Nutritional Facts

1. Raspberries: Ain’t no rasping about it

Edgar Watson Howe (May 3, 1853 - October 3, 1937; American novelist and newspaper/magazine editor) was right regarding his realizations on raspberries -“There is something in the red of a raspberry pie that looks as good to a man as the red in a sheep looks to a wolf.” There is a wolf (though the tamed variety) in every human; no wonder raspberries fit in seamlessly in our diet plans.

Quick facts i. The raspberry is not a particular fruit but a generic term for the fruits available from the plants in the genus Rubus (sub-genus: Idaeobatus). ii.The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of Raspberries is nearly 4900 per 100 grams, which is more than that of apples (2800 per 100 grams).

Maybe you’ve had heard about the nutritional benefits of raspberries from the next-door health freak and now you want to double-check on the facts. So here we go on the five primary points:

i. Raspberries are very low in saturated fats, cholesterol (LDL or low density lipoprotein), sodium (1 mg. / 100 grams); protein (1 gram/100 grams) and fat (1 gram/100 grams).

ii. Every hundred grams of raspberries (raw) has 52 calories.

iii. Raspberries comprise high levels of Vitamin K (a fat-soluble vitamin aiding clotting of blood), Vitamin C (30 mg in 250 ml i.e. 50% of daily requirement), B

vitamins (1-3); Manganese (60% of daily requirement), Magnesium, Copper and Iron.

iv. There is dietary fiber aplenty (20% fiber/total weight or 30% of daily requirement) in raspberries as well as sugars (12grams of carbohydrates for every hundred gram); the latter makes it a source of energies, especially beneficial during and prior to physical activities. However, raspberries are rather low in the daily requirements for iron (4%), Calcium (2%), vitamin A (1%), protein, 1 gram of fat.

Raspberry: Nutritional facts at a glance Total Fat - 1 gm Sodium - 1 mg Total Carbohydrates - 12 gm Dietary Fiber - 7 gm Sugars - 4 gm Protein - 1 gm Vitamin A - 33 IU Vitamin C - 26.2 mg Vitamin E - 0.87 mg Vitamin K - 7.8 mcg Thiamin - 0.032 mg Riboflavin - 0.038 mg Niacin - 0.598 mg Vitamin B6 - 0.055 mg Folate - 21 mcg Pantothenic Acid - 0.329 mcg Calcium - 25 mg Iron - 0.69 mg Magnesium - 22 mg Phosphorus - 29 mg Potassium - 151 mg Sodium - 1 mg Zinc - 0.42 mg Copper - 0.09 mg Manganese - 0.67 mg Selenium - 0.2 mcg

v. Raspberries comprise a high concentration of Polyphenol antioxidants (e.g. anthocyanin pigments; in yellow raspberries); Ellagic acid, Quercetin, Gallic acid, Cyanidins, Pelargonidins, Catechins, Kaempferol and Salicylic acid.

All that makes raspberries capable of fighting and curing disorders like:

i. Inflammations and joint pains.

ii. Various types of carcinomas and other malignant growths.

iii. Cardiovascular diseases and Diabetes.

iv. Several types of allergies.

v. Declines in cognitive responses.

vi. Degeneration of ocular nerves and the overall ocular organs occurring from aging.

So that was about the fruit; now, let’s head the other parts. It is astonishing that the same benefits can be derived from the raspberry leaves; when brewed for making medicinal and herbal teas, apart from the delicious taste, they help in balancing the hormonal balances of the body; especially in women and many do admit raspberries being effective in putting in right order menstrual cycles gone berserk. No wonder the scientists at the Plant Research International (Wageningen, the Netherlands) remarked:

"Raspberry represents a diverse source of potentially healthy antioxidants and as such can provide a useful component to our daily diet."

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2. Probing into papaya

“You can debate which fruit is the number one in nutrition, depending upon a variety of factors, but for people who know the nutritional make-up of fruit, certainly the papaya would be in the top three of almost everyone's list.” - Levy de Barros (President, CEO; HLB Tropical Fruit USA Inc, FL)

This tropical plant, the papaya, though resembles a tree, is in fact, a herb that has outgrown the normal dimensions and chiefly hails from Mexico, though found in a few more places in and around Central America. A digestive per se, papayas comprise papain – an agent that helps breaking down of proteins. Besides, it also cleanses the entire digestive track, which results in a slow-buildup of fats and is; therefore, a great food for those willing to lose weight. If a person is in the habit of cheating him/herself out of a diet plan, papayas are the way to go.

However, things with papaya stretch far beyond that; besides being rich in Pteroylmonoglutamic acid (a B vitamin that is essential for cell growth and reproduction), it also comprises high levels of vitamin C and potassium (exceeding other citrus fruits by as much as 33% and 50%), which are essential for a strong immune system and to maintain a healthy cardiac rhythm respectively. For the fiber-freaks, the good news is papaya is a good source for the same, as well as for vitamin A, E and carotenoids (or phytochemicals; the highly unsaturated yellow to red pigments occurring in plants and animals) like lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene, the natural anti-oxidants that prove great agents to fight anything from cancers to the most common infections. No wonder the papaya is praised since the ancient times.

Papaya, not being a fruit that may prove allergenic, is strongly recommended for people undergoing disorders like:

• Inflammations: Papain comes to rescue once more in disease like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, osteo-arthritis and asthma.

• Colon Cancer: Being rich in fibers, papaya binds to several toxins that aggravate cancers, especially of the colon, aiding the body to rid of them through bowel movements.

• Constipation & Chronic diarrhea: Being a natural laxative, Papaya cures constipation, thus eliminating the chances for bleeding piles.

• Pulmonary Emphysema: This is an abnormal condition of the lungs, marked by decreased respiratory functions and is a result of excessive smoking, if chronic bronchitis or old age doesn’t stand as the other causes. The high vitamin A content does the trick.

• Cardiovascular Diseases: Papaya, being high in anti-oxidants, prevents cholesterol from being oxidized, thus minimizing the chances of an attack or strokes.

• Intestinal Disorders: Again, it’s the papain that aids in countering deficient gastric juices, removing unhealthy inter-stomach mucus, fights dyspepsia and other related intestinal irritation.

• Irregular Menstrual cycles: Unripe papaya juice makes the womb’s muscle fibers contract and helps to set right the menstrual flow, especially in cases of menstrual cessation due to extreme cold or any sort of trauma.

• Skin Disorders: An absolute medication for acne and psoriasis, papaya juice is also very much beneficial when it comes to preventing pus formation and trauma-induced swelling. Besides, no beauty cream gets rid of brown spots, patchiness and roughness the way papaya juice does.

• Spleen Enlargement: Papaya helps the spleen to heal; more so, when ripe and immersed in vinegar weeklong.

• Throat Disorders: Unripe papaya juice with honey soothes inflamed tonsils; is a great medication for diphtheria since the infected membranes get dissolved and stop infection from spreading further.