Health Benefits of Different Fruits and Vegetables

There are numerous health benefits of different types of fruits and vegetables we consume daily. Some of the fruits and vegetables with so many nutritional and health benefits includes but not limited to the following fruits and vegetables below.

Health Benefits of Different Fruits and Vegetables

(1) Bananas

Bananas are among the world’s most popular fruits. Native to Southeast Asia, they are now grown in many warm parts of the world.

Bananas vary in color, size and shape. The most common type is the Cavendish, which is a type of dessert banana. Green when unripe, it yellows as it matures.

Bananas are a healthy source of fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and various antioxidants and phytonutrients.

Bananas Nutrition facts

The nutrition facts for 1 medium-sized banana (100 grams) are:

• Calories: 89
• Water: 75%
• Protein: 1.1 grams
• Carbs: 22.8 grams
• Sugar: 12.2 grams
• Fiber: 2.6 grams
• Fat: 0.3 grams

Health Benefits of Bananas

• Protect your heart.
• Strengthen bones.
• Control blood pressure
• Block diarrhea.

Read Also: How Guava Fruits and Leaves Improve Female Fertility

(2) Beans

Beans are seeds from the Fabaceae family, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family. They are an affordable source of protein, fiber, iron, and vitamins that offer many health benefits.

Health Benefits of Beans

• Prevent constipation.
• Help hemorrhoids.
• Lower cholesterol.
• Combat cancer.
• Stabilize blood sugar.

(3) Broccoli

Broccoli is a green vegetable that vaguely resembles a miniature tree. It belongs to the plant species known as Brassica oleracea.

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable, alongside kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, collard greens, rutabaga, and turnips.

It’s closely related to cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale and cauliflower — all edible plants collectively referred to as cruciferous vegetables.

There are three main varieties of broccoli:

• Calabrese broccoli
• Sprouting broccoli
• Purple cauliflower — despite its name a type of broccoli

Broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

Health Benefits of Broccoli

• Strengthens.
• Saves eyesight.
• Combats cancer.
• Protects your heart.
• Controls blood pressure.

Read Also: Health Benefits and Nutritional Values of Orange Fruit

(4) Cabbage

Cabbage (Botanical name: Brassica oleracea var. capitata)  is a leafy green, red, or white biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads.

It is descended from the wild cabbage, and belongs to the “cole crops” or brassicas, meaning it is closely related to broccoli and cauliflower; Brussels sprouts; and Savoy cabbage.

Health Benefits of Cabbage

• Combats cancer.
• Prevents constipation.
• Promotes weight loss.
• Protects your heart.
• Helps hemorrhoids.

(5) Carrots

The carrot (Botanical name: Daucus carota subsp. sativus) is a root vegetable, usually orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist. They are a domesticated form of the wild carrot, Daucus carota, native to Europe and Southwestern Asia.

The plant probably originated in Persia and was originally cultivated for its leaves and seeds.

Health Benefits of Carrots

• Save eyesight.
• Protect your heart.
• Prevent constipation.
• Combat cancer.
• Promote weight loss.

(6) Cauliflower

Cauliflower (Botanical name: Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) is one of several vegetables in the species Brassica oleracea in the genus Brassica, which is in the Brassicaceae family.

It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed. Typically, only the head is eaten – the edible white flesh sometimes called “curd”.

Health Benefits of Cauliflower

• Protects against Prostate Cancer.
• Combats Breast Cancer.
• Strengthens bones.
• Banishes bruises.
• Guards against heart disease.

(7) Garlic

Garlic (Botanical name: Allium sativum) is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese onion.

It is native to Central Asia and northeastern Iran and has long been a common seasoning worldwide, with a history of several thousand years of human consumption and use.

Health Benefits of Garlic

• Lowers cholesterol.
• Controls blood pressure.
• Combats cancer.
• Kills bacteria.
• Fights fungus.

Read Also: The Basics of Planting and Growing a Vegetable Garden

(8) Grapefruit

Grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi) is a tropical citrus fruit known for its sweet and somewhat sour taste. It’s rich in nutrients, antioxidants and fiber, making it one of the healthiest citrus fruits you can eat.

Research shows that it may have some powerful health benefits, including weight loss and a reduced risk of heart disease.

Health Benefits of Grapefruit

• Protects against heart attacks
• Promotes Weight loss
• Helps stops strokes
• Combats Prostate Cancer
• Lowers cholesterol

(9) Grapes

A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten fresh as table grapes or they can be used for making wine, jam, grape juice, jelly, grape seed extract, raisins, vinegar, and grape seed oil.

Health Benefits of Grapes

• Save eyesight.
• Conquer kidney stones.
• Combat cancer.
• Enhance blood flow.
• Protect your heart.

(10) Green Tea

Green tea is a type of tea that is made from Camellia sinensis leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process used to make oolong teas and black teas.

Green tea originated in China, but its production and manufacture has spread to other countries in East Asia.

Health Benefits of Green Tea

• Combats cancer.
• Protects your heart.
• Helps stops strokes.
• Promotes weight loss.
• Kills bacteria.

(11) Honey

Honey is a sweet, viscous food substance made by honey bees and some related insects.

Bees produce honey from the sugary secretions of plants or from secretions of other insects, by regurgitation, enzymatic activity, and water evaporation. Bees store honey in wax structures called honeycombs.

Health Benefits of Honey

• Heals wounds.
• Aids digestion.
• Guards against ulcers.
• Increases energy.
• Fights allergies.

Read Also: Beginners Guide to a Successful Gardening

(12) Lemons and Lime

Limes are small, round, and green, while lemons are usually larger, oval-shaped, and bright yellow. Nutritionally, they’re almost identical and share many of the same potential health benefits.

Both fruits are acidic and sour, but lemons tend to be sweeter, while limes have a more bitter flavor.

Health Benefits of Lemons and Lime

• Combat cancer.
• Protect your heart.
• Control blood pressure.
• Smoothen skin.
• Stop scurvy.

(13) Mushroom

A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source.

Health Benefits of Mushroom

• Controls blood pressure.
• Lowers cholesterol.
• Combats cancer.
• Strengthens bones.

(14) Olive Oil

Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil.

Olive oil is the most common vegetable oil. It is commonly used in cooking, for frying foods or as a salad dressing.

Health Benefits of Olive Oil

• Protects your heart.
• Promotes Weight loss.
• Combats cancer.
• Battles diabetes.
• Smoothens skin.

(15) Onions

The onion, also known as the bulb onion or common onion (Botanical name: Allium cepa) is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium.

Its close relatives include the garlic, scallion, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese onion.

Health Benefits of Onions

• Reduce risk of heart attack.
• Combat cancer.
• Kill bacteria(bactericidal).
• Lower cholesterol.
• Fight fungal infections.

(16) Oranges

Oranges are among the world’s most popular fruits. Also called sweet oranges, they grow on orange trees (Citrus x sinensis) and belong to a large group of fruits known as citrus fruits.

The orange is the fruit of various citrus species in the family Rutaceae; it primarily refers to Citrus × sinensis, which is also called sweet orange, to distinguish it from the related Citrus × aurantium, referred to as bitter orange.

Their true origin is a mystery, but the cultivation of oranges is thought to have started in eastern Asia thousands of years ago.

Health Benefits of Oranges

• Support immune systems.
• Combat cancer.
• Protect your heart.
• Straighten respiration.

Read Also: 4 Steps to help an Orange Tree Produce Sweet Oranges

(17) Pineapple

The pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a tropical plant with an edible fruit and the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuries.

Health Benefits of Pineapple

• Strengthens bones.
• Relieves colds.
• Aids digestion.
• Dissolves warts.
• Blocks diarrhea.

(18) Strawberries

The strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) originated in Europe in the 18th century. It is a hybrid of two wild strawberry species from North America and Chile. Strawberries are bright red, juicy, and sweet.

The garden strawberry is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus Fragaria, collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit.

The fruit is widely appreciated for its characteristic aroma, bright red color, juicy texture, and sweetness.

Health Benefits of Strawberries

• Combat cancer.
• Protect your heart.
• Boost memory.
• Calm stress.

(19) Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are nutritious and delicious root vegetables. The sweet potato is creamy and soft enough to be an ingredient in several pie recipes, and most people think of the vegetable as merely a dessert ingredient. However, scientists have found that sweet potatoes are among the best sources of Vitamin A.

The sweet potato or sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the bindweed or morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are a root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens.

Health Benefits of Potatoes

• Save your eyesight.
• Lift mood.
• Combat cancer.
• Strengthen bones.

(20) Tomatoes

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a fruit from the nightshade family native to South America. Despite botanically being a fruit, it’s generally eaten and prepared like a vegetable.

The tomato is the edible, often red berry of the plant Solanum lycopersicum, commonly known as a tomato plant. The species originated in western South America and Central America.

The Nahuatl word tomatl gave rise to the Spanish word tomate, from which the English word tomato derived.

Health Benefits of Tomatoes

• Protect prostate.
• Combat cancer.
• Lower cholesterol.
• Protect your heart.

(21) Walnuts

Walnuts are an exceptionally nutritious nut. They have higher antioxidant activity and significantly more healthy omega-3 fats than any other common nut.

This rich nutrient profile contributes to the many health benefits associated with walnuts, such as reduced inflammation and improved heart disease risk factors.

A walnut is the nut of any tree of the genus Juglans, particularly the Persian or English walnut, Juglans regia. A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe, and thus not a true botanical nut. It is commonly consumed as a nut.

Health Benefits of Walnuts

• Lower cholesterol.
• Combat cancer.
• Boost memory.
• Protect against cardiovascular diseases.

Read Also: 31 Healing Powers of Bitterleaf (Vernonia Amygdalina)

(22) Water

Water, a substance composed of the chemical elements hydrogen and oxygen and existing in gaseous, liquid, and solid states. It is one of the most plentiful and essential of compounds.

A tasteless and odourless liquid at room temperature, it has the important ability to dissolve many other substances.

Water is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth’s hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms. It is vital for all known forms of life, even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients.

• Quenches thirst.
• Combats cancer.
• Conquers kidney stones.

(23) Watermelon

Watermelon is a delicious and refreshing fruit that’s also good for you. It contains only 46 calories per cup but is high in vitamin C, vitamin A and many healthy plant compounds.

Watermelon is a plant species in the family Cucurbitaceae, a vine-like flowering plant originally domesticated in Africa.

It is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, having more than 1,000 varieties. Watermelon is a scrambling and trailing vine in the flowering plant family Cucurbitaceae.

Health Benefits of Watermelon

• Protects prostate.
• Promotes weight loss.
• Lowers cholesterol.
• Helps stops strokes.
• Controls blood pressure.
• Fights dehydration.

(24) Apples

An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree. Apple (Malus domestica) trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus Malus. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, Malus sieversii, is still found today.

Apples are a popular fruit, containing antioxidants, vitamins, dietary fiber, and a range of other nutrients. Due to their varied nutrient content, they may help prevent several health conditions.

Health Benefits of Apples

• Protect your heart.
• Prevent constipation.
• Prevent diarrhea.
• Improve lung capacity.
• Cushion joints.

(25) Avocados

The avocado (Persea americana), a tree likely originating from south central Mexico, is classified as a member of the flowering plant family Lauraceae.

The fruit of the plant, also called an avocado, is botanically a large berry containing a single large seed.

Health Benefits of Avocados

• Battle diabetes.
• Lower cholesterol.
• Help stops strokes.
• Control blood pressure.
• Smoothen skin.

Read Also: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to Vegetable Gardening