Don’t miss any of these 6 seasonal fruits in autumn!

Author: Xue Qingxin, registered dietitian

Reviewer: Zhang Yu, researcher at Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Autumn is the season of harvest, and all kinds of fruits are on the market. Sweet and sour kiwis, juicy pears, juicy pomegranates...all of them are so delicious that you can't stop eating them!

So, what are the nutritional values ​​of these popular seasonal fruits? In this article, we will talk about the six most popular fruits in autumn, so that everyone can understand them.

1. Kiwi

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Kiwi is a seasonal fruit in autumn. It is sweet and sour, delicious and juicy. Especially when the kiwi is slightly soft after ripening, it tastes sweet and delicious! Among many fruits, kiwi has outstanding vitamin C and dietary fiber content.

The vitamin C content of kiwi fruit is 62 mg/100 g, which is about twice that of oranges and nearly 21 times that of apples! Especially the golden yellow flesh kiwi fruit, which has a higher vitamin C content of 161 mg/100 g. Eating 1 to 2 kiwi fruits can usually meet the vitamin C needs of the general population for the whole day.

The insoluble dietary fiber content of kiwi fruit is 2.6 grams per 100 grams, which is 1.5 times that of apples and 2.2 times that of bananas! Insoluble dietary fiber can promote gastrointestinal mechanical movement, promote the excretion of feces and prevent constipation.

In addition, kiwi fruit is not only delicious but also pleasing to the eye. It looks very beautiful whether sliced ​​horizontally or vertically, and it also has a unique flavor when used to decorate a dish.

2. Winter jujube

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The name of winter jujube makes many people think that it is a winter fruit, but it is not. Winter jujube refers to a late-maturing variety with a fruit growth period of more than 120 days. In areas north of the Huaihe River and Qinling Mountains, its fruits mature in early and mid-October. The late-maturing varieties will mature in late October, and are called "winter jujube" because of their late maturity.

Winter dates are very popular because of their crispy and sweet taste. They are rich in vitamin C, 243 mg/100 g, which is about 4 times that of kiwi fruit and nearly 81 times that of apple! Eating 3 to 4 winter dates can usually meet the daily vitamin C needs of the general population!

But it is worth noting that the calories of winter dates are slightly higher, at 113 kcal/100 g, which is higher than the calories of bananas and jackfruits. For those who need to lose weight and control their weight, you have to control your mouth and don't eat too much.

3. Grapefruit

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Pomelo is a fruit that is both satisfying and light in autumn. Its flesh is crystal clear and tastes sweet and sour, and some are slightly bitter.

The vitamin C content of pomelo, white grapefruit and red grapefruit is 23 mg/100 g, 36 mg/100 g and 38 mg/100 g respectively, which is comparable to the vitamin C content of oranges. But the valuable thing about grapefruit is that its calories are generally slightly lower than oranges, about 40 kcal/100 g. A large grapefruit weighing more than 2 jin has an edible part of about 800 grams. Even if one person eats 1/4 of a grapefruit, they will only consume about 80 kcal of calories, which is less than a small banana! This makes those who are losing weight ecstatic, after all, there is no psychological burden to eat a few more bites. In addition, red grapefruit is rich in beta-carotene and lycopene, both of which are antioxidants that are beneficial to health.

The bitterness of grapefruit mainly comes from naringin and triterpenoid lactone compounds - limonin. During the growth and metabolism of grapefruit, the bitter substances will gradually decrease. The later the grapefruit is harvested, the lighter the bitterness.

It is important to remind you that if you are taking medication, you should be careful when eating grapefruit! Because the chemical components such as furanocoumarins in grapefruit have a significant inhibitory effect on CYP3A4 of the small intestinal mucosal epithelial cells, which in turn affects the drug effect or may cause adverse reactions. For example, antihypertensive drugs, lipid-lowering drugs, immunosuppressants, and a few tumor suppressor drugs, etc., you should read the instructions carefully or consult a doctor before taking the medicine. If you really can't figure it out, just don't eat grapefruit during the period of taking the medicine!

4. Pomegranate

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Pomegranates in autumn are very thirst-quenching, especially the soft-seeded pomegranates that do not require you to spit out the seeds. The juicy taste is so addictive.

In fact, in addition to being rich in water, pomegranates also have high levels of dietary fiber and mineral potassium. The insoluble dietary fiber content is 4.9 grams per 100 grams, nearly three times that of apples, which can promote bowel movements and is beneficial to intestinal health; the potassium content is 231 milligrams per 100 grams, which is comparable to the potassium content of bananas, a fruit that is known to replenish potassium, and is helpful for controlling blood pressure.

In addition, pomegranate can also provide us with some antioxidant ingredients, including anthocyanins, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, protocatechuic acid, catechins and coumaric acid, etc., which have certain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, but don’t expect to beautify yourself or fight cancer by eating it!

5. Pear

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Pears are not only sweet and juicy, but also good for constipation because they are rich in dietary fiber and sorbitol.

The dietary fiber content of pears ranks among the highest among fruits, especially the Korla pear, which contains as much insoluble dietary fiber as 6.7 grams per 100 grams, nearly four times that of apples!

Pears also contain more sorbitol. Sorbitol is highly hydrophilic and has an osmotic effect. It can increase the water content of feces, stimulate gastrointestinal motility, and promote defecation. However, if you take about 5 grams of sorbitol at a time, you will have abdominal discomfort, and more than 10 grams will cause diarrhea. The sorbitol content of white pears, autumn pears, sand pears, Western pears, and Xinjiang pears that we usually eat is 2.6 grams/100 grams, 1.9 grams/100 grams, 2.2 grams/100 grams, 2.9 grams/100 grams, and 1.9 grams/100 grams, respectively. Therefore, a pear the size of a fist weighs 100 grams. If you don't want diarrhea, don't eat too much!

6. Grapes

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The grapes in autumn are rich in aroma, with firm flesh, crisp and juicy. Each one is sweet and refreshing.

Although grapes taste sweet, they are mainly fructose, which is relatively friendly to blood sugar. However, you still need to eat them in moderation. It is okay to eat 100 grams (about 10 grapes) as a snack, but don't eat too much.

In addition, grape skin is rich in resveratrol and proanthocyanidins, both of which are antioxidants. If you can accept the taste of grape skin, it is recommended to eat it with the skin.

In the refreshing autumn, friends who like to eat fruits should not miss the golden period of tasting delicious fruits, and make arrangements quickly!

References

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