As regards natural health remedies, the key one that many/most will be aware of is the expression that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” – so how much truth is there in that and how what are apples’ health benefits? Well, of course the first thing to say is that by eating an apple a day, that would seem most unlikely to prevent illness in all regards, however, it can perhaps to some extent be of benefit. One thing that can be initially expressed is that actually apples may not have a large amount of vitamin C relative to other fruits, however, having said that they do have a large amount of other antioxidant compounds that could contribute to health. Another thing that those who eat apples may be aware of is that due to their fiber content, this can aid with bowel regulation and additionally it has been reported that this can avert the risk of colon cancer – again not a “cure-all”. Another facet of apples is that they are quite bulky in relation to the amount of calories that they can provide.

It has been reported that apple juice can increase the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine for mice which has been reported to give leverage for preventing the decline in cognitive ability with aging as well as dietary and genetic deficiencies. It has also been reported that the apple seeds are slightly toxic in that they contain amygdalin which is a cyanogenic glycoside – however, conversely, some have said that this is actually a good thing and that this is dangerous to cancer and would not be an issue in terms of regular health, so there are therefore opposing views on that topic.

Continuing with the topic of “apples’ health benefits”, if you live in countries such as England then apples will be seasonally available and instead of buying them from local supermarkets, you could also try and buy them direct from local orchards in your area. There are various different brands of apples available which will also have varying levels of nutritional capacity.

(ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple)

A very popular and well known fruit, the avocado can also provide useful nutrition to one’s diet. For instance, regarding avocados’ health benefits, they are said to have over 60% greater potassium than bananas, which is of course well know for its potassium levels. Furthermore, they also have a high degree of fiber compared to other fruits with 75% insoluble and 25% soluble. It was reported in a study that a high avocado intake was able to reduce cholesterol levels. Moreover, at the end of seven days of eating a diet high in avocados, those with mild hypercholesterolemia had a 17% reduction of total serum cholesterol. Additionally, they had a 22% lowering of LDL and triglyceride levels. In addition, they had 11% more HDL.

In terms of the calories, for 100g, this can provide 160 kcal. It should be noted that 75% of the calories of avocados are said to come from fat with most of that that being monounsaturated. Additionally avocados have 6.7g of dietary fiber and 2g of protein. Moreover, in terms of their vitamin levels, they can provide 28% of vitamin B5 at 1.389 mg, 20% of both vitamin B6 and B9 as well as additional amounts of vitamin B1, B2 and B3. In terms of other minerals, they have amounts of magnesium at 29 mg (8%) and phosphorus at 52 mg (7%), They additionally provide zinc and iron.

So, in many ways, avocados can be seen as being a powerhouse for nutrition – however, it should be noted that there have been reports of people not having such good health if they eat too many avocados – however, other than for example raw vegans who might consume them in greater bulk to try and use them for their calorie intake, that might not be such an issue if you eat them in moderation. As to the ways that they are eaten, although they could be cooked, they will typically be eaten raw and in salads etc..

Of note perhaps in relation to avocados’ health benefits is that due to their high fat level, if one is thinking about food combinations, that could be an issue when trying to put together a dish in which to eat them. One quite famous recipe to many will be guacamole, where it is used as a base. It may also be of interest to note that some uses of avocado in cooking can include making it into a juice or using it in a drink. One thing to bear in mind when eating avocados is to time their ripening as to when you would like to eat them – for instance if you buy them from a smaller organic food shop. However, if you are buying them from a supermarket, then they may be much closer or already in a state of ripeness to eat – as with many food prices these days, they do seem to have increased and one advantage as stated will be their higher calorie content relative to the amount of fruit eaten.

(reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado)