Today's midday temperature in Singapore 33C. It will go as high as 34C before going down to about 26C in the night. We do not expect much rainfall in the next few days. The weather is not only hot and humid but dry as well.
Last night, I attended a classmate's mother wake. She passed away at the age of 96 after a long illness. A lot of our class/schoolmates were also at the wake which was held at Mt Vernon.
Today's lunch, hot pot noodles
Health benefits of eating Galia Melon and Bananas
After lunch, we proceeded to the supermarket and bought the Honduras Galia Melon and Cavendish Bananas. Total bill was $7 ($3.50 each item)
Some of the health benefits of galia melons include their ability to help weight loss diets, boost the immune system, prevent certain types of cancer, improve vision, improve the digestive process, protect heart health, and protect against diabetes.
Galia melons are probably not something you’ve come across too often in normal grocery stores or markets, but they are growing in popularity. Although melons are believed to have originated in India, galia melons are actually a hybrid cultivar of cantaloupe and honeydew melons that was produced in Israel.
Nutritional Value of Galia Melons
Galia melons are high in vitamin C, vitamin A, carotenoids, bioflavonoids, various minerals, like potassium, calcium, and iron, as well as significant levels of dietary fiber, including pectin. Also, it has no fat, no cholesterol, and is low in calories.
Health Benefits of Galia Melons
Heart Health:
Galia melons can help heart health in two ways. With its high levels of dietary fiber, it can help to reduce “bad” cholesterol in the body, which can protect against atherosclerosis. Also, due to the high potassium content, which acts as a vasodilator, your blood pressure can be reduced, lowering your chances of developing coronary heart disease, or suffering a stroke/heart attack.
Digestive Health:
Dietary fiber, particularly soluble fiber like pectin, which galia melons are high in, can help bulk up your stool and eliminate constipation and other gastrointestinal issues. Furthermore, soluble fiber makes you feel full, which reduces your likelihood to overeat, which can help people who are dieting or trying to watch their weight.
Immune System and Cancer Prevention:
Galia melons are packed with nutrients that can protect your body from illness, including high levels of vitamin C, which stimulates the immune system, vitamin A, which acts as an antioxidant, as well as carotenoids and bioflavonoids, which also act as antioxidants. These components eliminate or neutralize free radicals, which can cause cancer. Galia melons contain organic compounds that have been directly linked to reducing lung, oral, colon, and breast cancer.
Vision Health:
Vitamin A, which is found in a moderate amount in galia melons, has carotenoids that specifically protect the health of our eyes. Beta carotene can prevent macular degeneration, susceptibility of the lutea to UV-radiation, and cataracts.
Health benefits of eating bananas:
Weight Loss and bowel movement:
Adding a banana to your daily diet has an array of benefits in your body. Bananas help you reach your weight-loss goals, keep your bowels healthy, provide nutrients that regulate heart rhythm and have vitamin compounds for eye health.
Enjoying a banana each day aids in keeping you regular. One 6-inch banana has more than 2.5 grams of total fiber, about half of which are insoluble. As insoluble fiber travels through your digestive tract, it sweeps up waste and helps push it out. You'll have more regular bowel movements that are soft and easy to pass. Keep your bowels healthy by getting 14 grams of fiber in your diet for every 1,000 calories you consume, reports Colorado State University Extension. For example, if you tend to stick to an 1,800-calorie diet, you need about 25 grams of total fiber. You get nearly 10 percent of your daily fiber needs -- for this number of calories -- from one 6-inch banana.
Normal Heart Function:
Having a banana at breakfast every day adds a nutrient to your body to support normal heart function. Bananas are rich in a mineral electrolyte called potassium. When potassium enters your body, it absorbs directly into your bloodstream through intestinal walls. Potassium travels around to cells all over your body and dissolves in fluid inside of cells. It travels across cell membranes if needed to keep fluid balanced in and around cells. This process keeps electricity flowing throughout your system, which is required to make your heart beat. In cases of severe potassium deficiency, your heart rhythm may become irregular, which can be deadly. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, you need 4,700 milligrams of potassium on a daily basis. Bananas provide more than 360 milligrams per 6-inch piece of fruit.
Eye Health:
Adding a banana to your diet also helps keep your eyes healthy. Bananas have a small amount of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that is vital for protecting your eyes and normal vision. The term "vitamin A" refers to a series of compounds, including beta-carotene and alpha-carotene. These compounds preserve the membranes that surround your eyes and are a component of one of the proteins that brings light into your cornea. Adequate daily vitamin A intake also lessens your risk of night blindness and is essential for everyday vision. Women require 700 micrograms of daily vitamin A, and men need 900 micrograms, explains the Office of Dietary Supplements. One 6-inch banana has nearly 10 micrograms of vitamin A. Bananas also contain alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which convert to vitamin A to further keep your eyes healthy.
