By Elena Voropay

When was the last time you had a real piece of fruit? If you answered "daily" - congratulations! For the rest of you, read this - Fruits increase your metabolism and tone up your body by helpling to build muscle tissue. Various kinds of fruit are typically promoted for their content of fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals. They also have both direct and indirect influence on metabolism and overall health.

Fiber found in fruit has significant "gut building" effects. It builds up the inside lining of the intestines, that, among other things, help process and utilize protein more efficientlyand create anabolic environment in your body Fiber enhances nutrient absorption along the intestinal walls by helping to keep the walls free of undigested food. That leads to better and more efficient growth and renewal of all tissues within your body.

 When you eat carbohydrates, the body releases insulin, a strong anabolic hormone. Insulin drives carbohydrates and protein into your muscles, resulting in greater recovery and growth. The more nutrients are driven into your muscle stores, the more will be used for energy and the less will be stored as fat. So, this is the context where insulin is actually a very good thing. A potential limiting factor is something called insulin sensitivity.

Muscles have receptors for insulin located on their outer edges. The greater the receptor affinity, or attraction, the better insulin can drive carbohydrates and protein into the muscles. Regular training, high levels of muscle mass and low levels of bodyfat enhance this attraction. Fiber, especially the soluble kind found in fruit, also plays a role.

Eating a lot of protein-rich foods in order to build muscle and bone tissue may actually do just the opposite. Not enough carbohydrates and fats in your diet will push the scales towards more protein and create unbalanced reactions within your system. Specifically, metabolic acidosis, a situation in which the body retains more acid than it excretes.

Fruits contain organic compounds (e.g., citrate in citrus fruits, malate in apples), the metabolism of which yields acid-neutralizing bicarbonate ions. The addition of fruits and vegetables, especially those high in potassium, to a high-protein diet reduces the output of acidic urine, ammonium and net acid excretion, as well as decreases the amount of calcium lost through urine. Bone loss may be halted and bone building may actually occur, not to mention improved capacities for skeletal muscle contraction, relaxation and growth. Eat a minimum of eight servings of fruits and vegetables every day despite the recommended five.

By Elena Voropay