levels of free radicals and helps in reducing the chance of occurrence of cancer mainly prostrate, breast and lung cancer. It even reduces the risk of heart attack.
  • Apart from oranges, watermelon is also the kind of fruit that contains high levels of Vitamin C. Vitamin C will enhance the performance of immune system and will protect us from the diseases and illness. Mainly Vitamin C in these watermelons will protect from cataracts. So it would be better to consume watermelon regularly to boost up immune system performance. You can take watermelon in any form but you will gain all the essential nutrients.
  • It contains excess amount of vitamin A that will fight against infections and helps in healing process. It helps mainly in healing of diseases like asthma, colon cancer, diabetes, arthritis. This is mainly good for the diabetic patients.
  • It contains the amino acid called as citrulline that helps in cleansing the kidney and works well as detoxifying agent.
  • It is major source for potassium. This mineral will help in reducing the risk of muscle cramps. It will help in maintaining blood pressure and reduces the chance of production of kidney stones. It even maintains proper heart beat.
  • Watermelon is major source for beta carotene. This will ensure proper eye sight mainly the night vision.
  • Since watermelon contains excess amount of water content. It will help our body from the dehydration problems.
  • Watermelon contains very less calories and high nutrients. Because of this feature it is considered as favourite food for the people who are more conscious about their weight. By consuming this fruit regularly at any time will leave you with the feeling of full stomach this ensures great health…..

Nutritional facts of Watermelon:       

Watermelon contains around 6 percent of sugar content and remaining 92 percent of water content stored in it.  Since watermelon even comes under the family of fruits, even it is the excellent source for the vitamin C. watermelon contains several hidden nutrients, but unfortunately many of us will try to avoid this nutritious fruit because of its flavour. In some areas this fruit is even used as a vegetable and they try to make a pickle or they even use it as a fried item.

When the watermelon is used in fried form, the fruit is deskinned and is cooked in olive oil and other few ingredients. Watermelon pickle is famous in southern part of US. Normally watermelon is taken in the form of juice. Irrespective of the form of watermelon, it contains all essential nutrients and is definitely a healthy food product.  This section mainly focuses on the nutritional details of the watermelon and its seeds. Both of them possess different value of nutrients stored in it. Though the seeds part contains fewer amounts of vitamins, it is rich in proteins and minerals. The following table gives the information about the nutrients available in the watermelon.

  Fiber Fat Carbohydrates Protein calories
           
Watermelon Raw(100g) 0g 0 g 8g 1g 30
           
Watermelon seeds(100g) 15g 47g 15g 28g 557
           
           

Many people even use the watermelon seeds. Some of them eat it in raw form and some of them consume it in dried form. Some may even roast these seeds before consuming. Generally these seeds are added to salad and soups; this will increase the nutritional value in the dishes. It is rich in proteins and contains essential amino acids and fiber. In addition to these nutrients it even contains essential minerals that help us to be healthy. From the above table we can observe that a raw watermelon contains 30 calories. These calories are obtained from the carbohydrates (26.7), fat (1.3) and proteins (2.0). It even contains omega 6 fatty acids of 50.0mg. It is rich in the water contains and 100g of watermelon will contain 91.5g of water content.

  Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin E Choline Folate
Watermelon Raw(100g) 569IU 8.1mg 0.1mg 4.1mg 3.0mcg
           
Watermelon seeds(100g) 0.0IU 0.0mg 0g 0.0g 58.0mcg
           
           

When coming to the point of watermelon juice, it is very much hydrating and refreshing. A simple glass of watermelon juice will contain around 93 percent of water and 8 percent of sugar. In addition it contains only 50 calories. It is a perfect store for the antioxidants that will help in killing cancer cells. It includes many essential vitamins and minerals that wil ensure great health for every one…

  Calcium Magnesium Iron Phosphorus Potassium
Watermelon raw(100g) 7.0mg 10.0mg 0.2mg 11.0mg 112mg
           
Watermelon seeds(100g) 54.0mg 515mg 7.3mg 755mg 648mg
           
           

Another important fact about watermelon is the nutrients that are present in this fruit will provide with the benefits that Viagra gives. It provides the benefits to blood vessels and increases libido. According to research it has been proved that the beta carotene, citrulline and Lysine that is available in this watermelon is providing this benefit. The citrulline that is in watermelon is converted in to arginine and boosts up the levels of nitric acid. This will help in relaxation of blood vessels. This is the same process that happens even with Viagra.

You can serve watermelon in different ways. Just wash it and cut it into slices. You can cut it in different ways depending upon its size. It is very delicious to eat and is perfect addition for fruit salads. You can even prepare watermelon juice, jam or sorbet. All these dishes are very delicious and nutritious.  Many people prefer to eat only the flesh part of watermelon but the seeds and rind part of watermelon are also edible. If you prefer eating rind then it would be better to purchase organic watermelon.

Let us see some more quick facts about watermelon:

  • Since watermelon comes under the family of vegetables, it is considered as vegetable rather than fruit.
  • It contains 92 percent of water and 8 percent of sugar
  • China is one of the largest producers of watermelon.
  • Watermelon is good for health and it is free from cholesterol and fat. In addition to this it is rich in vitamin A, C and fiber content.  It is rich in potassium.
  • You will find 1200 varieties of watermelon that are cultivated across 100 countries.
  • You cannot harvest watermelons with machines. It has to be done only by the workers.
  • It is better to avoid unripened watermelons since they can be acidic in nature.
  • The first watermelon was harvested in Egypt around 500 years ago.
  • Most of the people in United States consume watermelon and it is the country that has largest consumption.
  • The first recipe with watermelon was found in United States in the year 1176. It was watermelon rind pickle.
  • It is given as the gift for all hosts in Japan and china.
  • Watermelon sweet is prepared in Egyptian and Israel countries.
  • It gained its name into dictionary in the year 1615.

Conclusion:

Watermelons contains high levels of potassium, this will help in reduced blood pressure levels and will keep us away from the problem of kidney stones. It will improve the immune system performance and protects us from infections and diseases.  It contains high levels of carotenoids that will help in preventing cancer. It will reduce the chance of occurrence of arthritis symptoms and neutralizes free radicals thus protecting from colon cancer. By consuming watermelon you can even protect yourselves from heart attack It contains less calories and will be the best food for the people on diet. In the similar manner we can list out several health benefits that this miracle fruit offers to the humans. This is possible only with the help of vitamins and nutrients that are present in watermelon. This fruit is suggested by many nutritionists. So consume this delicious fruit every day and enjoy the benefits……

Chicken Nutrition

One of the delicious and favorite foods-Chicken

We can find only few foods that are naturally good as chicken. You can prepare several dishes with this chicken. The nutritional facts will differ according to the dish. However let us see some basic nutritional info of chicken. Chicken is excellent source for proteins, vitamins and minerals. These nutrients include niacin, iron, Zinc, Vitamin B6. B12. You can consume chicken in roasted, grilled, broiled, or poached form. To make the dish delicious and nutritious you can combine some amounts of the herbs and can make it spicy.  Chicken is the major source for the proteins and it is best alternative for red meat. This is the food product that can be found available for the complete year and in all seasons.

If you are choosing the skinless chicken then it contains very less fat content when compared with other eat products. Though the breast part contains some fat stored in it, but overall fat content will be less and it will be rich in Iron and some essential minerals and vitamins. Another important thing about the chicken is it contains the unsaturated fat and it is very much good for our health. It contains fewer calories and is free from the carbohydrates.  Chicken is considered as perfect ingredient in many people regular diet. Some people prefer taking the diet that contains fewer carbohydrates and high proteins while other prefers consuming the food that is completely free from the cholesterol and fat. When compared with many food choices, chicken contains less fat, higher proteins, minerals and iron with zero carbohydrate levels.

Before purchasing chicken, ensure that it is plump shaped and has round breast. If you are purchasing either the whole chicken or some part of the chicken, it should have piable feeling when pressed gently.  More over it should not have odd smell. Check the date of expiry before buying the chicken that is packed. Normally the skin color of the chicken will be yellow or white and the color does not matter with the nutritional benefits. The only thing that has to be considered is the skin should not have any spots and it should be opaque.  In case of purchasing the frozen chicken, ensure that it is free from ice deposits. If you find any liquid content in the package of chicken then it would be better to avoid the package. This resembles that chicken is refrozen.

Chicken is normally stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Store it properly such that the liquid content does not get leaked out of the chicken. It is very important that chicken should not be contaminated with remaining foods in refrigerator.  You can keep this raw chicken in the refrigerator for at least two days.

Health Benefits of chicken:

Chicken is considered as best source for the proteins and it will provide you with 68 percent of recommended daily value in 4 ounces of chicken. If you are a meat eater and want to have a limited amount of fat in regular diet then chicken would be the best option. The best part is the chicken breast that contains very fat. Moreover the fat that is present in the chicken contains vey less saturated fat when compared with fat in beef. It is better to avoid skin part in chicken because it may increase the fat content in food.

  • Normally older people will have lack of protein and this may result in bone problems. Protein is essential for healthy bones. You consume proteins either from plants or from animals. Both are essential for proper functioning of bones.  This chicken can compensate this protein and will provide us with the recommended daily value.
  • Chicken contains vitamins that help us to be away from the cancer. Vitamin B and niacin that are present in chicken will protect from cancer. If there is any deficiency in niacin then it may result in DNA damage. If you take around 4 ounce of chicken per day then you will gain 78 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamins.
  • It is excellent source for Selenium. It is very much essential for the human health. The minerals that are present in chicken will help in proper functioning of immune system and will protect from several types of diseases. Selenium even performs several cancer preventive activities in our body. So it is very much essential to have sufficient amount of selenium in body. By consuming 4 ounces of chicken you will receive 45 percent of recommended daily value of selenium.
  • Niacin in chicken will help to fight against Alzheimer’s diseases and aging problems.
  • In addition to Niacin, chicken also contains Vitamin B6 that helps in the process of metabolism. The B vitamins help in guiding the metabolic reaction in our body.  They will be involved in production of energy and will convert the nutrients into the energy. 4 ounce of chicken contains 78 percent of recommended daily value of Niacin and 34 percent of DV of Vitamin B6.
  • Apart from the support in the metabolism process, Vitamin B6 also plays a vital role in methylation process. The deficiency in vitamin B6 will reduce the levels of methyl groups and results in the damage of the blood vessel walls. This will lead to the cardiovascular problems.

To avoid these entire problems one must definitely consume the required amount of nutrients in their regular diet. Chicken would be essential food product that helps to have a healthy life by supplying the essential nutrients to the body.

Nutritional facts of chicken:

Chicken is the major source for niacin, selenium and proteins. In addition to this it is excellent source for phosphorous and vitamin B6. Apart from the regular nutrient profile it even contains carbohydrates, fiber, fatty acids, amino acids, sugar and many more nutrients that are essential for body. Let us see more details of nutritional facts chicken in this section.

The chicken breast without chicken contains saturated fat of only one gram. This choice would limit us in taking limited amount of the saturated fat. Chicken is completely free from the carbohydrates and if we are adding any sauces or breading then it may add on some carbohydrates to the dish. It contains higher levels of vitamins and minerals. The following table mentions the list of nutrients that are present in chicken.

  Fiber Fat Water Protein calories Cholesterol
             
Chicken heart cooked(100g) 0g 8g 64.9 26g 185 242mg
             
Chicken liver cooked(100g) 0g 7g 66.8g 24g 167 563mg
             
Chicken breast raw(100g) 0g 1g 74.8g 23g 110 58mg
             
Chicken breast cooked(100g) 0g 4g 65.3g 31g 165 85mg
             
Chicken leg skinless(100g) 0g 8g 64.7g 27g 191 94mg
             
Chicken leg with skin(100g) 0g 13g 60.9g 26g 232 92mg

Chicken also contains the omega fatty acids that are helpful for us in many ways. They help us to be healthy. It even contains the amino acids like Alanine, Cystine, glycine, Serine and many more amino acids. Basic levels of calories that will be present in chicken are 223.40 calories in 113g of chicken. In the same weight of chicken there will be 33.79g of protein, 70.81g of water and 8.82g of fat content. It is even a primary store for the essential vitamins and minerals. The table below mentions the details of vitamins that are available in chicken.

  Vitamin A Vitamin B6 Niacin Choline Folate
           
Chicken heart cooked(100g) 28.0IU 0.3mg 2.8mg 0.0 80.0mcg
           
Chicken liver cooked(100g) 13328IU 0.8,g 11.0mg 290mg 578mcg
           
Chicken breast raw(100g) 21.0IU 0.5mg 11.2mg 73.4mg 4.0mcg
           
Chicken breast cooked(100g) 21.0IU 0.6mg 13.7mg 85.3mg 4.0mcg
           
Chicken leg skinless(100g) 63.0IU 0.4mg 6.3mg 73.5mg 8.0mcg
           
Chicken leg with skin(100g) 135IU 0.3mg 6.2mg 62.6mg 7.0mcg

Chicken is excellent source for Vitamin B6 and this vitamin will help in maintaining proper metabolism in body. This vitamin is essential for the red blood cell production and the immune system will be healthy with this vitamin B6 consumption regularly. We know that chicken will help in giving around 36 percent of vitamin B6 that is required for the body. Another vital vitamin that protects us from diarrhea, mouth and tongue inflammation is vitamin B3. This vitamin helps is in maintaining proper digestive system.  You can get around 76 percent of vitamin B3 by consuming chicken.

We know that minerals are essential for proper functioning of the body. Selenium is the important mineral that works as the antioxidant and protects us from free radicals. It even strengthens body immune system and ensures healthy functioning of thyroid gland. Chicken provides you with 40 percent of daily value of selenium. Another important mineral that keeps our teeth, bones healthy is phosphorous. You will find enough amounts of these minerals in this chicken. The only thing that we have to ensure is that the chicken should not lose the essential nutrients after it gets cooked. The following table gives the details of essential minerals that are present in the chicken. We can see the nutrition details in various forms of chicken. The nutrient value will differ according to the part and type of dish.

  Calcium Iron Phosphorus Potassium Sodium
           
Chicken heart cooked(100g) 19.0mg 9.0mg 199mg 132mg 48.0mg
           
Chicken liver cooked(100g) 11.0mg 11.6mg 405mg 263mg 76.0mg
           
Chicken breast raw(100g) 11.0mg 0.7mg 196mg 255mg 65.0mg
           
Chicken breast cooked(100g) 15.0mg 1.0mg 228mg 256mg 74.0mg
           
Chicken leg skinless(100g) 12.0mg 1.3mg 183mg 242mg 91.0mg
           
Chicken leg with skin(100g) 12.0mg 1.3mg 174mg 225mg 87.0mg

Chicken is considered as healthy food that contains essential minerals as well as vitamins. It includes the unsaturated fats that will help in reducing the cholesterol levels. Chicken skins contain high fat levels and hence avoid the skin part and gain the nutritional benefits of chicken. By baking, roasting the chicken, the nutrient value will be retained and hence it helps in increasing the health benefits.  Before concluding the nutritional facts section of chicken, let us a quick look at the important nutrition facts of chicken.

  • Chicken breast contains more nutrients and 100 g of chicken breast will provide you with 33 percent of DV of vitamin B6 and 86 percent of DV of niacin.
  • Chicken skin contains fat content. At the same time it even contains Vitamin A, calcium, Phosphorous, Iron and protein.
  • Since most of the fat content in chicken is present in skin, it is better to cook off the skin before serving.
  • Roasting and broiling the chicken will help in removal of fat from the chicken and makes it healthier.
  • Chicken contains high levels of protein, selenium, Phosphorous, Niacin and Vitamin B6.
  • Chicken contains less fat when compared with other meat products and it is easily digestible.
  • It contains very less saturated fat and chicken legs and thighs contain high iron levels than breast part.

Conclusion:

The nutritional benefits of chicken should remain same before cooking and after cooking. The important thing that has to be considered is chicken stays healthy after cooking as well. For this they have to take precautionary measures. The skin of chicken contains more fat content, so it is better to remove this skin to ensure that the fat content be reduced by half. It is recommended to take roasted, baked or grilled chicken dishes rather than the fried chicken. This will help you to be healthy. Moreover, we should use either oil or butter to cook the chicken. In addition to this you can even use the olive oil or the non stick pan to make your dish nutritious and healthy. So we can conclude by saying that chicken is good for our health and it provides with the required amount of essential nutrients. It is possible only if it is taken in proper form.