I had looked into carbs, fats and proteins and was curious where vitamins and minerals came into play. I thought I should have learned about them by now since I had covered all the important food groups. I had heard that vegetables were high in nutrients but when I started reseaching fruits, I quickly learned they were the answers to a huge chunk of my questions.
Turns out they are packed with vitamins and minerals like iron, potassium, vitamins a and c. each of which provide different benefits to the body. These benefits include supporting healthy skin, oxygen transportation in the blood, regulating blood sugar levels and so much more. After learning this, I realized that my first major mistake was assuming that fats, carbs and proteins were the only important foods! Fruits are just as important. The way it came off to me. It was like carbs and fats are for energy, proteins are for tissue repairs and fruits can preety much do everything else. haha. (It makes me more curious to find out what vegetables are about… sounds like all the roles are filled!.. Will let you know what I find in another post)
But the truth is, because they are packed with different nutrients, different types of fruits cater to different aspects of the body’s well-being; protecting it from sickness and diseases while making it look good.
The picture below shows some vitamins & minerals along with their benefits while the table right under shows some fruits and the nutrients they contain. I have chosen not to overwhelm myself with the technical detail. I was able to get some very helpful information and it was great to have a better understanding on how fruits can differ; but the most important thing to me was learning that my body needs fruits to be totally healthy and that It is still important to be mindful of the calories as some have more than others.
As usual, don’t try to change everything. Make slow changes that you can afford and grow from there. Understanding the benefits will make it easier to make better choices as you grow in your journey. Remember, lifestyle change, not crash diet! Have a great weekend!
