The Best Fruits To Eat for improved Health
All fruits are nutritious, but some stand out for their exceptionally high levels of vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants.
Eating more fruits, such as blueberries, citrus fruits, apples, and pomegranates, can improve the quality of your diet while also potentially benefiting your health in other ways, such as lowering your risk of common health conditions such as heart disease and cancer.
Here are the 15 healthiest fruits to eat.
- Blueberries
Blueberries have long been considered one of the healthiest fruits to consume. Decades of research have shown that eating blueberries on a regular basis can significantly improve and protect your health. According to studies, eating one-third cup of blueberries per day can lower the risk of a variety of health conditions, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Blueberries contain a high concentration of powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds such as flavonoids and anthocyanins, as well as fibre, vitamin C, and a variety of other essential nutrients, making them one of the healthiest fruits you can eat.
2. Cherries
Cherries range in flavour from sweet to tart, but they are all high in antioxidants. Sweet and tart cherries contain polyphenols such as anthocyanins, catechin, epicatechin, and hydroxycinnamates, all of which are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Because cherries contain so many anti-inflammatory components, research suggests that eating them may lower the risk of various inflammatory disorders, including arthritis, heart disease, and several malignancies.
Cherries are high in fibre and include vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C and potassium.
3. Pomegranate
Pomegranate is an Asian fruit with sweet-tasting, crisp seeds called arils that are high in nutrients. One cup of pomegranate arils provides 20% of your daily vitamin C needs, which has significant antioxidant and immune-supporting effects, as well as 17% of your folate needs, a B vitamin that is essential for red blood cell formation, growth, and development.
Because pomegranates contain so many nutrients and antioxidant components, eating pomegranate arils and drinking pomegranate juice may help improve athletic performance, heart health, cognitive function, and protect against a variety of health disorders.
4. Raspberries
Raspberries are one of the best sources of fibre, with 9.75 grammes per cup, accounting for over 35% of the 28-gram Daily Value (DV) for fibre intake.
Including fiber-rich foods in your diet, such as raspberries, promotes good bowel movements, avoids constipation, and supports the growth of helpful bacteria in the digestive tract. Fibre also makes you feel full after eating, which helps you keep a healthy weight. Raspberries are high in fibre, vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin K, as well as potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory plant components.
5. Pineapples
Pineapples are among the most popular tropical fruits in the world. They have a very sweet taste and a juicy texture, and are usually consumed raw, such as in fruit salads, or blended into drinks like smoothies.
Pineapples are low in calories but high in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, copper, manganese, and several others. For example, only one cup of sliced pineapple provides 88% of your daily vitamin C requirements.
They also contain significant levels of bromelain, an enzyme with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immune-supportive characteristics.
6. Apples
Apples are popular fruits high in nutrients that promote heart health. For example, apples are high in soluble fibre, a form of fibre that promotes healthy blood lipid levels by reducing cholesterol absorption in the digestive system and boosting its outflow from the body.
According to a 2020 study, eating apples is an effective strategy to lower total and LDL cholesterol, as well as blood pressure and inflammatory indicators, all of which can help prevent heart disease development. To promote heart health, the researchers recommended consuming 100 to 150 grammes of apples every day, which is equivalent to one small-to-medium-sized apple.
7. Avocado
Avocados are unique fruits that are high in heart-healthy fats and fiber, yet low in carbohydrates. One half of an avocado provides nearly 7 grams of filling fiber and just 8.5 grams of carbs, making avocados a smart choice for those following low-carb diets.
In addition to fibre, avocados are strong in monounsaturated fats, which have been found to help promote good blood lipid levels, as well as vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, and magnesium, all of which are vital for overall health. According to studies, eating avocados may help regulate blood sugar, lose weight, and improve heart health while increasing overall nutrient consumption.
8. Mangoes
Mangoes are tropical fruits with vivid orange flesh that is delicious and sweet. Mangoes contain a range of minerals, but they are particularly high in vitamins A and C. One cup of mango has 10% and 67% of the recommended daily value for these components, respectively. Both of these vitamins protect cells and are required for immune system function.
Mango also contains plant chemicals and minerals that can aid digestion and bowel motions, such as polyphenol antioxidants and fibre. According to a 2018 study, consuming 300 grammes of mango per day significantly improved stool quality and frequency while also reducing intestinal inflammation in persons with chronic constipation compared to a fibre supplement.
9. Oranges
Oranges are high in nutrition and can help you achieve your daily requirements for vital elements such as vitamin C. One navel orange has 82.7 milligrammes (mg) of vitamin C, which meets 92% of your daily requirements.
Vitamin C is required for immunological function, collagen formation, and iron absorption. It also acts as a potent antioxidant, protecting cells from damage that could lead to disease. According to studies, persons who eat citrus fruits on a daily basis are less likely to acquire a variety of ailments, including type 2 diabetes and some cancers, such as colorectal cancer.
10. Apricots
Apricots are small, orange-colored fruits that are high in vitamins C, A, and potassium. They contain high levels of beta-carotene, a provitamin A carotenoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, beta-carotene makes up to 84% of the total carotenoid concentration in apricots.
Higher beta-carotene levels in the blood have been linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancer, as well as death from heart disease and cancer.
Apricots have a sweet, somewhat tangy flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked in recipes such as fruit salads and pies.
11. Peaches
Though peaches are widely used in delicacies such as pies and jams, they are best enjoyed whole and uncooked.
According to research, fresh peach peels and pulp have stronger antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity than cooked peach products, and peach peels contain more minerals and polyphenol antioxidants than peach pulp. In fact, some research indicate that peach peels have up to 27 times more antioxidant activity than peach pulp.
Peaches are rich in antioxidants such as carotenoids and phenolic acids, as well as vitamins C, A, potassium, and fibre.
12. Grapes
Grapes are abundant in polyphenol chemicals such flavonoids, phenolic acids, and resveratrol, which may improve heart health and protect against heart disease.
Resveratrol may also defend against ageing and age-related health issues by activating proteins known as sirtuins, which have anti-aging and longevity-promoting properties in the body.
Furthermore, grapes are high in minerals that are beneficial to health, such as copper, vitamin K, and B vitamins.
13. Strawberries
Strawberries are a favourite of both children and adults, and with good reason. In addition to their sweet flavour and adaptability in the kitchen, strawberries are also healthy, including a variety of vitamins and minerals essential for skin and heart health, such as folate and vitamin C.
A cup of strawberries provides more than 100% of your daily vitamin C needs, which is required for the creation of collagen, a protein that keeps your skin's suppleness, volume, and hydration.
According to studies, strawberries may promote heart health by enhancing blood vessel function and lowering heart disease risk factors including LDL cholesterol, as well as helping to boost the body's antioxidant defences.
14. Grapefruits
Grapefruits are nutrient-dense citrus fruits with a sour flavour. A cup of grapefruit segments in your daily diet can provide approximately 100% of your vitamin C requirements, which can improve the health of your skin, heart, and immune system.18
Grapefruits are also high in flavonoids, including naringin and naringenin, which have been proven to have anticancer characteristics.
15. Blackberries
Blackberries are delicious and juicy, and they're high in vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants.
Blackberries have a high concentration of anthocyanins, flavonols, and ellagitannins, which contribute to its antioxidant power. In addition to decreasing inflammation and protecting against cellular damage, blackberries may help lower heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels.
According to studies, consuming anthocyanin-rich fruits, such as blackberries, may lower the risk of prevalent health disorders such as cardiovascular disease. A 2021 analysis of 59 studies indicated that a high consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods, particularly berries, was associated with a 27% lower risk of total heart disease incidence and a 9% lower risk of total heart disease-related mortality.
How much fruit should you eat per day?
Some Health organisations suggests that people eat 4 to 5 servings of fruit per day. A serving of fruit equates to one medium fruit, about the size of an adult fist, or a half-cup of sliced fruit. Try keeping a variety of fruits on hand in your home for an easy and tasty method to safeguard your health and increase your vitamin intake.
Tips for Consuming More Fruit
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