Do eat: Lemons
In 1747, British researcher James Lind made history with some of the first controlled medical experiments ever conducted. He was trying to find a cure for scurvy, and found lemons worked so well that within a week, the patients he was treating were back on their feet (via the BBC). Today, we know why: A single lemon gives you 139 percent of your daily vitamin C.
LiveScience says that’s not the only good thing there is about lemons, either. They’re low-calorie, fat-free, and full of folic acid that’s been shown to help protect against strokes and improve cardiovascular health. For anyone who’s prone to kidney stones, they’ll help you there, too. Half a cup of lemon juice a day has been shown to prevent the formation of stones, and studies have suggested, you’re also helping your body protect itself against high cholesterol and even cancer.
Some claim lemons help aid in digestion, and while some nutritionists have debunked the idea lemons and lemon water help with weight loss, lemons are a great way to add flavor to water if you’re trying to keep hydrated, no sugar needed.
Do eat: Kiwi
Everyone suffers from a little bit of gastrointestinal distress sometimes, and it turns out there’s a secret weapon in your fruit bowl that can make you feel better: the kiwi. Studies have found that the fiber present in kiwi has a massive impact on not only aiding digestion, but in improving how well your body absorbs nutrients. There’s also evidence that it helps alleviate the pain of constipation, reduce bloating and discomfort, and increase overall gut health.
Studies from Massey University suggest it’s an enzyme called actinidin that allows kiwis to be an invaluable addition to any diet. Thanks to the presence of that enzyme, regularly snacking on a kiwi will help make your entire digestive tract more efficient, from start to finish. And another study from the Taipei Medical University went even farther, finding that after adding kiwi to their diet for four weeks, participants who suffered from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) saw improvement in their symptoms.
