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Part of Healthy Living is getting a health breakfast, consisting of fruits only. This is an easy way to lose weight and to fight or avoid obesity. One factor of health fitness is having a balanced diet, consisting of healthy foods. Another part of health fitness is taking the right exercise for at least half an hour each and every day. A good night sleep is another factor of health fitness. One fruit which is particular healthy to eat for breakfast is the apricot. Apricots are loaded with a variety of compounds that research shows can fight infections, blindness and heart disease. Apricots contain two types of carotenoids: beta-carotine, to prevent cancer, and lycopene, to prevent heart disease. A Japanese study that followed more than 3000 men and women for nearly twelve years found that those with high levels of carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lycopene, were less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Another study, which followed more than 73,000 American women for 12 years, found that those whose diets provided the most beta- and alpha-carotene had significantly less risk of coronary artery disease. You can also get lots of vitamin A by eating apricots (beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body) This nutrient helps to protect the eyes. When light passes through the eyes, it sets off the release of tissue-damaging free radicals. Left unchecked, these destructive oxygen molecules attack and damage the lenses of the eyes, and initiate the change of getting cataracts. Free radicals can also attack blood vessels, supplying the central portions of the retinas, called the maculas. If the blood supply gets cut off, the result can be macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in older adults. Vitamin A has been shown to be a powerful antioxidant – that means, it helps to block the effects of free radicals. A studie involving 50,000 nurses found that women who got the most vitamin A in their diets reduced the risk of getting cataracts by more than one-third. Three apricots provide 2,769 IU of vitamin A, which represent 55% of the daily recommended value for this vitamin. The benefits of getting plenty of fiber in your diets are tremendous. Foods that are high in fiber can help you to lose weight, control high blood sugar, and lower cholesterol levels. They also help to keep digestion regular. That’s another reason to include apricots in your health breakfast. Three fruits contain three grams of fiber, which is 12% of the Daily Value. That’s only 51 calories for all three. But if you eat apricots for fiber, eat them with skin, which contains a lot of fiber. You may like to eat your fruits nice and soft, but it’s best to eat apricots when they are slightly firm. Apricots contain the most nurients when they are at their peak of ripeness. Once they begin to get soft, the compounds in apricots start to break down. Store them carefully. It’s important to keep apricots cool to prevent them from getting overripe. When you are not going to eat them in the next day or two, it’s best to store them in a plastic bin in the refrigerator, where you can keep them for about a week. When you visit: www.jamieolivers.net/health-recipes, you can get a recipe for an Apricot-Mango Smoothie.
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