How about a massage with a fruit pulp or a fruit facial? Fruit facials have been there for at least a decade now. But with people getting more wary of effect of chemicals on the skin, majority of them are now resorting to using something from their own kitchen. What better way to pamper your skin than with pure stuff which is free of toxins and not in the least harmful to your skin? Besides the fact that they hydrate and rejuvenate your skin, the very smell of a fruit on your face is quite de-stressing. Unlike the chemical beauty treatments, fruits are cost-effective, natural and also bring a visible difference. Here are a few fruits and their properties, choose what suits you best!

Banana: This is one fruit that’s abundantly available in India all through the year. We know it’s a good source of iron, magnesium and potassium and helps reduce menstrual cramps. The effect of banana on skin too is not something that can be ignored. Banana is rich in vitamin A, B and E and hence works as an anti-aging agent. A fresh mashed banana facial can do wonders to your skin. [Read more...]

People who eat plenty of fish may have a lower risk of colon and rectal cancers, a new report suggests.

The finding comes from an analysis of 41 past studies on the link between fish in the diet and new diagnoses and deaths from colorectal cancer.

“People who rarely eat fish may experience health benefits in a variety of areas — heart disease, reproductive and now colon cancer — by increasing their fish consumption somewhat,” said Dr. Michael Gochfeld, a professor of environmental and occupational medicine at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. [Read more...]

The term “avocado” also refers to the fruit of this tree. An avocado is about 4 inches long and shaped like an egg. It’s the primary ingredient in guacamole, a popular sauce for Mexican food.

Serving Information

MyFitnessPal provides nutritional data for an avocado. This information is for the raw flesh of a medium avocado, and doesn’t include the large pit inside the avocado.

Calories

An avocado contains a total of 322 calories. Fat provides 261 calories, carbohydrates account for 45 calories and protein contributes the remaining 16 calories. This provides 16.1 percent of the daily value for calories, assuming a daily diet of 2,000 calories. [Read more...]

The quality of drinking water in South Africa has improved significantly in the past year, with a “blue drop” score nationally of 87,6% — 15 percentage points higher than the national score for last year.

The blue drop report, released on Monday by Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa , measures the quality of drinking water against an international water quality measure known as SANS 241.

But in sharp contrast to the improved national score, the department has red-flagged 14 municipalities of largely smaller rural towns where the tap water is unsafe to drink and should be boiled before being consumed. The 14 towns are in seven of the nine provinces. [Read more...]