Best Fruits for a glowing skin

When it comes to healthy-looking skin, what you put in your body may matter more than what you put on it. You probably think about how nutrition affects your internal health and your weight, but eating the right fruit can also improve the quality of your skin.

Know the best fruits to eat, to give you that glowing skin you've always wanted! We cannot deny the fact that as we age, our skin does too. Prevention of glowing skin is not that easy. Some would even go for surgical measures, just to keep them look young and glowing.

We also know that a cup of fruit juice a day is sure to guarantee a clear complexion. How about a massage with a fruit pulp or a fruit facial? Fruit facials have been there for at least a decade now. But with people getting more wary of effect of chemicals on the skin, a majority of them are now resorting to using something from their own kitchen. What better way to pamper your skin than with pure stuff which is free of toxins and not harmful to your skin?

Besides the fact that they hydrate and rejuvenate your skin, the very smell of a fruit on your face is quite de-stressing. Unlike the chemical beauty treatments, fruits are cost-effective, natural and also bring a visible difference. Here are a few fruits and their properties, choose what suits you best!

Banana: This is one fruit that's abundantly available in India all through the year. We know it's a good source of iron, magnesium and potassium and helps reduce menstrual cramps. The effect of banana on skin too is not something that can be ignored. Bananas are rich in vitamin A, B and E and hence works as an anti-aging agent. A fresh mashed banana facial can do wonders for your skin.

Lemon: Lemon is packed with enzymes, sugar, and fruit acids that aid to eliminate dead cells from the skin. It also helps in maintaining proper blood circulation which is essential in obtaining healthy glowing skin. It also contains powerful antioxidants to fight free radicals.

Fresh lemons can be used for whitening dark elbows and underarms. Simply cut the fruit and scrub it onto dark areas of your skin. Regular application of this fruit lightens the skin color. Lemon works as a superb natural bleaching agent and a great exfoliate for the skin. Using lemon on your face is the quickest and great way to natural glow. Applying a mixture of mashed apple, honey, rose water and oatmeal can act as a great exfoliating mask on your skin.

Apple: are a good source of the soluble fiber pectin, a starch essential to drive away acne. By eating apple daily, skin wrinkles can be controlled. This fruit works as an excellent natural facial cleanser too. Natural acid of this fruit helps remove excess oil from the skin and prevents acne, whiteheads, and blackheads.

Applying the mix of apple juice, milk, and honey on your face will give you a soft and supple skin with natural glow.

Orange: Rich in vitamin C that improves skin texture. Like apple, orange too contains collagen that slows skin aging process. Rub the insides of orange on your skin to tighten the skin. Oranges can be dried and powdered and used as a natural scrub. Like lemon, oranges too help clear skin blemishes.

Papaya: The benefits of this fruit on skin have perhaps been talked about since the time of our ancestors. Papaya is rich in antioxidants and contain a special enzyme called papain that can kill dead cells and cure skin impurities. A glass of papaya milk or just applying the flesh of papaya on your skin can do wonders to your skin.

Pomegranate is rich in ingredients that enhance the beauty and life of skin. This red fruit is loaded with antioxidants that considerably slow down the process of aging. In addition, pomegranate is also rich in compounds called phytoestrogens that resemble the estrogen hormone's ability to activate estrogen receptors in the body. Estrogen plays an important role in stimulating fibroblasts that help to make collagen and hylauronic acid to make the skin firm.

Studies have shown that applying pomegranate seed extract to the skin may reduce the formation of some forms of skin cancer. It can also be used for treatment of acne.

Mango: Rightly called the king of fruits for not just its taste but also for health benefits. The soft pulpy fruit has an amazing effect on skin too. Rich in vitamin-A and rich antioxidants, it fights against skin aging, regenerates skin cells and restores the elasticity of skin.

Health Benefits of Bananas

Bananas are loved by children and adults alike. What’s not to like about a fruit that comes gift-wrapped and is packed with nutrients that lead to good health and fat loss?

Bananas have a lot of health benefits, but we are aware of only very few. Shall we take a look at the health benefits of banana? These benefits include bowel regulation, reduce stress, heart diseases, depression, menstrual pains, anemia, increase in brain power. Know more health benefits of banana here...

Reducing Depression: Tryptophan acids are present in bananas and these help in reducing depression and thereby improve your mood. Studies show that bananas are also helpful in reducing stress levels. In this age of stress, this health benefit of banana is truly great.

Anemia: Bananas are not only rich in potassium but also rich in iron; therefore, eating a banana increases iron and thereby high hemoglobin. When hemoglobin content is increased, naturally anemic conditions decreases. Forgot those pills for anemia and take a banana. Wow…yet another amazing health benefit of banana.

Constipation and Diarrhea: Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. In addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas). They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract.

Eyesight Protection: Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has proven that adults consuming at least 3 servings of fruit per day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

Healthy Bones: Banana contains fructooligosaccharide (FOS).It greatly helps in calcium absorption and promotes bone health.

Healthy Kidney: Bananas protects kidney health as it contains high amounts of antioxidant phenolic compounds.

Blood Pressure: Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673mg), yet very low in sodium (1mg), thus having a perfect ratio for preventing high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. They contain vitamins B6 and B12 they contain, as well as potassium and magnesium: these substances help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Ulcers: This is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicle cases. It also helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation. Bananas stimulate the cells on the internal stomach lining to produce a thicker mucus.

Stroke Risk: According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40% .

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that have been shows to improve nerve function

Mosquito Bites: For allergies and infection caused by mosquito bite,banana's skin is a good natural medicine.

Stress Relief: Bananas are high in potassium, which helps normalize the hearthbeat and regulate the body’s water balance. During periods of high stress, our body’s potassium levels tend to be rapidly depleted: eating bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without using drugs

Health benefits of watermelon

It is the season of watermelons. They are best during the summer as they will be soft, sweet and juicy.

That triangular wedge of bright red/white/green, sweet juiciness forbids us to take life too seriously and shouts, “SUMMER!!!” As if that weren’t enough, watermelon is packed full of nutrition, hydrates and is low-fat. While many of us think of watermelon as a great snack option, when you tally up its nutritive value, you might consider making this all-star a feature player in your cuisine.

Juicy watermelons are indeed packed with some of the best antioxidants in nature, Watermelons are an excellent source of several vitamins: vitamin A, which helps maintain eye health and is an antioxidant; vitamin C, which helps strengthen immunity, heal wounds, prevent cell damage, promote healthy teeth and gums; and vitamin B6, which helps brain function and helps convert protein to energy.

It is an ideal health drink because it is 92 per cent water, and does not contain any fat or cholesterol. It also fills you up fast because of its water content. So have it along with your barbeque or grills as watermelons will prevent you from overeating.

Given below are some health benefits of water melon:
- Kidney Disorders
- High Blood Pressure
- Prevent Heat Stroke
- Diabetes
- Heart Care
- Macular Degeneration
- Impotence

Choosing the right Watermelon
Always choose one that is symmetrical and firm without any cuts and bruises. Turn it over and you will see a yellow colour on one side. The yellow area is a good sign as it shows that the watermelon was rested on the ground while ripening under the sun. It is also an indication that your melon is sweeter and juicer. Slap your melon and if it sounds hollow, then it is ripe.

Are you hesitant to buy watermelon frequently because of its size which will occupy a lot of space in the refrigerator? But now plenty of micromelons are available in the market which will easily fit into any small space. So, next time you hit a fruit shop, don't forget to shop for a watermelon.