Properties of passion fruit
Passion fruit is rich in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, flavonoids and carotenoids, which is why it has antioxidant, anxiolytic, anti-obesity, digestive, hypoglycemic, sedative, hypotensive and lipid-lowering properties.
Main benefits
The benefits of passion fruit are:
1. Reduce anxiety and stress
Passion fruit reduces symptoms of anxiety and stress, since it is composed of flavonoids, such as kaempferol and quercetin, which act directly on the nervous system, calming and promoting relaxation. Get to know others Foods that help improve anxiety and stress.
2. Control and prevent diabetes
The pulp and leaves of passion fruit are rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin C, beta-carotenes, flavonoids and anthocyanins, which promote insulin production, helping to control blood glucose levels and prevent diabetes.
In addition to this, the peel of the fruit is rich in fibers such as pectin, which help the sugar ingested from food to be slowly absorbed into the body, thus balancing blood glucose levels.
3. Fight insomnia
The leaves, flowers and pulp of passion fruit have mild sedative properties of the central nervous system, helping to combat insomnia and promoting calmer and more relaxing sleep.
4. Help in weight loss
As the passion fruit peel is rich in fiber, especially pectin, it helps slow down the digestion of food, increasing satiety between meals, promoting weight loss. In addition to this, passion fruit has a relaxing effect that can improve compulsive eating problems.
5. Prevent cardiovascular diseases
Because it contains high amounts of antioxidants, such as flavonoids and anthocyanins, passion fruit benefits the health of the arteries and prevents the formation of free radicals, thus preventing chronic diseases, such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, high blood pressure and stroke.
Additionally, the pulp and peel of the passion fruit, also being rich in fiber, promote the reduction of fat absorption from food in the intestine, which can improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood.
6. Fight constipation
Passion fruit can combat constipation, as it has optimal amounts of fiber that are important to facilitate the formation of the fecal bolus and help in the elimination of feces.
In addition to this, the pectin in the passion fruit peel serves as food for the beneficial bacteria of the intestinal flora, promoting the proper functioning of the intestine.
7. Prevent sagging and premature aging
Passion fruit is rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin A and C, and anthocyanins, which protect skin cells against free radicals, preventing sagging and premature aging. See others antioxidant foods that prevent aging.
Additionally, the pulp and peel of this fruit contain optimal amounts of fibers that help control blood glucose, thus reducing the advanced formation of glycation products, called AGEs, that produce inflammation and sagging skin.
It is important to mention that to obtain the benefits of passion fruit, it must be consumed along with a balanced and healthy diet, in addition to regular physical activity.