Kharjur fruits

 

NATURAL PIGMENTS(COLOURS) ON FRUITS, FLOWERS, VEGETABLES

 NATURAL PIGMENTS(COLOURS) ON FRUITS, FLOWERS , VEGETABLES :

Natural pigments (colours) : - 

This group includes anthocyanin, betalains, carotenoids, chlorophylls, etc. 

They are exploited as the source of neutraceuticals used against many human ailments. 

These pigments are useful to maintain human health, protect from chronic diseases, or restore wellness by repairing tissues. 

Anthocyanin pigment gives purple color to brinjal, amaranth, cowpea, dolichos bean, etc. It is an important and widely distributed group of water-soluble natural pigments that can prevent cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases, and cancer. 

Carotenoids :-

They are the pigments in fruits and vegetables that protect from damage to lipids, blood, and other fluids. Among 600 and more naturally occurring carotenoids, the majority have antioxidant properties. 

Beta carotene is present in dark green leafy vegetables, carrots, and pumpkins. It protects from coronary heart disease and lung cancer.

 Lycopene is a carotenoid present in tomato and watermelon which prevents oxidation of LDL cholesterol and reduces damages to arteries. It will also reduce the risk of bladder cancer and pancreatic cancer.

Phenolic compounds in horticultural crops Phenolic compounds Sources Effects on human wellness

 

Phenolic compounds in horticultural crops 

Phenolic compounds Sources Effects on human wellness 

Flavonoids: -

Flavonoids  are one of the most widely occurring groups of secondary metabolites or phytochemicals in plants. They induct enzymes that detoxify carcinogens. 

Flavonoids are a large family of lower molecular weight polyphenolic compounds found in plant tissues, which include flavones, flavonols, flavonones, anthocyanin anthocyanidins, catechins, and isoflavonoids. 

Other phenolics like p-coumaric, caffeic, ferrulic, and chlorogenic acids are reported in tomato. They are mostly present in the skin. Among cucurbits, flavonoids are present in genera Cucumis, Lagenaria, Citrullus, and Luffa. Quercetin and kaemferol are reported in French beans.

 Cheratin is a flavonoid isolated from bitter gourd having a hypoglycaemic effect.

 Onion and garlic contain several sulfur-containing compounds like allicin, garlicin, etc. which reduce blood cholesterol and help to prevent coronary heart diseases and heart attacks

Proanthocyanins :-

Apple, grape, cranberry, pomegranate.

They help  to  prevent cancer 

Anthocyanidins :-

Apple, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, grape, nectarine, peach, plum & prune, pomegranate, raspberry, and strawberry

They help to   prevent heart disease, cancer initiation, diabetes, cataracts, and allergies; help lower blood pressure. 

Flavan-3-ols :-

Apples, apricots, blackberries, plums, raspberries, strawberries 

They help to  prevent platelet aggregation and cancer 

Flavanones :-

Oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, tangerines Help prevent cancer Flavones Guava 

They help to  prevent cancer, allergies, and heart disease 

Flavonols :-

Cranberry 

They help to  prevent heart disease and cancer initiation; are capillary protestants. 

Phenolic acids :-

Blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, apple, peach, plum, cherry 

They help to  prevent cancer; help lower cholesterol 

Horticultural source of energy and proteins (Sources)

 

 Horticultural source of energy and proteins 

Proteins :-

Cashew nut, almond, walnut Pea, cowpea, lima bean, broad bean, mustard, pumpkin, pointed gourd drumstick, celery, garlic, Brussels spout. 

Fat:- 

Walnut, almond, cashew nut, avocado Bengal gram leaf, small bitter gourd, chili, brinjal, brussels sprout, snake gourd, pointed gourd, lettuce, pink radish, sweet corn hyacinth bean, cluster bean, spinach, globe artichoke

 Carbohydrates:- 

Dry apricot, date fig, dry karonda, banana, bael, custard apple, cashew nut, jamun, jack fruit Tapioca, potato, sweet potato elephant foot yam, taro, garlic, pea, onion bitter gourd, brussels sprout, carro

Daily requirements of Vitamins & dietary fibers and their source in horticultural crops (per 100 grams) Vitamins Daily requirement / Adult/day Horticultural Sources

 

Daily requirements of Vitamins & dietary fibers and their source in horticultural crops (per 100 grams) Vitamins Daily requirement / Adult/day Horticultural Sources 

Antioxidants :-

There are numerous compounds in vegetables that function as antioxidants. 

Primary among them are â-carotene, vitamin ‘C’, vitamin ‘E’, selenium, and flavonoids. 

There is an evidence that antioxidants like carotene, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), β-tocopherols (vitamin E), flavonoids, and selenium are significantly associated with reduced cancer risks. 

Vegetables are rich sources of antioxidant nutrients viz., vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids. Certain flavonoids like quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, and luteolin are also present in vegetables.

Vitamin C 40 mg :-

Gooseberry, Guava Parsley, Capsicum, green chilli, drumstick, cabbage, Mango ripe, Lemon juice, radish leaves, drumstick leaves 

Thiamin 1.4 mg :-

Beans, Peas, Pistachio Nuts, Poppy seeds, Quinoa, Asafoetida, Cashew nuts 

Riboflavin 1.6 mg:-

 Red chilies, drumstick, chenopodium, Amaranthus, Palak, Curry leaves 

Niacin 18 mg :-

Red chilies, beans, peas, capsicum, sweet potato, potato, Oyster mushroom, Almond 

Pantothenic Acid 5 mg :-

Garlic, Rajma, Oyster Mushroom, Cowpea, Shitatake, Bail fruit, Cashew nuts 

Pyridoxine 2 mg:- 

Muskmelon, Pak choi, Oyster Mushroom, Garlic (single clove), Watermelon, Walnuts, Pistachio Nuts 

Biotin 30 µg:-

 Knol-khol, Parsley, Scarlet beans, Colocasia leaves, Pistachio Nuts, Oyster Mushroom, Shitatake mushroom 

Folic Acid 100 µg :-

Spinach, Parsley, Asparagus, Legume vegetables 

Cyanocobalamin 1 µg :-

Spinach, Broccoli, Asparagus 

Vitamin ‘A’ 600 µg :-

Drumstick leaves, Fenugreek leaves, Amaranthus, Carrot, Sweet Potato, Mango ripe, Papaya ripe 

Vitamin ‘D’ 5 µg :-

White button mushroom, Oyster mushroom, Shitatake mushroom 

Vitamin ‘E’ 15 µg :-

Pistachio Nuts, Almonds, Coconut dry, Mace, Parshnip, Spinach, Broccoli, Zucchini green, curry leaves, turmeric powder 

Vitamin ‘K’ 120 µg:- 

Spinach, Turnip green, Broccoli, drumstick Amaranthus, Parsley, Colocasia leaves, Knolkhol 

Minerals Daily requirement / Adult/day Horticultural Sources

 Minerals Daily requirement / Adult/day      Horticultural Sources 

Calcium 600 mg  :-

Amaranthus, turnip green, Parsley, Palak, Radish leaves, Celery, Colocasia leaves, Hyacinth Beans, Knol-khol, Poppy seeds, Black pepper 

Phosphorus 600 mg :-

Cowpea, Vegetable soybean, Peas, Celery, Parsley, Poppy seeds, Oyster mushroom dried, Almond 

Chloride 2.3 gram : Lotus stem, drumstick leaves, curry leaves, fenugreek leaves, Amaranthus, Knolkhol, Spinach, Phalsa, Tamarind leaves 

Magnesium 340 mg:- 

Cowpea, Amaranthus, Curry leaves, Tomato, Cardamom, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, cloves, Almond, Cashew nuts Iodine 150 µg Seafood, Beans, Rhubarb, Watercress, Potato, Strawberry 

Sodium 1.5 gram:- 

Amaranthus, Carrot, beet leaves, fenugreek leaves, palak, spinach, cloves, cumin seeds 

Potassium 3750 mg :-

Turmeric powder, Cowpea, sword bean, colocasia, muskmelon, celery, coriander leaves, drumstick, cumin seeds, Pippali, black pepper, Raisins dried black, Pistachio nuts

 Iron 17 mg :-

Amaranthus, Radish, Parsley, Sarson saag, mint, Basella, watermelon, chenopodium, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, tamarind pulp, mint leaves, black pepper 

Zinc 12 mg:-

Rye, cumin, potato, beans, pumpkins 

Selenium 40 µg :-

Rye, garlic, broccoli 

Copper 900 µg :-

Coriander, black pepper, Poppy, mace, Areca nut, Pippali, walnut 

Magnees 2-5 mg :-

Cumin, coriander, okra, clove

బ్రహ్మజెముడు Cactus

 ఈజిప్ట్‌లో బ్రహ్మజెముడు పండును ‘పేదవారి పండు’ అని కూడా పిలుస్తుంటారు. అక్కడ ఇది బాగా చౌకగా లభించడమే దీనికి కారణం.

ట్యునీషియాలో దీన్ని 'సుల్తాన్ ఘాలా' (పంటల్లో రాజు) అని కూడా అంటారు.

బ్రహ్మజెముడు పండులో ఎన్నో ఔషధ, పోషకాహార గుణాలు ఉన్నాయి.

ఇటీవల, అమెరికాకు చెందిన ఫుడ్ అండ్ అగ్రికల్చర్ ఆర్గనైజేషన్ (ఎఫ్ఏఓ) ప్రచురించిన ఓ అధ్యయనంలో.. యాపిల్స్, టమోటాలు, అరటిలో ఉండే యాంటీఆక్సిడెంట్‌ల కంటే ఈ పండులో రెండింతలు అధికంగా ఉంటుందని పేర్కొంది.

విటమిన్ సీ, ఫ్లేవనాయిడ్స్, బెటాలైన్స్ ఈ పండులో పుష్కలంగా ఉంటాయని వెల్లడించింది.

బ్రహ్మజెముడు పండులో ఉండే పోషక పదార్థాలు కరోనరీ ఆర్టరీ డిసీజ్‌ (గుండెకు సంబంధించిన వ్యాధి) ముప్పు తగ్గించడమే కాకుండా.. కొన్ని రకాల క్యాన్సర్ల ముప్పు కూడా తగ్గిస్తాయని అధ్యయనాలు చెప్తున్నాయి.

ఈ పండులో ఉండే ఫైబర్ శరీరంలో కొలెస్ట్రాల్ స్థాయిలను తగ్గిస్తుంది.

క్రమం తప్పకుండా ఈ పండును తింటే రక్త కణాల పనితీరు మెరుగవుతుంది.

యూఎస్ ఫుడ్ అండ్ అగ్రికల్చర్ ఆర్గనైజేషన్ అధ్యయనం ప్రకారం.. బ్రహ్మజెముడు పండులో పొటాషియం ఎక్కువగా ఉండి, సోడియం తక్కువగా ఉంటుంది.

కిడ్నీ వ్యాధులు, అధిక రక్తపోటు ఉన్నవారికి ఇదెంతో ఉపయోగకరం.

కొన్ని ప్రాంతాల్లో వందల ఏళ్లుగా బ్రహ్మజెముడు పండును ఒక సంప్రదాయ ఔషధంగా వాడుతున్నారు.

విటమిన్ సీ లోపం వల్ల కలిగే ఇబ్బందులు, డయాబెటిస్ వంటి సమస్యలకు అందించే చికిత్సల్లో ఈ పండును వాడుతున్నారు.

బ్రహ్మజెముడు పండుతో ఇతర ఎన్నో ఆరోగ్య ప్రయోజనాలు ఉన్నాయని పరిశోధనలు చెబుతున్నాయి.

పేగులు, కిడ్నీలు, కాలేయం, బ్లాడర్‌ను శుభ్రపరిచే గుణాలు ఈ పండులో ఉన్నాయి.

జీర్ణ వ్యవస్థ, గుండె, మానసిక ఆరోగ్యంపై కూడా బ్రహ్మజెముడు పండు సానుకూల ప్రభావాన్ని చూపిస్తుందని పోషకాహార నిపుణులు చెప్పారు.

Bitter melon (bitter gourd)

 

 Bitter. Melon's      benefits may be surprisingly sweet. Also called bitter gourd, this bumpy green vegetable has long been used in Ayurveda to support blood sugar control, combat infections and address inflammation, high cholesterol and even cancer.

Laboratory studies suggest, it can fight  like E coli, Salmonella, herpes viruses and even malaria parasites.and it is also  points to potential anti-cancer properties, particularly in breast cancer, where it may interfere with how cancer cells grow and communicate. However, most of this evidence comes from lab and animal studies; large-scale trials in humans are still lacking.

Where bitter melon shows the strongest promise is in diabetes management    as It contains several bioactive compounds — charantin (a plant steroid), polypeptide-p (a plant-derived insulin-like protein) and cucurbitanoids (a group of anti-inflammatory compounds) — which may mimic the effects of insulin, support its production, or improve the body’s use of glucose.

The  bitter melon extract significantly lowered fasting blood glucose in people with type 2 after four weeks.

How it works isn’t clear. It may help the pancreas produce insulin, protect insulin producing cells, or increase sugar uptake by the muscles. But the effects can be powerful and when combined with diabetes medications, may cause blood sugar to drop too low. If you’re taking medication, it’s important to monitor your levels closely.

Animal studies have also linked high doses to miscarriage risk, so pregnant people should eat it in moderation.

Pine nuts or Chilgoza

 Arthritis relief and anti‑inflammatory benefits:

Pine nuts contain pinolenic acid and antioxidants, such as vitamin E and polyphenols, that help reduce inflammation and joint pain, potentially easing arthritis symptoms. Traditional medicine and preliminary studies suggest symptom relief and improved joint mobility with regular consumption of nuts rich in anti‑inflammatory compounds. Their magnesium and zinc content also supports immune modulation and connective tissue health.