Spring Break
Fruit is great way to jumpstart your diet
Peter Curcio
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Forum
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." This phrase may seem vaguely familiar to some of us; perhaps we heard it passed down from our parents or grandparents. Nowadays, fruit is often overlooked in favor of other foods. But what can be easier and more convenient than eating fruit? What can be more satisfying than knowing we're providing our body with high-quality nutrients and health-promoting vitamins?
Nonetheless, most people do not eat enough fruit, despite it being one of the easiest ways to maintain our health and protect our bodies.
Relatively inexpensive and available in a variety of types, fruit is truly a winning part of any diet. It is also very nutritionally dense, providing a lot of vitamins, fiber and nutrients without a lot of calories and fat. In other words, fruit delivers a lot of nutritional bang for your buck. In addition, the fact that most fruit is 70 to 90 percent water means that you get full sooner and eat less overall.
While it is true that fruits contain sugar - called fructose - which is the sweetest of the natural sugars, it tends to be diluted by much of the water. This allows for fruit to contain an overall smaller dose and still deliver a satisfying sweetness while hydrating our bodies and providing top-quality raw materials to keep things in good, working order.
Can the same thing be said about soda, or pizza, or juice? No way. Those all contain loads of calories and, in the case of soda and juice, tons of sugar. Don't let the name fool you. Fruit juice, unless it is 100 percent fruit juice, is often packed with sugar and little else. Steer clear or only drink in moderation.
Try to be creative when it comes to fruit. Apples, oranges and bananas are excellent choices, but how about a kiwi fruit? It has the same amount of vitamin C as an orange, half the potassium of a banana, some fiber and a boatload of phytochemicals.
Try a mango, with almost a day's worth of vitamin A that protects your skin and promotes healthy vision. Watermelon, pears and cherries are also great choices. How about prunes? Oh, I'm sorry, I meant "dried plums." They may be squishy and weird, and may wreak havoc on your bottom if you're not used to them, but they contain some of the highest concentrations of antioxidants among fruits.
Nonetheless, most people do not eat enough fruit, despite it being one of the easiest ways to maintain our health and protect our bodies.
Relatively inexpensive and available in a variety of types, fruit is truly a winning part of any diet. It is also very nutritionally dense, providing a lot of vitamins, fiber and nutrients without a lot of calories and fat. In other words, fruit delivers a lot of nutritional bang for your buck. In addition, the fact that most fruit is 70 to 90 percent water means that you get full sooner and eat less overall.
While it is true that fruits contain sugar - called fructose - which is the sweetest of the natural sugars, it tends to be diluted by much of the water. This allows for fruit to contain an overall smaller dose and still deliver a satisfying sweetness while hydrating our bodies and providing top-quality raw materials to keep things in good, working order.
Can the same thing be said about soda, or pizza, or juice? No way. Those all contain loads of calories and, in the case of soda and juice, tons of sugar. Don't let the name fool you. Fruit juice, unless it is 100 percent fruit juice, is often packed with sugar and little else. Steer clear or only drink in moderation.
Try to be creative when it comes to fruit. Apples, oranges and bananas are excellent choices, but how about a kiwi fruit? It has the same amount of vitamin C as an orange, half the potassium of a banana, some fiber and a boatload of phytochemicals.
Try a mango, with almost a day's worth of vitamin A that protects your skin and promotes healthy vision. Watermelon, pears and cherries are also great choices. How about prunes? Oh, I'm sorry, I meant "dried plums." They may be squishy and weird, and may wreak havoc on your bottom if you're not used to them, but they contain some of the highest concentrations of antioxidants among fruits.
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