by Angelia
Fruits can be divided into the fresh and preserved varieties. Fresh fruits such as grapes, apples, haws, peaches, pineapples and bananas are usually consume in raw, whereas preserved fruits are prepared from the fresh fruits including candied dates, dried persimmons and raisins.
The important nutritive components of fresh fruits are the vitamins (mainly vitamin C) and inorganic salts. Fruits with high content of vitamin C are such as lemon, haws, tangerines, wild jujubes and etc, whereas red and yellow fruits like oranges, apricots contain more carotene and inorganic salts, including calcium, iron and phosphorus.
Mineral and inorganic salts are very important to support the functions of our body. Minerals such as iron and copper in fruits are useful for production of hemoglobin in anemic patients, whereas high content of potassium and low content of sodium in fruits can produce a diuretic effect. Besides, some organic acids such as citric acid can help to stimulate the secretion of gastric acid and improve digestion.
Fruits also have remarkable therapeutic effects. For example, haws can dilate blood vessels, lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol level, improve the heart function, inhibit and kill bacteria and improve the digestion. According to studies, haws contain many flavones glycosides and complicated polyflavanoids which can dilate coronary arteries and produce a sedative effect. It has also been proven that haws can increase secretion of amylase and lipase in the stomach and promote digestion.
Apple is a common but very useful fruit that can both stop diarrhea and promote bowel movement. Mild diarrhea (except bacillary dysentery) can be stopped by taking the apple paste alone. The organic acids and tannic acid in apples can produce an astringent effect and the pectin and cellulose in apples can absorb bacterial toxin to stop diarrhea, but the organic acids and cellulose can stimulate intestine and promote the motility of the stomach and intestines to treat constipation.
The abundant minerals in bananas are useful for correcting the disturbance of water and electrolyte metabolism. The serotonin in bananas can reduce gastric acid and protect gastric mucosa from the stimulation of gastric acid. However, the overeating of bananas may cause dysfunction of the digestive system.
Pears contain vitamin C, sugar, calcium, phosphorus and sodium and they can be used with the correspondent specific medicines to treat pulmonary tuberculosis, acute or chronic bronchitis and upper respiratory infection with dryness and pain in throat, expectoration of profuse yellow sticky sputum and discharge of dark urine in short streams.
Ripe fruits contain more digestible sugar, like glucose, and are beneficial for the liver. Patients with liver diseases should eat more sweet fruits. Sour fruits, like plum, apricots, oranges and tangerines can cause spasms in the biliary tract, so patients with diseases of the liver or gallbladder should avoid eating sour fruits.