Naranjilla is a fruit that is native to South America. It comes from a tree that is cultivated for ornamental reasons because of its beautiful heart-shaped leaves. While the said fruit may be eaten as such, it is commonly turned into juice or smoothie. Due to its tart taste, it is also usually used for flavoring all sorts of desserts and beverages.
By the way, naranjilla means “little orange” in Spanish. In some parts of the planet such as Colombia, it is known as “lulo”. No matter what it’s called, one thing remains true: naranjilla is good for you. That’s for the fact that it is a wonderful source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamins A and C.
Certainly, you should get your hands on naranjilla the minute you come across this exotic fruit. It’s perfect as a dessert as well as for whipping up snacks and drinks — there are various recipes in cyberspace. Naranjilla is superb not only for the taste buds, but also your body. Check out the following health benefits that this fruit is known to bring:
Weight Reduction
There are a handful of reasons why naranjilla can help you slim down. First, it contains fiber that helps save you from overeating. Second, it is loaded with water that contributes to satiation. Third, there is practically zero fat found in naranjilla so the consumption of this fruit in moderation won’t sabotage your goal to lose pounds.
Regulation of Bowel Movement
Since naranjilla is rich in water and fiber, its addition to the diet on a regular basis can help ward off constipation. Medical experts say that consuming it as well as other fiber-rich fruits may lower your risk of having colon cancer. Definitely, naranjilla can also save you from ending up with painful and embarrassing hemorrhoids.
Lowering of Osteoporosis Risk
Being rich in calcium, consuming naranjilla can help in making your bones strong. Pairing the intake of this fruit from South America with regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle can help reduce your chance of having osteoporosis. By the way, there’s another nutrient in it that also helps promote healthy bones, and that is phosphorous.
Optimized Immune System
Earlier, it was mentioned that naranjilla contains vitamin C. This only means that adding it to your diet can help make you less susceptible to having infections brought about by microorganisms that can invade your body. A strong immune system lets you remain productive while others are spending lots of time in bed recuperating.
Reduction of Unsightly Skin Aging Signs
Vitamin C not only makes you more immune to all sorts of infections, but also slows down the aging of your skin. It’s for the fact that vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps neutralize excess free radical before they damage your skin cells. Further, the said nutrient also encourages the production of more of that wrinkle-fighting collagen.
Maintenance of Sharp Vision
Another vitamin that every serving of naranjilla offers is vitamin A. It’s common knowledge that this nutrient is important for keeping at bay various diseases of the eyes, including most especially those that can eventually rob you of your vision. Some of them include glaucoma, cataracts, retinopathy and macular degeneration.
Iron-Deficiency Anemia Prevention
Naranjilla also contains good amounts of iron, which is a nutrient necessitated by your body for the production of red blood cells or RBCs — molecules that enable the blood to carry oxygen. By consuming naranjilla on a regular basis, your risk of having iron-deficiency anemia can be considerably reduced.
Control of Inflammation
Last but not least, the intake of naranjilla is something that can help control inflammation. According to medical experts, inflammation can give rise to many different health nightmares, from arthritis, diabetes, heart disease to cancer. So in order to keep at bay diseases linked to inflammation, always enjoy naranjilla whenever you have the chance.
