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In many parts of the country, snow and ice still have a deathgrip on the local climate. In my neck of the woods, we still have massive piles of ice and snow on every street corner and at the end of every driveway. So it’s only natural that many of us are looking for a way to bust through the winter blues.
One thing that often works is to enjoy more tropical fruits, such as mangoes, bananas, coconuts, or papayas. These fruits are usually available all winter long, and are like an early preview of summer’s warmth. But beyond these warm feelings, many tropical fruits have far more powerful abilities.
Did you know that one tropical fruit can be used as a substitute for IV fluid in an emergency? Or that another tropical treat has been shown in studies to kill cancer cells? Aside from their health benefits, there are plenty of other reasons to love the following tropical fruits…and some of these benefits will definitely surprise you.
1. Coconuts
You might think of coconut as the sweet topping on German chocolate cake, but this fruit has plenty of health benefits as well. Coconut water has a ton of health benefits. It’s a sterile source of clean water, useful for survival hydration. On top of this, coconut water has the same level of electrolytic balance human blood. In the Pacific Theatre during World War II, coconut water was frequently used in the field as an emergency plasma transfusion for wounded combatants.
Coconut water makes a better sports drink than commercial products, as it is lower in salts and sugars and higher in potassium. And, of course, the flesh and oil of the coconut is also edible and good for you!
2. Mangosteen
The mangosteen is a small fruit with white flesh, popular throughout Asia. One group of scientists has proposed that alpha-mangostin, an antioxidant found only in mangosteen, can cause cell death in leukemia cells, effectively treating the disease. While more research needs to be done, mangosteen is also said to have powerful anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiseptic properties.
3. Avocado
You might think of it as a vegetable, but this is actually a fruit. And not just any fruit, but a fruit that has been shown to lower cholesterol. They are also rich in folic acid, which can prevent some kinds of common birth defects. Even more interesting is that avocados are the ultimate life hack fruit: when you eat an avocado with other vegetables, you absorb more nutrients from the meal than you would have from eating the vegetables alone. Top your salad with a few slices of avocado, and you’ll be increasing your intake of vitamins and minerals from the meal.
4. Mango
A single mango will contain half of your recommended daily allowance of both Vitamin A and Vitamin C, as well as some B-Vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, beta-carotene, and…well, maybe it would have been quicker for me to list the few nutrients that this little fruit DOESN’T contain…
I picked up an interesting tip about quickly ripening mangoes from the book “Urawaza”, which I reviewed here recently. If you pick up a mango at the supermarket that is still hard, soak it in simmering water for just 10 minutes to speed up the ripening process. The sooner you can eat one, the sooner you can start to enjoy its beneficial qualities.
5. Longan
Longan berries, native to China, have long been said by Asian herbalists to have relaxing properties, making them the perfect snack to enjoy to lower your stress levels. It is also said to have anti-cancer, antioxidant, and liver-protective properties. The longan contains high levels of iron, potassium, and large amounts of vitamins A and C. Finding them in a form other than fresh at your local market may be tough, but dried and canned longan are also available.
In general, eating more fruits is good for your health. Overall, tropical fruits have been known to reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease. On top of these benefits, a diet rich in tropical fruits ensures that you will have improved digestion and GI function. Best of all, these fruits can neutralize free radicals, protecting you from asthma, joint pain, and the above-mentioned heart and cancer risks.
You are what you eat. If you want to be smart, eat smart, and reach for these tropical fruits the next time you are craving a snack.
參考譯文：
在我國的大部分地帶，冰雪依舊是本土氣候的大敵。在我居住的地區，街頭巷尾還殘留著成堆的冰雪。對我們來說，找尋一個可以打破冬季陰郁情形的方法是在再自然不過了。
有一個十分有效地辦法，那就是多吃熱帶水果，比如芒果，香蕉，椰子和木瓜。這些水果在冬季也能買得到，就像是提前感受了夏天的溫暖。除了這些溫暖的感覺，很多熱帶水果有著更強大的養生作用。
你知不知道在急救的時候一個熱帶水果可以代替輸液的功效？你知不知道有研究表明有熱帶水果有殺死癌細胞的作用？除了他們的健康療效，愛上以下這些熱帶水果的原因數不勝數，有些益處甚至是你想都想不到的。
1.椰子
當說到椰子的時候，你想到的可能是德國巧克力蛋糕上的甜蜜裝飾，但是這種水果對人的身體同樣有著眾多的益處。喝椰汁的好處極多，這是一種無菌的凈水，適合做維持人體生存的水合物。另外，椰汁中的電解質與人體血液中的電解質可以保持平衡。二戰時期的太平洋戰場上，椰汁替代急救血漿廣泛用于傷員之中。椰汁比起一些商業產品來說是很好的運動飲料，它少鹽低糖還富含鉀元素。椰肉和椰子油同樣可食并且也有益健康。
2.山竹
山竹是一種果肉為白色的小型水果，在亞洲地區很是流行。有科學家研究發現，只存在于山竹的一種抗氧化劑，α-山竹黃酮，能夠殺死白血病細胞并有效治療這種疾病。當然，這一發現還需要更多的研究證明。據稱，山竹還具有強大的消毒殺菌功效。
3.鱷梨
你可能認為鱷梨是一種蔬菜，其實它是一種水果，而且還是一種有降低膽固醇作用的水果。鱷梨富含葉酸（維生素B）,這一成分能減少某些先天缺陷的出現幾率。更有趣的是，鱷梨還是水果中的“終極健康黑客”——比起單獨食用蔬菜，當你將鱷梨與蔬菜同食時，你會從中汲取更多的營養物質。記得在沙拉中加些鱷梨條，這會大大增加你的維生素和礦物質攝入量的。
4.芒果
一個簡簡單單的芒果就含有你一天所需的一半的維生素A、C，還有B族維生素，Ω-3脂肪酸，多酚，β-胡蘿卜素等等，對我來說，列出芒果不含的營養元素可能會比較簡單吧。
最近我在《Urawaza》（主要內容是生活訣竅）上找到一個有趣的關于快速催熟芒果的小貼士：當你從超市買回的芒果還有點硬的時候，你只要把它放在溫水里浸泡十分鐘就能加速它的成熟進程。快點開始吃芒果吧，吃的越早，你就能越快開始享受芒果帶來的樂趣和健康了。
5.龍眼
原產于中國的龍眼，很久之前就被亞洲的藥劑師們認為具有放松身心的作用，這是一種具有減壓效果的絕佳小吃。另外，龍眼還有抗癌、抗氧化和護肝的療效。龍眼富含鐵、鉀以及維生素A、C。在本地市場上找到新鮮龍眼有點困難，但是風干龍眼和罐裝龍眼也是不錯的選擇。
一般來說，多吃水果是有益健康的。總的來說，熱帶水果被認為能降低癌癥和心臟病的發病率，而且，包含熱帶水果的飲食能使你具有良好的消化和胃腸功能。最大的益處是，熱帶水果能中和人體內的自由基，保護你免受哮喘，關節痛和上面提到的各種病癥的困擾。
人如其食。如果你想當個聰明人，那就吃得明智一些吧，下次想吃零食的時候，選擇這些熱帶水果吧！
