Fruits

Quick Tip: A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can actually help us maintain a healthy body weight as their high fiber content will promote a feeling of fullness. Diets with optimal fruit and vegetable intakes will also typically be lower in calories than diets limited in these foods.

Why do we need them?
Fruit is known by many as "nature's candy." These foods can often help to satisfy a sweet tooth by providing much less calories than a rich dessert and many more nutrients. Just like vegetables, fruit provides us with fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals. Regular fruit intake is associated with decreased cancer rates, decreased heart disease, decreased cholesterol and decreased blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are an extremely important part of a healthy diet, because of their health promoting qualities. Regular consumption of some fruits including apricots, berries, cantaloupe, citrus fruit, guava, mango, papaya and tangerines may even help to reduce our cancer risk due to the phytochemicals they contain. Evidence also supports diets high in soluble fiber in order to reduce cholesterol levels. Fruits high in soluble fiber include apples, citrus fruits, strawberries and raspberries (in addition to oats and beans).

How much do we need?
The American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association both support the recommendation of 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Fruits and vegetables share many of the same nutrients, so if you prefer fruit over vegetables, as long as the combined servings equal 5 or more, you will be meeting your requirement for these foods. One serving of fruit contains approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates, our primary source of energy. Besides fruit, good sources of carbohydrates also include grains, milk and yogurt. Carbohydrates are broken down in the body as glucose (blood sugar). Glucose provides fuel and nourishment to our brain, muscles and heart, which is why carbohydrates are so important to the health and proper function of our body and nervous system.

What are some good fruit sources?
The following foods make up one fruit serving:

Several popular diet fad books have discouraged the consumption of specific fruits and vegetables, claiming that they increase the body's ability to gain body fat. In reality, fruits and vegetables have less calories than all other foods, and therefore contribute the least to an excessive increase in body fat. For those trying to lose weight, a decrease in caloric intake and an increase in caloric output will ultimately result in a decrease in body fat.

 

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