maptohealth:

Fruits: A Real Fountain of Youth

1.      Vitamin C:  fights cancer and fine lines

How it works: C is linked with a lower risk for lung and other cancers: The vitamin may protect against cell-harming free radicals and helps produce skin-firming collagen to keep your face looking full.

What to pick: Cantaloupes, kiwifruit, oranges, papayas, pineapples, strawberries

 

2.      Potassium: safeguards your heart

How it works: Sodium is a known blood pressure booster; potassium helps counter it, in part by encouraging kidneys to flush more sodium out of your system.

What to pick: Bananas, honeydew melons, mangoes, oranges, papayas, peaches, plantains

 

3.      Fiber and water: helps you to stop weight gain

How it works: Both fiber and water keep you fuller for longer, so you’re less likely to cave in to cravings, and that helps you manage your weight, which is fundamental to healthy aging. Excess pounds up your risk for diabetes and other chronic conditions.

What to pick: Apples, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, oranges, pears, strawberries

 

 

4.      Anthocyanins: keeps you fit longer

How it works: Athletes who drank juice with these anti-inflammatories on days before and after exercise had less muscle fatigue and pain than placebo takers in one university study. Happy muscles today make for more sweat sessions in the future—key to a prolonged life.

What to pick: Blueberries, cherries, pomegranates

 

Polyphenols: maintains a sharp mind

How it works: These organic chemicals may improve brain and motor function, by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress that cause our cognitive abilities to decline as we age.

What to pick: Apples, blueberries, Concord grapes, plums, raspberries, strawberries