Grapes are a go-to snack for picnics and lunchboxes which should not be taken for granted. For thousands of years, they’ve been used in some cultures as a medicine. Each of these small fruits is loaded with over 1,600 compounds – and many of them can help keep you healthy.

It protects heart
Grapes are a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps balance fluids in your body. Potassium can help bring down high blood pressure and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Most people don’t get enough of this nutrient, so eating grapes can help fill the gap.

For healthy skin and hair
Grape seeds are rich in vitamin E, which helps your skin stay smooth and hydrated. Other compounds in grapes may help prevent acne and increase blood flow to your scalp for healthier hair

Promotes weight loss
You wouldn’t think a fruit this sweet could help you drop some unwanted pounds, but grapes may do just that. A natural compound they contain appears to make it harder for your cells to store fat. It may also help fat cells in your body break up at a faster rate. Just be careful not to eat too many. One serving is ½ cup or about 16 grapes.

It protects the eye
Natural chemicals in grapes ease inflammation in your body and help protect your cells from damage. That’s good news for your eyes. Studies show that a diet that includes grapes can prevent or delay common eye diseases like cataracts and glaucoma.

Serves as an immune booster
A compound in grapes called resveratrol can help shore up the immune system – your body’s defense against germs. More research needs to be done to find out exactly how it may help, but one day, you might see resveratrol in products to help heal wounds or prevent bacterial infections.

Good for Your Brain
Resveratrol in grapes slows the breakdown of cells that naturally happens as you age. This may prevent harmful plaques from forming in your brain and slowing down how well it works.

Constipation Relief
The high water content in grapes can help your digestive system run more smoothly. Grapes are also full of insoluble fiber, which can lead to softer stools.

Promotes better sleep.
Grape skins are high in melatonin, a chemical that may improve your sleep. Studies show melatonin eases jet lag and insomnia and may help steady your mood.

Keep Blood Sugar Low
Grapes have a “low glycemic index,” which means they don’t raise your blood sugar too quickly. Because of that, they’re a good fruit choice if you have diabetes. The polyphenols in purple grapes – the compounds that give them their color – may also help prevent type 2 diabetes.

It helps fighting cancer in the system.
Research shows antioxidants in grapes may prevent or delay the growth of cancer cells. Some cancers that they may protect you from include mouth, lung, throat, pancreas, prostate, and colon.

Moringa is a plant that has been praised for its health benefits for thousands of years. It is very rich in healthy antioxidants and bioactive plant compounds.

Moringa is believed to have many benefits and its uses range from health and beauty to helping prevent and cure diseases. The benefits of moringa include:

Protecting and nourishing skin and hair
Moringa seed oil is beneficial for protecting hair against free radicals and keeps it clean and healthy. Moringa also contains protein, which means it is helpful in protecting skin cells from damage. It also contains hydrating and detoxifying elements, which also boost the skin and hair.

It can be successful in curing skin infections and sores.
Treating edema
Edema is a painful condition where fluid builds up in specific tissues in the body. The anti-inflammatory properties of moringa may be effective in preventing edema from developing.

Protecting the liver
Moringa appears to protect the liver against damage caused by anti-tubercular drugs and can quicken its repair process.

Preventing and treating cancer
Moringa extracts contain properties that might help prevent cancer from developing. It also contains niazimicin, which is a compound that suppresses the development of cancer cells.

Treating stomach complaints
Moringa extracts might help treat some stomach disorders, such as constipation, gastritis, and ulcerative colitis. The antibiotic and antibacterial properties of moringa may help inhibit the growth of various pathogens, and its high vitamin B content helps with digestion.

Fighting against bacterial diseases
Due to its antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties, moringa extracts might combat infections caused by Salmonella, Rhizopus, and E. coli.

Making bones healthier
Moringa also contains calcium and phosphorous, which help keep bones healthy and strong. Along with its anti-inflammatory properties moringa extract might help to treat conditions such as arthritis and may also heal damaged bones.

Treating mood disorders
Moringa is thought to be helpful in treating depression, anxiety, and fatigue.

Protecting the cardiovascular system
The powerful antioxidants found in Moringa extract might help prevent cardiac damage and have also been shown to maintain a healthy heart.

Helping wounds to heal
Extract of moringa has been shown to help wounds close as well as reduce the appearance of scars.

Treating diabetes
Moringa helps to reduce the amount of glucose in the blood, as well as sugar and protein in the urine. This improved the hemoglobin levels and overall protein content in those tested.

Treating asthma
Moringa may help reduce the severity of some asthma attacks and protect against bronchial constrictions. It has also been shown to assist with better lung function and breathing overall.

Protecting against kidney disorders
People may be less likely to develop stones in the kidneys, bladder, or uterus if they ingest moringa extract. Moringa contains high levels of antioxidants that might aid toxicity levels in the kidneys.

Reducing high blood pressure
Moringa contains isothiocyanate and niaziminin, compounds that help to stop arteries from thickening, which can cause blood pressure to rise.

Improving eye health
Moringa contains eyesight-improving properties thanks to its high antioxidant levels. Moringa may stop the dilation of retinal vessels, prevent the thickening of capillary membranes, and inhibit retinal dysfunction.

Treating anemia and sickle cell disease
Moringa might help a person’s body absorb more iron, therefore increasing their red blood cell count. It is thought the plant extract is very helpful in treating and preventing anemia and sickle cell disease

Pregnant women are fragile and they need not engage in certain foods which harbor bacteria or chemicals that could disturb their health condition as well as the babies. Remember that there are some items that should be taken off the menu.

For the time being, pregnant women should avoid these foods until delivery.

Unpasteurized juice
Unpasteurized cheese
Raw seafood
Rare meat
Hot dogs and deli meats
Raw eggs
High-mercury fish like swordfish, king mackerel, orange roughy, bigeye tuna, and tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico
Raw sprouts
Alcohol

It’s normal to worry that your pregnancy diet is not quite hitting the mark. But sticking with good-for-you foods — especially ones rich in key nutrients like folate, protein, iron, calcium, vitamin D, DHA, and iodine — and limiting empty-calorie snacks will help you and your baby get the nourishment you both need.

And if at any point during your pregnancy you’re concerned that you’re not getting enough of certain vitamins or minerals, talk with your practitioner. Together, you can determine where you might be falling short and how to fill the gaps.

Not only do apples taste delicious on their own or when added to dishes but they come loaded with health benefits. “Apples have been linked to numerous health benefits, including improved gut health and reduced risk of stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and some cancers

Apples may Lower High Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
“Studies have linked apple consumption with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, which may be related to the cholesterol-lowering benefits of the soluble fiber found in apples,” says Anzlovar.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gellike material, according to the Mayo Clinic. According to the University of Illinois, soluble fiber helps prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls, therefore lowering the incidence of atherosclerosis (restricted blood flow in the arteries due to plaque buildup) and heart disease. It can also help lower blood pressure levels. A study found that a higher intake of soluble fiber was associated with a decreased cardiovascular disease risk.

Research shows that eating apples (or pears) regularly was associated with a 52 percent lower stroke risk. Furthermore, a study published in February 2020 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating two apples a day helped study participants lower both their LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Eating Foods with Fiber, Including Apples, Can Aid Digestion
You’ve likely heard that fiber is good for digestion — and what you’ve heard is true! According to Harvard Health Publishing, both types of fiber (soluble and insoluble, which means it can’t be absorbed in water) are important for digestion. And you’re in luck — apples have both types, according to the University of Illinois.

Soluble fiber helps slow down digestion, allowing you to feel full, and also slows the digestion of glucose, which helps control your blood sugar. Meanwhile, insoluble fiber can help move food through your system and aid with constipation and regularity, per Harvard.

Just be sure to eat the apple skin, which contains much of the apple’s insoluble fiber, according to the University of Illinois.

Apples can boost Immune System
Who doesn’t want a stronger immune system going into autumn? Apples might be an important tool in your immune-supporting tool kit.

According to research in animals, a diet filled with soluble fiber helped convert immune cells that were pro-inflammatory into anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting ones. Another animal study, published in May 2018 in the journal Immunity, found that a diet high in dietary fiber protected mice against the flu. Whether those effects would be seen in humans is unclear until there are more studies.

Still, there’s reason to believe that apples may bolster immunity, in part because they contain immune-boosting vitamin C. A review published in November 2017 in the journal Nutrients found that vitamin C plays many roles in helping the immune system function, such as by strengthening the epithelial (a type of tissue) barrier against pathogens and guarding against environmental oxidative stress, such as pollution to radiation, according to research.

Apples are a Diabetes-Friendly Fruit
If you have type 2 diabetes, consider adding apples to your diet. Sure, they’re a fruit, but it’s a common misconception that people with diabetes can’t eat fruit.

In this case, apples’ soluble fiber can help slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream and may improve blood sugar levels, the Mayo Clinic notes. Plus, per Mayo, a healthy diet that includes insoluble fiber can lower your odds of developing type 2 diabetes in the first place.

Furthermore, a study of people with type 2 diabetes published in August 2016 in Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine found that regularly consuming soluble fiber helped reduce insulin resistance and improved blood sugar and triglyceride levels.

The Antioxidants in Apples may play a role in cancer prevention
While there’s no one surefire way to prevent cancer, apples could help play a role. “Apples may reduce the risk of certain cancers, which researchers speculate is related to the antioxidants found in apples,” says Anzlovar. Research suggests that apples have a very high level of antioxidants, and in laboratory studies, these antioxidants have been shown to limit cancer cell growth.

A review published in October 2016 in Public Health Nutrition found that eating apples regularly is associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, including colorectal, oral cavity, esophageal, and breast cancers.

The fiber in apples may provide cancer-preventing perks. A study published in March 2016 in the journal Pediatrics found that women who ate more high-fiber foods during adolescence and young adulthood (especially lots of fruits and vegetables) had a lower breast cancer risk later in life.

And another study, published in January 2019 in the journal The Lancet, found that a diet high in dietary fiber could protect against colorectal cancer and breast cancer, as well as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Eating Apples can support healthy weight loss
A diet rich in fruit (and vegetables) can help you maintain a healthy weight — or shed pounds — according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Because apples are filled with dietary fiber, they are high on this list. “Fiber slows digestion and the rise of blood sugar, keeping you satiated and less likely to overeat,” says Levinson.

According to that study in The Lancet, people who ate the most fiber had a significantly lower body weight. Research shows that overweight women who ate three apples a day lost 1.22 kg (2.7 pounds) after 12 weeks.

Apples may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease
Time to start eating more apples and other flavonoid-rich foods like berries and tea. Research published in August 2020 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that adults age 50 and older who included only a small amount of flavonoid-rich foods like berries, apples, and tea in their diet were a whopping 2 to 4 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and related types of dementia over 20 years compared with people who ate more flavonoid-rich foods.

On top of that, a review published in January 2020 in the journal Biomolecules found that quercetin, a flavonoid found in apples, protects neurons from oxidative damage and contains other anti-Alzheimer’s disease properties, too. But, the researchers say, more research needs to be done outside of a laboratory setting