KUALA LUMPUR - A senior medical researcher at the Institute of Medical Research clams that purple colored fruits especially all colored tropical fruits contain higher antioxidants than any other fruits from Western countries. He said fruits like Mangosteen, grown in tropical countries that are exposed to sun for hours, allowing them to produce starch, sugar and other nutrients through photosynthesis. "To protect themselves against free radicals generated by the UV light, they produce thousands of antioxidants like Phytochemicals and Carotenoids that are beneficial for people."

According to Dr Lim "Western countries, the sunlight came in at a slant and most of the ultraviolet rays were absorbed by the thicker layer of the Earth's atmosphere. "The plants in Western countries don't suffer the same intensity of damage as our tropical plants do. "Hence produce less colored protective Phytochemicals than their tropical cousins." Speaking at 'The Therapy of Choice: Synthetic Drugs versus Botanical Medicine' seminar organized by the Malaysian Senior Scientists Association yesterday. Dr Lim advised consumers to choose vegetables and fruits which are yellow, dark green, red and orange. The more colorful they are, the higher the antioxidants".

Labels: Health, Tropical fruits