Fun and Nutricious Fruity Facts

This month we are dedicating our blog to all things fruity! We all know that fruit is packed with essential vitamins and minerals to help us keep fit and healthy, but check out some of the fun fruity facts we unearthed below:

Kiwi Fruit
For a small fruit Kiwis pack a large punch! They are full of cancer fighting Beta-Carotene, contain twice as much Vitamin C as an orange (around 154% of our recommended daily intake to be precise) and as much potassium as a banana! They actually originate from China and not New Zealand and are said to promote respiratory health, ease wheezing as well as night coughing.

Apples
Forget your Granny Smiths and Braeburns, unbelieveably, there are more than 7500 varieties of apples grown in the world, 2500 of which are grown in the USA and we have been eating these little lovelies since 6500 B.C. Apples are actually a member of the rose family, are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free and a medium sized apple is only 80 calories. Apples also contain an antioxidant that fights lung cancer.

Bananas
The banana is the most popular fruit in the USA (its the humble apple in the UK) and there are over 100 varieties; some of which even have red skin! Bananas are grown on a “tree”,although it is not really a tree, but a giant herb. The banana is the fruit of this herb and the plant is from the same family as the lily and orchid. A cluster of bananas is called a hand and the 10 – 20 bananas on the hand are called fingers! Bananas are famously rich in potassium which makes them a terrific heart-healthy food and can help reduce the risk of hypertension, strokes and high blood pressure.

Pumpkins
Yes – pumpkins are actually a fruit and not a vegetable and share the same family as cucumbers and squash. They are by far the largest fruit with some weighing over 1,000 pounds. They are 90% water and contain potassium and Vitamin A. Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of vitamin E which research has shown can help reduce the stickiness of blood and therefore lower the likelihood of blood clots forming.

Peaches
Peaches are also known as Persian Apples and although they were orignally grown in China they were developed in Persia and went from there to Europe. The ancient Chinese considered peach a symbol of longevity and immortality. The peach has fewer than 70 calories and is also a good source of vitamins A and C. Like the plum and the apricot, the peach is a member of the rose family (Rosaceae), distinguished by its velvety skin. It is classified as a drupe, a fruit with a hard stone.

Watermelons
A watermelon is a fruit that belongs to the melon family, but also a vegetable that is part of the cucumber, pumpkin and squash fmily. It is thought to have originated from the Kalahari Desert of Africa and is made up of 92% water and 8% sugar. Watermelons are a healthy fruit as they do not contain any fat or cholesterol and are high in fiber content as well as contaiting vitamins A and C. Not only does it quench your thirst, it can also quench inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis.

I hope you have enjoyed our fruity facts. If you know of any interesting fruit facts, then please get in touch.

Kelly
www.glo-wellbeing.co.uk