Camille Adams
Sweet tastes of summer lie inside a beautiful fruit bowl. This favorite outdoor-party side dish should be included in one’s diet everyday of the year!
Are you a visual learner? No problem. See my video on the benefits of fruit here: https://www.instagram.com/easy.peasy.nutrition/
Between seeing fast-dieting trends of, “low-carb/no sugar” meals, the general public seems confused on whether to eat fruit, and if it is healthy or not. I am here to clear up the confusion on how beneficial fruit can be in the diet! Although fruit has sugar, fruit is digested and processed differently than a piece of cake.
The most recent dietary guidelines recommend people eat around 2 cups of fruit a day. There is no specific requirement for the type of fruit.
What are the major differences between fresh, frozen, and canned fruit?
Fresh fruit will always be the best option for getting optimal nutrients and fiber from fruit. Make sure to always wash your fruit, especially any type of melon. Lots of bacteria, dirt, and pesticides can be on the surface of fruit. Wash with warm water and white vinegar to ensure none of this is eaten or transferred from the knife used to cut the melon with.
Frozen Fruit is a great, budget-friendly, option for getting the nutrient benefits of fruit, or for smoothie lovers. Freezing fruit does not remove the vitamins and minerals. When thawed it can be enjoyed just like fresh fruit, and may be the only option for those who don’t live in an area with plenty of fresh produce.
Canned Fruit is another budget friendly option, but be careful when buying canned fruit. This fruit is often canned in syrup or mixed with sugar. It is done to help preserve the fruit, but it can add a lot of unnecessary sugar and calories.
If canned fruit is a go-to in your home, make sure to look for “canned in water” and read the label to make sure there is no added sugar.
Let’s get into the benefits of fruit!
A main benefit of fruit is fiber. Fiber is naturally found in plant-based foods. When eaten every day, fiber can naturally lower blood pressure, keep you full longer, and can lower blood sugar. Yes, diabetics can have fruit! All things in moderation.
1 kiwi for example, has around 3g of fiber per each fruit. Eating that one kiwi is around 10-15% of a person’s daily goal for fiber. 1 Medium Apple with the skin on can give around 17-25% of your daily fiber needs. An apple a day really can keep the doctor away!
Another main benefit of fruit is its high Vitamin and Mineral content. Fruit is beautiful, and comes in every color of the rainbow. Each different color naturally gives a different amount of vitamins and minerals. Making sure to eat different colored fruits will ensure one can get tons of different vitamins and minerals.
Berries like blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries contain thousands of antioxidants. These fruits are amazing for heart health as they can regulate blood pressure, assist in reducing clogged arteries, and reduce oxidative stress put on the body. Oxidative stress in short, is mental and physical stress we can carry in our body that can lead us to becoming unhealthy and in an inflamed state.
Have you eaten enough fruit today?
References
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1102644/nutrients Apple, Nutrition facts.
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1102667/nutrients Kiwi, Nutrition facts.
https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf (Pg. 20, Chapter 1: Nutrition and Health Across the Lifespan)
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