Fresh and Fruity

4:49 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

Happy Thursday! AS we gear up for a holiday weekend that most often means BBQ's and picnics I thought we should talk food today!

I feel fairly confident that summer really is right around the corner. Even if the forecast doesn't prove it there is evidence in the grocery store. Necturines, peaches, and even cherries are finally making their sweet way back to the produce aisle. Yippee! Fruit is one fabulous food. Naturally sweet, nutrient packed and low in calories, fruit is one of nature's super stars.

Below is a list of health benefits and nutrients that fruit gives our bodies.


Health benefits
Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases.
Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for type 2 diabetes.
Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer.
Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Eating fruits and vegetables rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and may help to decrease bone loss.
Eating foods such as fruits that are low in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.
Click here for more information about preventing cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer.
Nutrients
Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories. None have cholesterol.
Fruits are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and folate (folic acid).
Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Fruit sources of potassium include bananas, prunes and prune juice, dried peaches and apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and orange juice.
Dietary fiber from fruits, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as fruits help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. Whole or cut-up fruits are sources of dietary fiber; fruit juices contain little or no fiber.
Vitamin C is important for growth and repair of all body tissues, helps heal cuts and wounds, and keeps teeth and gums healthy.
Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of pregnancy should consume adequate folate, including folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.
From http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/fruits_why.html

I eat fruit everyday, often twice or more. I start my morning with a juicy orange or grapefruit. I always keep apples handy, in my gym bag, purse and car for a fiber-full and hunger calming snack. I don't know many people that don't love the fresh sweet, tart, tangy, juiciness of a perfectly ripe plum, kiwi or pear. Delicious. Besides being portable (no preparation!) and delicious on their own, fruits pack a whollop of healthiness to smoothies and salads.

For the biggest nutritional bang carve up some guava, watermelon, cantaloupe and kiwis for your Memorial Day BBQ. Loaded with Caratenoids and Vitamin C these fruits are fabulous.

According to the Environmental Working Group fruits can be ranked by the number of pesticides used to help grow them. When possible choose organic options and always wash well before eating. Fruits with the thickest rinds are usually 'cleaner' like pineapple, mango, melons and oranges.

No matter how you slice it, people who consume the most fruits and veggies (including some with pesticide residues) have a considerable lower risk for disease.

Yeah, fruit!