Your daily fruit requirement for health and beauty

No doubt, you’ve heard a common proverb “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” meaning if one eats healthy foods, one will remain in good health and will not need to see the doctor often.

Fruits provide significant amounts of fiber and many are generally high in vitamin C. The dietary fiber consumed in eating fruit promotes satiety, and may help to control body weight and aid reduction of blood cholesterol, a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Regular consumption of fruit is generally associated with reduced risks of several diseases and functional declines associated with aging.

Eat fruits every day – fresh or dried

Canada’s Food Guide recommends having at least one serving of fruit (one fruit, or half a cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruits or barriers) at every meal, making 4 servings a day. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines recommend the average adult consume two servings of fruit per day. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends adults eat four to five servings of fruit per day.

Dried fruits are significantly higher in calories and nutrients, smaller servings of them count toward more of your daily intake: a 1/2 cup serving of dried fruit is equal to 1 cup of fresh fruit. If you are on a 2,000-calorie diet, you can consume 2 cups of fresh fruit or the equivalent in canned, frozen or dried fruit to fulfill your daily recommendations.

Some of the healthiest fruits include mangos, apples, blueberries, bananas, and pineapple. You should eat fruits as part of a healthy diet. Eating fruit improves heart health, reduces inflammation, and boosts your immune system.

Some of the healthiest and widely consumed fruits in the world

Mangos

Known as the “king of fruits,” mangos are the most consumed fruit in the world with several hundred cultivars. The world’s leading mango producers include India, China, and Thailand, and more than 50 million tons of exotic tropical fruit are grown annually. Mangoes are an excellent source of potassium, folate, fiber, and vitamins A, C, B6, E, and K. They’re also rich in numerous plant polyphenols that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Mangoes are high in mangiferin, a potent antioxidant. They also deliver a generous dose of beta carotene, an antioxidant that’s converted to vitamin A by the human body. Vitamin A promotes healthy vision, skin, and teeth ‒ not to mention a strong immune system.

Apples

Apples are rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber, such as pectin, hemicellulose, and cellulose. These help you manage your blood sugar levels, promote good digestion, and support gut and heart health. In addition, they’re a good source of vitamin C and plant polyphenols, which are disease-fighting compounds found in plants. In fact, consuming apples regularly may lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, overweight, obesity, and neurological disorders. Being one of the most popular fruits, apples are chock-full of nutrition. But remember, that most of the polyphenols in apples are located just below the skin, so be sure to eat it to reap the greatest benefits.

Bananas

Bananas are well known for their high potassium content – 7% of the Daily Value (DV) – but their health benefits go far beyond it. Bananas are packed with vitamin B6 (27% of the DV), vitamin C (12% of the DV) and magnesium (8% of the DV). They are rich in a wide variety of polyphenols and phytosterols, both of which support your overall health. Bananas are high in prebiotics, a type of fiber that promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Unripe (green) bananas improve blood sugar levels because they are higher in resistant starch than ripe ones. On the other hand, ripe bananas are an excellent source of easily digested carbs, making them great to fuel up on before a workout.

Blueberries

Blueberries are the king of antioxidant foods. They are high in anthocyanin, a plant pigment and flavonoid that gives blueberries their characteristic blue-purple color. It helps fight cell-damaging free radicals that can lead to many diseases. Numerous studies have pointed to the health benefits of anthocyanins, such as a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, overweight, obesity, high blood pressure, certain types of cancer, and cognitive decline

Pineapples

Pineapple is one of the most popular tropical fruits. One cup (165 grams) of pineapple provides 88% of the DV for vitamin C and 73% of the DV for manganese. Manganese supports metabolism and blood sugar regulation and acts as an antioxidant. Pineapple also contains a number of polyphenols that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, pineapple contains an enzyme known as bromelain, which people commonly use to tenderize meats.