TIPS ON HOW TO GROW PINEAPPLE USING POT

FIVE TIPS ON HOW TO GROW PINEAPPLE IN A FLOWER POT

Pineapple is one of the world's most unique and exotic tropical fruits, yet it is possible to grow it in a temperate zone under controlled conditions; with the most difficult part of the process just getting it rooted. Although you may not be able to grow as large a plant as is grown on a plantation in Hawaii, the following information should enable you to grow a healthy, attractive pineapple for your home. And it makes a fun family project for the kids!
With some patience, you can even grow a new pineapple from this plant. It takes about two to three years, though, and even then some plants are difficult to get to produce new fruit. However, I've searched the web and have provided below the best techniques for improving your odds of harvesting a ripe & delicious pineapple that will fill your house with its aroma. To make full-sized pineapples, the plant will ultimately need to get about six feet across and six feet tall. But, you can grow it as an interesting indoor plant and even get it to produce fruit (albeit small fruit) without letting it take over the living room
Here is some interesting trivia about your pineapple. The pineapple is a member of the bromeliad family. As such it is related to Spanish moss and some interesting ornamental plants sold in many nurseries. These ornamentals are interesting in that they absorb water and nutrients from a water-tight reservoir formed where the leaves come together, or by interesting absorptive hairs which cover the Spanish moss and similar bromeliads, allowing them to draw water and nutrients from the fog and dust in the air. The pineapple, however, uses its roots like houseplants with which you are familiar and should be easy to grow if you treat it like a normal houseplant that needs bright light.

TIP ONE

From the local grocery store, choose a mature pineapple that has healthy, firm, green leaves (not yellow or brown) and with a fruit skin that is golden brown (not too green). Actually, I'd recommend growing two pineapples in the not unlikely event that one of them dies. At the very least you can pick the healthiest of the two plants to nurture to full growth. Also, if you find you have more pineapple than you can eat, just chop it up and freeze it. It tastes great!

Inspect the base of the leaves for small grayish spots which are scale insects. If these are found, the crown should be discarded and one selected which is free of these insects. Try to find one that is ripe but not overripe. Test for ripeness by gently pulling on a leaf. If it pops out with ease, the fruit is overripe.

To make the most use of the pineapple, use the pineapple corer you see here. It's an inexpensive but ingenious little gadget that cores and slices all in one step

TIP TWO

Grab hold of the entire top set of leaves. Twist hard and it will come out with a bit of stalk. (If you cut the top off you will need to remove all of the excess fruit flesh, otherwise it will only rot and may kill the whole plant). Any adhering flesh should be trimmed off its base to prevent rotting after planting. After trimming, carefully slice small, horizontal sections from the bottom of the crown until you see root buds that appear as small dots or circles on the flat, cut surface Remove as little tissue as possible to avoid cutting into young stem tissue. Next, strip off some of the lower leaves, exposing up to about an inch of the base of the crown (the stalk will root but the leaves will rot - see photo). They will come off in sort of a spiral fashion. The idea is to bare the stalk. The small brown-colored bumps below the leaf scars are root primordia (baby roots waiting to grow) and there may even be a few short roots at the base of the crown (the picture at right shows a crown with a lot of roots). Though these won't be the roots that will grow in the next step, try not to damage these.
After trimming and stripping, let the crown dry out for a couple days before going to the next step. This will permit the cut end and the leaf scars to heal and prevent rot.

TIP THREE
There are various ways to do this, but I have found after trying several methods, that the simplest is the most effective. Place the crown in a clear glass of water and change out the water every few days. Place the crown away from any temperature extremes (heating or cooling vents/hot south-facing windows). On top of the refrigerator will work. In three weeks you will see healthy root grow. You're now ready to plant the crown. As an aside, I've been told that if you use a dark colored glass, like a red plastic cup for example, you'll get better rooting. However I haven't tried this myself. You might want to try a clear glass as well as a dark glass, and let me know your results.  

 TIP FOUR

Once roots appear, plant the pineapple in a fast draining potting soil such as a Bromeliad or Cactus Potting Soil mixed with a third perlite. An eight-inch porous clay pot with bottom drainage is ideal. Layer about two inches of stones in the bottom of the pot prior to putting in the soil/perlite mix. The picture to the left illustrates the materials needed (the two pottery shards in the front are to put over the drainage holes; these came from an extra clay saucer that I broke up).

The first step is to cover the drainage hole with the pottery shard. Second put in a layer of stones followed by the soil and perlite mix. Finally, plant the crown and water it thoroughly prior to placing it in a window or some other sunny place. You can see the sequence in the pictures to the right (the inner leaves of the pineapple on the left are easily pulled out which doesn't bode well for the plant. Only time will tell which is a good example of why it's good to root two plants in case one dies).
In terms of watering, the soil should always be slightly moist; not wet (which will promote rot) and not dry. It will take six to eight weeks for the stalk to really start sending out strong roots. Do not rush this process or fertilize at this point.
After about two months, the pineapple should be supporting itself as a new plant. Gently tug on the plant to see if new roots have formed. If they are present, they will resist your tug. If absent, the top of the pineapple will pull from the soil revealing the absence of new roots. If there are no new roots, replace the pineapple top in the soil and wait longer. If the base looks like it is rotting, start again with a new pineapple top, root it again as above and then use fresh potting soil. Repeat the process, but be sure not to over water.
At this point you should notice that the original leaves of the pineapple will begin to die and turn brown, with new leaves beginning to grow at the center. Over the course of the following year, remove the original leaves as they die. During this time the pineapple should be watered no more than once a week.
If roots have developed with the new leaf growth, it is a sign that things are going well.

TIP FIVE

Repot the pineapple in a twelve-inch porous clay pot with a well-draining potting soil such as a cactus potting soil. See the photos below of my 2 pineapple plants after their 2nd repotting. Be sure there is good drainage since pineapples do not like 'wet feet'. Provide drainage by placing a curved piece of broken pot over the hole in the bottom of the pot. Over this, add about a half an inch of coarse gravel or small stones, and then add your soil up to an inch from the top, patting down the soil gently to firm it up.

Tamp the soil firmly around the base of the crown at planting. Avoid getting soil into the central leaves of the crown.
Rot is commonly caused by over watering or the soil not draining properly. The plant should only stop growing during the winter months. It will put out new growth all during the early spring and summer well into fall. If the plant stops growing during its growing season, take the plant out of the pot and examine the root structure carefully. They should be firm and solid. If necessary, wash off the old potting mix and repot into fresh mix.
As the pineapple continues to grow, you may need to repot it into an even larger pot if it gets root-bound.

LIGHT AND TEMPERATURE

A pineapple is a tropical plant and frost or freezing temperatures will kill it. If you live in a temperate climate, your pineapple must divide its time between your house and your porch or garden.

Pineapples like to get at least 6 hours of bright light each day. During summer, set your plant on a sunny porch or bury the pot in your garden. Do not take your plant out of the house until all danger of frost is past. When you first remove your plant from your house, keep it in a semi-shaded spot for several days to prevent sunburn.
During cold months, keep your plant in the house. Bring it in early in the fall, by mid-September. Place it near a window or sliding-glass door for maximum sunlight. At night, move it away from the window to prevent freezing. The pineapple prefers a temperature of 65 - 75 degrees F (minimum of 60 degrees). If the room is warm enough for you to be comfortable, the pineapple will be at the right temperature.
You can also grow your plant indoors, for example in a basement, by using "Plant-Gro" fluorescent light tubes. This light can also be helpful if your windows do not let enough sunshine into the room where you are keeping your plant. You should keep the light on for between 12 and 14 hours per day. When the plant gets large enough to bear a fruit you should reduce the day length to 10 to 11 hours until the inflorescence appears in the center of the plant. You can then return to longer days.

WATERING AND FERTILIZING

The pineapple plant is miserly with water, requiring only about 20 inches of natural rainfall per year, if well distributed. You need only wet the soil once a week, and when the plant is indoors, it is best to apply all the water to the soil. When outside, spray the leaves in addition to wetting the soil so that the cups at the bottom of the plant are filled. It is also important that it never completely dries out. Then again, it must never sit in soggy soil. During its growing season, it will appreciate more water than in the winter months.

Fertilize carefully and only about once every month or so during the growing season. If using a solid plant food, scatter it on the surface of the soil and wash it in by watering.
A liquid (foliar spray) fertilizer can also be used. Pour the solution into the base of the leaves and on the surface of the soil. Take special care not to pour the solution into the center of the plant as the young leaves may be injured. Follow directions under "small shrubs" given on the label of the products you use.

PESTS AND DISEASES

As house plants, your pineapple will be subject to a minimum of pests and diseases if given proper care. The pests most likely to attack your plant are mealy bugs, scale and mites. All can be removed by washing the leaves with soapy water, rinsing after with clear water. Or, spray with an insecticide. Be sure to follow the directions on the label when using insecticides.

The only disease you would likely encounter would be heart rot caused by fungi. In heart rot, the central leaves turn black and are easily pulled out of the plant. When heart rot occurs, the plant can sometimes be saved by pouring a fungicide into the heart (center) of the plant. If this stops the infection, a side shoot will start growing. This shoot will then become your plant and will eventually flower and form a fruit. Or you can remove it and begin a new plant.

FLOWERING AND FRUITING

Although the pineapple plant is attractive in and of itself, most growers want their plants to flower and fruit. In Hawaii, a crown takes about twenty to twenty-six months to produce a ripe fruit. However, it may only take twenty months, and you will see some surprises along the way. When your plant is at least 24 inches tall and twelve to fourteen months old, an inflorescence bud will begin to form in the center of the leaves. You will not be able to see the developing fruit until about two months later when it will surprise you with a bright red cone emerges from its center.

After twenty months come the flowers. Bright blue flowers open row by row, starting at the bottom, over about two weeks (flower development in Hawaii typically occurs in late December or January when the days are short (about 10.5 hours) and the nights are cool (55 to 65 F; about 13 to 18 C)). Each flower only lasts one day, but there are many to enjoy.
When the petals of the last flower have dried, the fruit begins to develop. After three to six months from this period, your fruit will begin to ripen. When the fruit is golden halfway up, your pineapple is ready. Surprisingly enough it will be just about the size of a can of pineapple, or a bit larger.
If your pineapple plant is at least 24 inches tall and has not flowered by the time it is twenty to twenty-four months old, you can "force" it with a few different techniques that trick the plant into putting its energy into flowering instead of making new leaves.

HARVESTING

When your fruit is about six months old, about four months after flowering has occurred, changes begin to occur. The color of the shell changes from green to rich gold. The color change of the shell occurs first at the bottom of the fruit and moves upwards. During this change, the fruit becomes sweeter and the color of the flesh changes from white to yellow. The fruit will weigh from two to four pounds. When the fruit is golden half way up it can be picked and eaten, though if you wait until it's fully ripe it will be worth the wait! Once the fruit develops, it should last on the plant for several months.

HOW TO GROW FRUITS IN YOUR GARDEN

TIPS ON HOW TO GROW FRUITS IN YOUR GARDEN

WHAT YOU NEED TO PUT INTO CONSIDERATION

Fruit trees are somewhat fussy about where they're planted. If you were planting a large commercial orchard, site selection would be critical. But for a small home orchard, your best bet is to take a handful of variables into account, select the most promising site on your property, and then plant a couple of trees and give it a try.

• Soil: Fruit trees don't like wet feet, so well-drained, loamy soil is a must. They should be located where there is good air circulation so their leaves will dry quickly, since moisture helps spread disease.

• Frost: Flower buds can be easily killed by late spring frosts, so avoid siting your orchard in a frost pocket. Cold air flows downhill, making flowering fruit trees located at the bottom of a slope especially vulnerable to frost. Mid-slope is the best location, because winds are most severe at the top.

• Slope direction: Which direction the slope should face is not always clear. Southern and southwestern slopes can be hot and dry, and can cause trees to break dormancy too early, which makes them susceptible to damage from late frosts. Yet a southern slope can work well if it is protected from the prevailing winds by a windbreak on any side except the downslope one (which would block air circulation). A northerly slope may not provide enough solar exposure to evaporate moisture and promote good fruiting. In humid regions, easterly slopes can speed drying of the morning dew.

• Sun: Fruit trees need a lot of sun to grow healthy and be productive. If they are shaded by other trees or a building they will be less fruitful and more prone to insects and -disease.

PLANTS SELECTION

It pays to seek out trees and shrubs that have some natural resistance to disease. In apples and pears the common diseases include scab and fire blight. With other fruits, such as raspberries, make sure you buy from a nursery that propagates from virus-free plants. Selecting disease-resistant plants doesn't mean that you will never experience any disease problems, but it greatly improves your chances for success.

Another crucial issue is hardiness. To make sure that the plants you purchase won't be damaged over the winter, check hardiness information before you buy. Also consider bloom time. Many fruits flower very early in the spring. If your area is prone to late frosts, such early bloomers may survive, but they will never truly thrive or reliably set fruit. To grow these plants in a marginal area, you’ll have to plant them in an especially favorable and protected site.

Buying Plants: Locally or by Mail?

Local nurseries usually sell trees in containers or with the root mass wrapped in burlap. Mail-order nurseries usually sell trees as "bareroot stock," which means that they are shipped to you in a dormant state with their roots packed in damp wood shavings.

The choice of where to buy is up to you: mail-order nurseries tend to offer more varieties than garden centers, so if you are looking for a particular cultivar or want a broad selection you should start with them. However, if you're unsure about which variety to buy, a local nursery will carry plants that will thrive in your growing area.

If you buy bareroot plants by mail, you will need to plant them in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked, while the plants are still dormant and the water table is high. This spring planting gives the young plants a full growing season to get established before the onset of freezing weather in the fall. Trees and shrubs sold in containers by local nurseries are more forgiving in terms of planting time; they can be successfully transplanted in most areas either in the spring or early fall.

Most fruit trees will be sold as grafted stock. This means that the tree consists of at least two sections. The top part is called the scion, and is a branch cutting that has been taken from the variety of fruit you want to grow. The bottom part is the rootstock, and it is usually selected either for hardiness or the ultimate height and size of the tree. Standard rootstocks result in trees of full size (to 15 feet or more). Dwarf rootstocks limit the size of mature trees to 6 to 8 feet or so. Semi-dwarfing rootstocks produce mature trees somewhere in between the two extremes.

Dwarf fruit trees result in space-efficient plants that begin bearing fruit quickly, usually two to three years after planting. There are, however, a few disadvantages to growing dwarf trees. They have a shorter life expectancy than standard-sized trees—about 10 to 20 years on average. Because of their limited root systems, dwarf trees don't compete well with grasses and other plants, so you'll have to keep the area around them weeded and well mulched. Also, most true dwarfs are not suitable for regions in Zone 4 and colder. But for gardeners concerned with space limitations, or who live in relatively mild climates, dwarfs can be the ideal choice. 

HOW TO PLANT A FRUIT TREE 

1. If you've ordered bareroot nursery stock, soak the plant roots in water or manure tea up to 24 hours before planting. If you can't plant within a few days after receiving the shipment, repack the plant in the damp sawdust or wood shavings it came in and store it in a cold, dark location until the ground can be worked. Never expose the bare roots of plants to wind or sun. 

2. Using a sharp, square-ended planting spade, dig a circle 2 feet in diameter and about 3 feet deep. Remove the sod and set it aside. Now separate the topsoil and the lighter-colored subsoil into two piles, and remove any rocks from the planting hole. 

3. Chop up the sod and put the pieces in the hole, grass side down, so that it doesn't come in contact with the tree roots. Cover the sod with a little topsoil. 

4. Set the tree into the hole. For grafted trees grown on standard rootstocks, position the tree so that the graft union, the point at which the scion and the rootstock were joined together, is 1 to 2 inches below the surface of the ground. For dwarf and semidwarf rootstocks, the graft union should be 2 to 3 inches above the soil surface. 

5. Fill in around the roots, using the topsoil first. Use your hands to firm the soil around the roots and eliminate any air pockets. Fill in about half the planting hole. 

6. Pour water into the planting hole until the soil gets quite mucky. Then, using your foot, tamp down the soil. 

7. Fill in the rest of the planting hole with the remaining topsoil and subsoil. Firm down the soil around the tree and make a "dish" or depression to encourage water to drain toward the tree. 

8. Mulch around the tree with organic matter (leaves, compost, grass clippings, etc.). Don't use fresh manure, though well-rotted manure is fine. Line the mulch in the same dish shape around the tree. 

9. Water the tree until the soil cannot readily absorb any more. 

10. Drive one or two stakes into the ground outside the root zone to mark the tree. Fruit trees grafted to dwarf rootstocks develop smaller root systems than standard-size trees and require some support. After planting dwarf trees, attach the tree to the stake using some -flexible tubing or other material. 

11. Prune off any side branches and cut back trees by about one-third after planting. Balled or container trees do not need to be pruned. 

12. Place wire-mesh "hardware cloth" or a plastic tree guard around the tree trunk to protect it from rodents and deer. 

13. Post-Planting. During the first growing season, water the tree regularly, giving it 5 to 10 gallons per day for the first month or so, then watering two or three times a week for another couple of months, or during dry weather. In the late fall, paint the tree bark with white latex paint diluted with water, so the bark will reflect winter sunlight and not be damages by sunscald or cracking.

POLLINATION

Many varieties of fruit trees and shrubs are self-fruitful: that is, they do not need to have a plant of another variety nearby with which to cross-pollinate. Other varieties (particularly those of fruits) need to have a partner in the orchard so that they will be pollinated and produce a good crop of fruit. In fact, even self-fruitful varieties often benefit from having a different variety of the same plant located nearby.

Cross-pollination doesn't mean that you will end up with weird-looking hybrid fruits. For example, a 'Cortland' apple tree will always produce 'Cortland' apples, even if its blossoms are visited by bees who carry pollen from another variety of apple or crabapple that is growing nearby. However, if you planted the seeds from that 'Cortland' apple, you would probably grow a tree that bore an entirely different kind of apple, one that was not "true to type."

Commercial orchards often rent honeybee hives to ensure good pollination during blossom time. Fortunately, there are also wild bees that do the same job. For example, the orchard mason bee (Osmia lignaria) is a good pollinator, and is found throughout most of the United States, with the exception of the Deep South.

It's very important never to spray insecticides during the blossom time of either the fruit trees or the other groundcover plants (dandelions, clovers, etc.) that may be growing near them. These toxic chemicals can kill bees and other beneficial insects. Read on for more information on nonchemical methods of pest control. Nursery catalogs and books usually provide good information on which varieties of plants need pollinators and which will produce fruit even if planted alone.

Orchard Maintenance 

Cleanup: Maintaining a clean orchard means picking up after your trees. Fruit that drops to the ground can contain insect larvae, which burrow into the soil where they overwinter, to reemerge in the spring. These drops also attract voles and mice, which can damage trees by chewing on the bark. Pick up the dropped fruit and burn or bury it underground far away from your trees. Pick up the fruit as soon as possible after it drops to catch the larvae before they burrow into the ground. It's especially important to collect the spring drops, which are still quite small but can contain a large number of larvae.

While you're picking up dropped fruit in the fall, also clean up fallen leaves, which can likewise harbor disease and insects. Removing apple leaves within 200 yards of your apple trees will reduce the number of scab spores the following spring. 

Pruning: Pruning is a subject unto itself. Certainly you will want to learn the basics and practice selective pruning of your fruit trees and shrubs on a yearly basis, removing crossing branches, suckers and watersprouts; opening up and reinvigorating older plants; and allowing good air circulation to prevent disease.

Insect and disease control: If you follow good cultural practices and select disease-free trees and shrubs, you should be able to keep most common orchard pests and diseases in check without the use of chemicals. But to grow fruit organically, you will need to tolerate some degree of pest and disease damage. If you were to prevent all insect and disease damage, you would need an arsenal of toxic sprays—something no one wants to use around the home landscape.

One strategy is to attract beneficial insect predators to your orchard by planting wildflowers and herbs, including dill, buckwheat, tansy, yarrow and goldenrod. Another way to reduce certain kinds of insect damage is to trap pests using simple, visual lures. These traps mimic the way leaves or fruits appear to insects. For example, the apple maggot fly can be lured by hanging in the tree small, dark red spheres that are covered with a sticky substance called Tangletrap. Female flies get stuck as they jump from fruit to fruit, and then die.

There are also many biological sprays that can be used in the orchard at key times to disrupt insect cycles. Dormant oil spray, Bordeaux mixture and other natural products are relatively nontoxic to beneficial insects and to humans when used judiciously and according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Simple physical barriers serve to keep many animal pests from damaging trees and fruit. These range from wire mesh or plastic tree guards set around young trees to protect them from mice and rabbits, to smelly soap hung on branches or tall fences erected around the orchard to discourage deer.

By combining preventive measures with the least toxic controls, you can have a healthy orchard and still harvest lots of good-quality fruit for eating.

How to Grow Berries

Raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries are enjoyable edible fruits that you can learn to grow in this section.

Raspberries and Blackberries

These fruits grow on thorny canes, which are elongated, semi woody flowering stems about five or six feet tall. They spread with underground runners and can be aggressive unless severely checked. But they are worth the trouble for the absolutely delicious berries, which can be eaten, still warm from the sun, right off the plants in summer. You may have to cover the ripening berries with netting to protect your crop from the birds.
Fruit breeders have given us types of raspberries that are everbearing or repeat bearing, instead of bearing fruit just once a summer.
Blackberries, too, have been worked on by breeders, and you can purchase thornless types that are delicious and have very large berries. Some of these prefer to have their canes staked to poles or other supports. They are self-pollinating and easy to grow, performing best in well-drained soil.

• Cut the canes on blackberries and raspberries when first setting out new plants. The canes are the elongated flowering stems. Leave just a few of the leafy buds at the base of the stems. This eliminates any cane diseases that may have hitchhiked to your garden on the plant. It also discourages spring flowering, letting the plant become well established before moving on to berry production.
• Thin out one-third of all blackberry and raspberry canes each year to keep them productive. If you've ever tried to walk through an abandoned farm field bristling with blackberry thickets, you know what a thorny tangle these plants can grow into.

Not only does crowded growth make blackberries and raspberries hard to work around, it also forces the canes to compete for sun, nutrients, moisture, and fresh air. The result can be smaller berries and more diseases. As soon as canes are done bearing fruit, you can cut them off at the base to provide more space for new canes. Remove any sick, weak, or scrawny canes. Then selectively remove additional canes from areas that are crowded to keep them from creeping into other parts of the garden. prunning is easier if you wear thick, thorn proof gloves and use long-handled pruning loppers. A pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes won't hurt either.
Strawberries Strawberries are fun to have around for garden tastes, even if the crop is not that large. Various raiders such as birds and squirrels will get most of the crop if you don't keep them out with netting or repellents. The plants like full sun or bright partial shade and moist, rich soil. Buy your plants from local sources for types that thrive in your climate. Mulch strawberries with straw to keep the fruit clean. Straw keeps soil and disease spores, which cause berries to rot and mold, from splashing up onto the berries. As a result, they look nicer and keep longer. Straw also keeps the soil moist, so the berries can plump up, and it helps reduce weeds.
Grow day-neutral strawberries for a summerlong harvest. While June-bearing strawberries bear fruit heavily in early summer, and ever-bearing strawberries bear in June and again in fall, day-neutrals can keep flowering and fruiting throughout much of the summer.Plant day-neutral strawberries as early in spring as possible and pinch off all the flower buds for six weeks afterward. This lets the plants grow strong before they begin to fruit. Once the plants are flowering, fertilize them monthly to keep the plants vigorous and productive.
Heavy producers such as these may not keep up the pace year after year. When you notice berry production diminishing, consider starting a new strawberry patch with fresh plants.
Plant strawberries in a strawberry jar for a delicious feast on a patio. Strawberry jars stand about two feet high and have openings along the side, perfect for planting with strawberry plants. They look especially charming when little plantlets sprout on runners and dangle down the sides.
These guidelines should take the mystery out of cultivating your own fruits and berries so that you can readily enjoy nature's freshness from your own garden.

USEFULNESS OF GUAVA

10 Health Benefits of Guava

Depending on the species, a guava’s flesh and seeds can be white, orange, pink or red. The skin is green before maturity and becomes yellow, maroon or remains green when ripe. They are best eaten when semi-ripe because they are crunchy.

Guavas are a treasure-trove of nutrients. Their being high in antioxidants has made them known as one of the “superfoods.” They are also known for their high pectin content.

1. Lowers cancer risk

Guava contains the highest vitamin C content among produce at four times more than oranges. Vitamin C is known as one of the potent antioxidants which help protects cells from free radical damage. High levels of oxidants in the body can damage cell membranes and may contribute to the development of heart disease and cancer.

2. Lowers risk of diabetes

Looking for other sources of fiber? Grab a delicious guava. It is rich in fiber, one of the most talked about nutrients today as it has found to be beneficial in a wide range of disease prevention including diabetes by slowing down the absorption of sugar in the body and thus very beneficial for diabetic individuals. A high fiber diet has also been linked to a lowered risk of developing type-2 diabetes.

3. Promotes good eyesight

Guavas are very good sources of vitamin A, the nutrient best known for preserving and improving eyesight.

4. Helps promote fertility

Munching on guava also supplies a good amount of folate in the body. The mineral folate is known for its fertility-promoting properties.

5. Helps regulate blood pressure levels

One cup of guava is packed with almost the same potassium as bananas. Potassium works as an important factor in regulating blood pressure by reversing the role of sodium in unbalancing normal blood pressure.

6. Promotes healthy thyroid gland

No, guavas don’t contain iodine; they are good sources of copper, a trace mineral which plays a role in thyroid metabolism especially in hormone production and absorption.

7. Helps the body make use of key nutrients

One of the key functions of manganese in the body is being an enzyme activator including the enzymes responsible for the utilization of some key nutrients such as biotin, thiamine and ascorbic acid. Guavas are good sources of manganese.

8. Relaxes nerves and muscles

Magnesium is one of the essential minerals which needs to be obtained from food as the body cannot make them. Eating guavas can help relax the nerves and muscles through its good amount of magnesium content.

9. Keeps brain healthy

The B group of vitamins play a vital role in brain function. Guavas are rich in vitamin B3 and B6. Vitamin B3, also known as niacin stimulates brain function and promotes blood flow, and vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is an important nutrient for brain and nerve function.

10. Helps maintain healthy skin

Regular guava consumption can also do the skin good through its vitamin E content. Vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin through its antioxidant properties.

BENEFITS AND USESOF ORNGE,PINEAPPLE,WATERMELON,WALNUT,GRAPEFRUIT,COCONUTAND PAPAYA

Benefit and uses of Orange.

 

• Citrus or orange are believed to have medicinal properties that are helpful in the fight against several diseases.
• Oranges are eaten to allay fever and catarrh. The roasted pulp is prepared as a poultice for skin diseases.
• Essential oils are volatile oils obtained from the citrus fruits peel’s sacks. They are used by the food industry to give flavor to drinks and foods. They are also a component for the pharmaceutical industry for the preparation of medicines and soaps, perfumes and other cosmetics, as well as for home cleaning products.
• Orange juice is antiseptic, anti-bilious and haemostatic.
• Orange make a mustard vinaigrette with syrup, mustard, vinegar and olive oil.
• The strength & quality of the oils are outstanding, & they create a noticeable & genuine difference to a treatment. As a practitioner dealing with Sports Injuries, Stress Management, and muscular-Skeletal problems, The range of Peeled Orange massage oils gives excellent cover for a whole spectrum of client problems”
• Orange juice and grapefruit juice, are high in flavonoids, folate, and vitamin C, leading them to be potentially beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease. Orange juice to promote decreases in cholesterol.

It is a fruit bearing plant of the family Bromeliaceous native to tropical and sub-tropical. The pineapple plant resembles the agaves or some yuccas in general appearance. It has 30 to 40 stiff succulent leaves closely spaced in a rosette on a thick, fleshy stem. With commercial varieties, a determinate inflorescence forms about 15 to 20 months after planting in a flower stock 100 to 150 mm (4 to 6 inches) in length. The original separate lavender flowers together with their bracts, each attached to a central axis core, become fleshy and fuse to form the pineapple fruit which ripens in five to six months, after flowering begins. Fruits of commercial varieties range from one to two kg (2 to 4 pds) in weight.
When pineapple is cultivated on plantation, an asphalt impregnated mulch paper is first laid on well tilled soil in rows with the edges covered to anchor the stripes of paper. The pineapple propagating pieces are inserted through the paper to the soil, so spaced as to give a population of 15,000 to 20,000 plants per acre. In many cases, the soil is fumigated to kill parasitic nematodes on the roots of the plants.
The fruit contains vitamin C, iron and other minerals. It acts as an effective laxative. It is a tonic and rejuvenative. Juice of the unripe fruit causes uterine contractions and should not be given to a pregnant woman. Juice of the ripe fruit cures gastric irritability in fever and is very helpful in jaundice.
Florence Daniel in her book 'Food Remedies' has named pineapple juice as the specific remedy for diphtheria. The ripe fruit is very useful in sore throat, bowel disorders and acute constipation.

Benefit and uses of Pineapple.

• The pineapple fruit, peel, or juice is used in folk remedies for corns, tumors, and warts.
• It is added to fruit salad, pies, cakes, ice cream, yogurt, punches, and other desserts. Pineapple is an ingredient in most sweet and sour dishes and is used in many savory dishes.
• The leaf juice as a purgative, emmenagogue and vermifuge.
• Pineapple contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain, which digests food by breaking down protein. Pineapple is a good source of manganese, as well as containing significant amounts of Vitamin C and Vitamin B1.
• The pineapple fruit was effective as diuretic and contraceptive, an in the expulsion of intestinal worms. Some scientists found in its leaves possible cure for venereal diseases.
• One of the benefits of pineapple is that it helps to build healthy bones. Pineapples are rich in manganese, a trace mineral that is needed for your body to build bone and connective tissues.
• The benefits of pineapple when you have a cold or cough are the same as the benefits of orange juice, but there is an additional benefit of pineapple. Bromelain, which is found in pineapples, has been found to help suppress coughs and loosen mucus.

Benefit and uses of Water-melon. Watermelon contains is 90% water, 50 calories, and vitamin C, has just a trace of fat without cholesterol. Watermelon is not only great on a hot summer day, this delectable thirst-quencher may also help quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis. Most benefit of watermelon is that it contains high levels of lycopene--an antioxidant that may help the body fight cancer and prevent disease Watermelon is fat free, nutritionally low in calories and considered an ideal diet food, and is high in energy, making it a great energy boost. Watermelon contains no cholesterol of dietary significance and only a small amount of fat. It is an important source of potassium and may micronutrients. Benefit and uses of Walnut. Walnuts are a high-energy food, rich in oil, vitamins and minerals. Walnut kernels are good for heart, blood system and improve health. Benefits of walnut eating have been observed in the form of lowering cholesterol. Walnuts used in a variety of  sweet and savoury recipes including cakes and breads and are especially good with cheeses. Walnuts used in Cuba as an herb decoction in bath water to treat various skin diseases of children. Walnut use as a cancer therapy drug, in addition to having many other biological effects. Black Walnuts were used as a kidney tonic, which makes sense as they consider the brain to be governed by the kidneys. Walnut contains rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin E and fatty acids, Walnut Oil is a most often used in cosmetic formulations as an active principal or carrier oil. Walnut Oil is a good source of Omerga-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, as well as ALA (alpha linolenic acid). It has good moisturizing, anti-aging and regenerative properties. Benefit and uses of Grape-fruit or shaddock. High in vitamin C and potassium. A good source of folate, iron, calcium, and other minerals.  Grapefruit seed extract is a very good facial cleanser for general cleaning of oily skin and is very helpful in fighting acne infections. Grapefruit extraordinary ability to perform both (internally and externally) against a wide variety of known or unknown infections caused by viruses, bacteria, funguses and parasites. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice to your diet, really can aid weight loss. Benefit of eating grapefruit is the high water content. Grapefruits are almost 90 percent water. Grapefruit is Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antiparasitic, Antiseptic. Grapefruit has been observed to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Benefit and uses of Coconut.

• Coconut oil was fed as 7% of energy to patients recovering from heart attacks, the patients had greater improvement compared to untreated controls.
• The great benefit of coconut oil is that the body turns these fatty acids directly into energy, making it terrrific for losing weight.
• Monolaurin helps you defend against viruses, bacteria, and other harmful agents and helps to strengthen your overall immune system.
• The benefit of coconut oil here is that it provides a saturated fatty acid called myristic acid, which plays a vital rolein the biochemistry of the kidneys.
• The uses as food are quite varied.
• The uses of various parts of the coconut palm as medicines.

Benefit and uses of pomegranate juice.

• The juice of the fresh leaves and young fruit is given in dysentery.
• A paste of the leaves is locally used in conjunctivas.
• The root-bark is given as a febrifuge in fevers. The fruit juice quenches thirst and acts as cooling agent.
• Dried pomegranate root juice with milk is prescribed in spleen enlargement, and general debility.
• The flower buds are given in acute cases of leucorrhoea, diarrhoea and dysentery.
• A sherbet of the ripe fruit is given in typhoid fever, gastric and asthmatic fevers.
• The fruit juice is highly effective in urinary disorders.
• The fruit juice is highly effective in reducing high blood pressure.
• The fruit juice with honey is an age-old remedy for loss of memory.
• Dried powdered root mixed with lime water is prescribed for expelling worms.
• The rind of the fruit is known as dalim chhal and this is very useful in intermittent fever, diarrhoea and dysentery.
• The flower juice is often prescribed in nose-bleeding to be taken as snuff.

Benefit and uses of Papaya.

• The papaya not only for food, but also for healing wounds, for supporting a weak liver, for healing constipation, against worms and parasites, for healing inflammation and skin problems and even for treating cancer.
• The papaya contains a lot of minerals like Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium and is the most alkaline fruit.
• Papaya contains vitamin A which accelerates the formation of new cells, it protects the external layers of the skin, vitamin c is an anti-oxidant, and builds capillary strength, protein the skin can be benefited with improved smoothness, softness, and resiliency.
• Green papaya may increase nutrient absorption and help to create a healthier intestinal tract.
• Green papaya has also been used for over acidity or borderline ulcers as less stomach acid is required for digestion when abundant enzymes are ingested.
• Papaya is good for many digestive disorders and is excellent for improving poor digestion. It has also been recommended as part of the treatment for cancer. Therapeutically it can often be combined with pineapple juice in which there is another important enzyme, bromelain.

Benefit and uses of Lemon:

1. Arthritis, rheumatic diseases: A few drinks of lemon juice is the surest remedy for rheumatic fever, painful joints, lumbago and sciatica. There will be no cardiac complications. Those with incipient arthritis were given ascorbic acid therapy and similar results were achieved.
2. Common cold: Lemon juice or vitamin c tablets taken three or four times daily along with garlic cures cough and cold.
3. Oedema: Oedema of the muscular region produced by vascular decompensation often responds more rapidly when 10 to 33 ounces of orange or grape-fruit juice is given in addition to 500 mg of vitamin C for three or four days.
4. Hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases: Many illnesses of the aged may be prevented with an adequate intake of vitamin C daily. Particularly cerebrovascular diseases and heart disorders may be largely reduced.
5. Prickly heat: Quick relief is obtained by taking a few drinks of lemon juice daily.
6. Shock: To prevent surgical shock surgeons apply ascorbic acid routinely before and after surgery. 500 mg by mouth one hour before surgery to patients of average weight helps to useful in preventing shock and post-operative weakness.
7. Menorrhagia and haemorrhage: A few drinks of lemon juice or narangi juice will certainly give some relief in acute menorrhagia.
8. Asthma: Many cases of asthma have been relieved by taking a half-spoonful of lemon-juice before each meal and upon retiring.
9. Cough and cold: Roasted lemon when properly prepared is one of the most effective remedies for cough and cold.
10. Corns: Lemon juice applied to corns a few times a day makes an effective remedy. Bind the corn and leave it overnight, you can expect wonderful results.
11. Headache: Lemon tea relieves headache.
12. Heartburn: If you take one glass of lemon juice, you will surely get relief from it.
13. Nausea, vomiting and travel sickness: If one takes a glass of lemon juice before leaving home, one can return from travelling without any trouble.
14. Sun-stroke or heat-stroke: Lemon or lime (musumbi) juice prevents sun-stroke or heat­stroke.
15. Whooping cough: Lemon is a household remedy for whooping cough.
16. Weakness and general debility: Lemon or musumbi (lime) juice offers an excellent remedy in general debility and weakness.
17. Low vitality: Lemon or lime (musumbi) juice removes this condition very quickly.

BENEFITS OF FRUITS

 

BENEFITS OF FRUITS

BENEFITS OF APPLE

There is an old saying that goes, "To eat an apple going to bed, will make the doctor beg his bread." The saying is justified by the apple's many health-promoting properties. Fossil remains show that apples were gathered and stored 5,000 years ago. It is likely that they were already cultivated during the Neolithic times. Interestingly, apples are members of the rose family.

Apples are excellent detoxifiers. Apple juice can destroy viruses in the body. In one recent study, Riu Hai Liu of Cornell University found that although apples contain only a small amount of Vitamin C, eating 100 g of apple provides the same antioxidant activity as taking 1,500 mg of the vitamin.

Apples are great snacks. Only make sure not to ingest too many apple seeds; these are toxic if taken in large amounts.

• Apples clean the teeth and strengthen the gums.
• Apples reduce cholesterol levels.
• They detoxify the body and have antiviral properties.
• Apples prevent constipation because they aid digestion.
• One large apple supplies almost 30 percent of the minimum amount of fiber that should be consumed daily.

• Eating apples regularly aids healing in patients of gout and rheumatism.
• Eating two apples a day will reduce your cholesterol levels up to 10 percent.
• Drinking apple juice thrice a day is said to prevent viruses from settling in the body.
• Apples are good for digestion. If you suffer from indigestion, eat apples before meals.
• Grated apple mixed with yogurt is helpful in cases of diarrhea.

Tips

• Never buy apples that have not been kept cold since they can become over-ripe in a few days.
• Apples should be hard. If you can dent an apple with your finger, do not buy it.
• Keep your apples refrigerated. Otherwise, they will decay fast.
• To prevent browning, rub the cut surfaces with a mixture of lemon juice and water.
• Canadian researchers analyzing eight popular varieties found that the old standby, Red Delicious, and an apple called Northern Spy contain more disease-fighting antioxidants in their skin and flesh than any others that were studied. This means red apples are better than other kinds.

Health Benefits of Bananas

Native to the tropical countries of Southeast Asia, bananas are long and thick-skinned fruits that come in a variety of colors and sizes. Banana trees are currently grown primarily for their fruit in over 100 countries. Apart from being a food source, they are also used to make ornamental decorations and clothing.

There are over 1,000 known varieties of bananas that differ in appearance, taste, size and use. Red bananas have a red or green peel, pink flesh and taste like the yellow variety. Red bananas contain more beta-carotene, and are thus considered healthier than their yellow counterparts are. There are also the fruit bananas. These regular, yellow bananas grow to about 15 to 30 cm in length. Then there are the baby bananas, which are yellow in color but measure only about 6 to 8 cm long. These are the sweetest of bananas. Finally, we come to the baking bananas. These red, yellow or green bananas are the largest variety, measuring about 30 to 40 cm in length.

The red, fruit and baby bananas can all be eaten raw, provided they are ripe. The baking bananas or plantains cannot be eaten raw and are used in cooking. In some countries, baking bananas are a primary staple and a starch source, much like potatoes. Adding bananas to your diet can offer countless benefits to your health and overall wellbeing.

Benefits of Bananas

• Bananas have twice as many carbohydrates as apples, making them an excellent source of natural energy. They can also serve as a great midday snack to boost energy levels, allowing you to accomplish everything you need to do.
• Bananas are rich in fiber. Thus, they help promote a healthy digestive system. They can also prevent and speed up recovery from gastrointestinal illnesses such as constipation and diarrhea.
• Recent studies show that bananas contain tryptophan, a mood-regulating chemical that helps relax the mind and uplift the mood.
• Bananas contain potassium and magnesium -- two minerals that help maintain a healthy circulatory system. Eating a banana or two each day can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.
• Bananas can help people who are trying to quit smoking. This is because bananas contain vitamins and minerals that lessen the physical and psychological symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.
• Pregnant women can benefit from bananas. Studies show that bananas help combat morning sickness by maintaining healthy glucose levels in the blood.
• Bananas help in the prevention and treatment of hyper acidity or stomach ulcers. They serve as a natural antacid, quickly soothing the burning in the stomach. Note that bananas should be used as the primary method to cure ulcers, particularly if your doctor has prescribed medication.
• Rub the inside of a banana peel on mosquito bites to provide relief from itching and to lessen the swelling.

These are just a few of the benefits that bananas offer. Add one or two bananas to your daily diet. You could be surprised by the improvement to your overall health and well being.

IMPORTANCE AND TYPES OF FRUITS

                                                  FRUITS

Fruits are nature's treasure or rather nature's gift to human beings. Fruits are the tastiest of all healthy foods. They are healthy because they contain all the essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and sugar, that are required by human beings on a regular basis. Fresh fruits, in their natural form, are also easy to digest, as compared to nutritional supplements. Therefore, fruits can be consumed by people of any age group.

When asked to define a fruit, most of us will suggest that a fruit is that component of a plant which has a pulpy flesh, which often tastes sweet, tangy, sour or even sharp. Secondly, fruits have attractive colors and can be classified into different types. However, in botany, a fruit is defined as the one that contains seeds and is derived from a flower. Fruits, indirectly aid in reproduction through the process of seed dispersal.

If you take a look at the botanical definition of fruits, you will note that several vegetables can also be categorized into the 'fruit' group. This is indeed true. There are several vegetables that are botanically fruits. However, here we have mentioned only those that can be traditionally classified into the 'fruits' category. If you are looking for a list of all fruits with pictures, then you are at the right place. Mentioned below are the different kinds of fruits grown in the world.

Fruit and vegetables are packed full of goodness and often contain a number of essential vitamins and minerals that cannot be found in other types of foods or they may contain higher levels of these nutrients than other foods.

They are made up of water, melons up to 94%, which is also essential for the body and their skin and seeds contain plenty of fibre, which our body needs to help cleanse and rid itself of waste and toxins. Fibre is needed to keep bowel movements regular, lower cholesterol, prevent constipation, bowel cancer and other illnesses of the bowel and intestine such as diverticulitis.

Different coloured fruits and vegetables contain different minerals, nutrients and antioxidants and therefore it is recommended that we consume a wide variety of fruit and vegetables in order to receive the benefits from the various types.

For example, dark green leafy vegetables such as watercress, cabbage or spinach contain certain carotids that protect, delay and may prevent the onset of degenerative age-related eye diseases such as cataracts or muscular degeneration.

They are also rich in vitamins C and E, which are both very powerful antioxidants. This means that eating dark green vegetables daily could help to protect the body from developing cancerous cells and from suffering heart disease.

Red, orange and yellow coloured fruits and vegetables such as melon, tomatoes, carrots and apricots contain lots of vitamins A, C and E, which all help to fight certain types of cancer and act by neutralizing free radicals in the body.

As well as containing large amounts of vitamins A, C and E, fruits and vegetables are also rich in vitamins B and K plus minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorous, manganese and iron.

Why fruits?

Fruits are nature’s wonderful medicines packed with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and many photo-nutrients (Plant derived micro-nutrients). They are an absolute feast to our sight, not just because of their color and flavor but their unique nutrition-profile that help the body stay fit and healthy!

1.      Fruits are low in calories and fat and are a source of simple sugars, fiber, and vitamins, which are essential for optimizing our health.

2.      Fruits provide plenty of soluble dietary fiber, which helps to ward of cholesterol and fats from the body and to get relief from constipation as well.

3.      Fruits contain many anti-oxidants like poly-phenolic falconoid, vitamin-C, and anthocyanins. These compounds, firstly, help human body protected from oxidant stress, diseases, and cancers, and secondly; help the body develop capacity to fight against these ailments by boosting our immunity level. Many fruits, when compared to vegetables and cereals, have very high anti-oxidant value, which is something measured by their "Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity" or (ORAC).

4.      Anthocyanins are falconoid category of poly-phenolic compounds found in some "blue-fruits" like blue-black grapes, mulberries, acai berry, chokeberry, blueberries, blackberries, and in many vegetables featuring blue or deep purple color. Eating fruits rich in blue pigments offers many health benefits. These compounds have potent anti-oxidant properties, remove free radicals from the body, and thus offer protection against cancers, aging, infections, etc. These pigments tend to concentrate just underneath the skin.

5.      Fruit’s health benefiting properties are because of their richness in vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients, anti-oxidants, which helps the body prevent or at least prolong the natural changes of aging by protecting and rejuvenating cells, tissues and organs. Their overall benefits are manifold! Fruit nutrition benefits are infinite! You are protecting yourself from minor ailments like wrinkling of skin, hair-fall, and memory loss to major ailments like age-related macular degeneration (AMRD) of the retina in the eyes, Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancers, weak bones (osteoporosis)…etc., and the list of fruit nutrition benefits never ends!

How much fruit nutrition should be included in our daily diet?

Research studies suggest that one may eat any servings of fruits daily. It is recommended to eat at least 2-3 servings of fresh fruits every day.
The term one fruit serving is about 250 g of cleaned, edible-portion of the fruit, excluding discards like peel, seeds, etc.
Include seasonal fruits in the daily diet. Variety of fruit's type, color, and flavor should be encouraged to get maximum health benefits. Yellow and orange color fruits are rich sources of α and β carotenes, and crypto-xanthin, while blue, black colored like black or blueberries are a good source of poly-phenolic anthocyanin anti-oxidants.

Selection of fruits

To avail maximum fruit nutrition benefits eat organic produce. Many "wild" varieties of berries and "tropical tree" fruits have still not treated with any kind of fertilizers or chemicals and can be readily purchased from local farm owners. Organic fruits tend to be smaller; however, they feature special flavor and richness in vitamins, minerals and stuffed with numerous anti-oxidants.
In the store, however, choose fruits that feature freshness, bright in color and flavor and feel heavy in your hands. Look carefully for blemishes, spots, molds, and signs of insecticide spray. Buy whole fruits instead of section of them (for example, buy a small size watermelon instead of a section of big size melon).

TYPE OF FRUITS

Pistil is the main female reproductive organ of a flower. A pistil includes an ovary and a tube called style. The style is topped with a stigma. The pollen for fertilization is received by the stigma. This reproductive setup of a flower determines the type of fruit. Let us understand more about the different types of fruits.

Simple Fruits: These fruits are produced by flowers containing one pistil, the main female reproductive organ of a flower.
Aggregate Fruits: These fruits are developed from flowers which have more than one pistils. They consist of mass of small drupes that develops from a separate ovary of a single flower.
Multiple Fruits: These fruits are developed not from one single flower but by a cluster of flowers.
Accessory Fruits: These fruits are developed from plant parts other than the ovary.

Fruits can be fleshy or dry. The main fleshy fruits are berry and drupe. Let us know more about the different fleshy fruit types according to the fruit category.

Fleshy Simple Fruits

Berries: These fruits have a soft epicarp and the mesocarp and endocarp is fleshly. The following is a list of fruits that come under types of berries

Grapes
Tomatoes
Bananas
Raspberry
Avocados
Eggplants
Currants
Persimmons

Hesperidiums: These fruits have thick, leathery exocarp and mesocarp. They have a juicy, pulpy endocarp arranged in a section of juice sacs from the ovary wall. The list of fruit under the type of hesperidium are as follows:

Orange
Lemon
Grapefruit
Limes
Citron
Mandarin
Clementine
Ugli fruit

Pepo: The berry has an outer wall or rind that is formed from receptacle tissue that is fused to the exocarp. The mesocarp and endocarp from the fleshy interior. The list of fruits under the type of pepo are:

Cucumber
Watermelon
Squash
Pumpkin
Honeydew melon
Sunberry

Drupe: The fruits are developed from one carpel ovary and with one seed. The endocarp is hard and stony that fits closely around the seed. The mesocarp is fleshy and the fruit has thin, soft exocarp. The list of fruits under the type of drupe are:

Cherry
Peach
Plum
Almond
Apricot
Olive
Lychee
Pin cherry
Coconut

Pomes: The fruit is developed from a compound inferior ovary. The ripened tissue around the ovary forms the fleshy edible part. The list of fruits under the types of pome are:

Apples
Pears
Quince
Choke-berry
Haw
June-berry
Medlar
Rowan
Sorb apple

Fleshy Aggregate Fruits

Poly-drupes: This is formed from the development of a number of simple carpels from a single flower. Few are dry fruits that are attached to a fleshy receptacle and the others are aggregation of simple fleshy fruits. The list of fruits under fleshy aggregate fruits are:

Strawberry
Blackberry
Raspberry
Boysenberry
Loganberry
Cloudberry
Wineberry

Fleshy Multiple Fruits

The individual ovaries from different flowers get clustered together forming a fruit. The list of fruits under the type of fleshy multiple fruits are:

Mulberry
Pineapple
Fig
Pomegranate
Date

The following is a list of fruits that are native to Asia.

Cornelian cherry
Goumi
Jujube
Jack-fruit
Kiwi fruit
Loquat
Kumquat
Persimmon

The following is a list of Mediterranean and subtropical fruits.

Guava
Longan
Lychee
Passion Fruit

This is a list of tropical fruits that have a common characteristic of intolerance to frost
Breadfruit
Camu Camu
Carambola
Chempedak
Custard apple
Durian
Guarana
Mamoncillo
Mango
Mangos teen
Papaya
Pineapple
Rambutan
Rose apple
Tamarind

These are a different types of fruits that come under the fleshy group. There are fruits that are dry fruits and can be differentiated as dry dehiscent and dry indehiscent. Fruit types that contain seeds in a seedpod that opens up and releases the seeds are known as dehiscent fruits. The indehiscent are those fruits that do not have a seed pot that opens. Let us have a look at different fruits that come under this group.

Dry Dehiscent Fruits

Follicle: The fruit is developed from a single carpel ovary. It splits open from one side only. This type of fruit contains one or many seeds. The list of fruits under follicle are:

Columbine
Milkweed

Legume: These fruits are dry dehiscent fruits that have pods that split on two sides. The list of fruits under legumes are:

Sweet pea
Beans
Peanut
Runner Bean

Silique: This is a fruit that develops from two-carpel ovary, with the halves that fall away leaving the seeds attached to persistent, central wall. The fruits under the Crucifiable family come under this type of fruits.

Capsule: The fruit develops from compound ovary with two or more carpel and the capsules. The fruits under this type of fruits are cotton, poppy and primrose.

Dry Indehiscent Fruits

Achene: This is a small one-seeded fruit. The pericarp is easily separable from the seed coat. The fruits of buckwheat and sunflower family come under this type of fruit.

Samara: These are one or two seeded achene’s-like fruits. They form wings from the outgrowth of ovary walls. The types of fruits under this group are elms, ash and maple.

Caryopsis: These are one-seeded small fruits that have pericarp completely fused to the seed coat. The type of fruits under caryopsis include:

Wheat
Oats
Rice
Corn
Barley
Rye

Nuts: These are one-seeded dried fruits with a hard pericarp. The list of fruits under this type are:

Walnut
Hazelnut
Chestnut
Acorn

These were some types of fruits found in nature. Most of the fleshy fruits are edible and are eaten all over the world. Not all dry fruits are edible, nonetheless they are types of fruits. Fruits are nature's way of treating us with sweet and sour foods that have many health benefits and help keep our mind, body and skin healthy. One should make it a point of including these abundantly found and healthy foods in their daily diet. I hope this 'fruity' list was useful in introducing you to Mother Nature’s sweet bounty.

How to use fruits?

Barring few fruits like berries, try to wash them soon after shopping. Rinse them in salt water for few minutes and then wash in cool running water until you are satisfied with complete cleanliness. This way, you make sure that the fruit you eat is rid-off dust, sand and any residual chemical spray. Eat them while they are fresh because, certain fruits have very short shelf life and the health benefiting properties of fruit declines with time. If you need to store them, place them in plastic wrappings or in zip pouches to keep them fresh for short periods until you use them. Eat fruits as a whole without any additions to get their original flavor, taste, and to get maximum fruit nutrition benefits.
If you need to store them, place them in plastic wrappings or in zip pouches to keep them fresh for short periods until you use them. Eat fruits as a whole without any additions to get their original flavor, taste, and to get maximum fruit nutrition benefits.