Superpower Fruits to Add to Your Diet

Fruits and Veggies – so good for our health.  The September 2018 issue of Consumer Reports has great health articles.  Everything from healthy leafy greens to Fruit and Veggie Superpowers.  Most people know that fruits and veggies are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber that we need for good health.  But unlike some other foods, fruits and veggies are also loaded with “phytochemicals”.  Sounds bad to have chemicals in our food. But these “phytochemicals” actually help us prevent disease, reduce cell damage and help fight inflammation.  A win-win for our health.  An interesting fact is that different fruit and veggies have different phytochemicals.  So, eating a variety of fruits and veggies is actually better for your health than just eating an apple or a banana every day.  (But I do eat a banana EVERY DAY, but vary other fruit and veggies I eat.)

So, what are some of fruits in the article 10 Super-Healthy Sumer Fruits and Vegetables you can add to your day?

Superpower Fruits

• Blueberries – a true superpower fruit.  Blueberries are low in calories but packed with antioxidants that fight inflammation and cell damage.  Blueberries are also “brain food” as they help keep your brain function at peak performance by boosting brain health and improving your memory.

Blueberries - good for your brain

• Cherries – a summer time favorite of mine.  Also low in calories as 12 fresh Bing cherries have only 51 calories.  Bing cherries provide potassium – a mineral that helps lower your blood pressure.   So many Americans (98% of us) have diets low in potassium so eating more cherries and other fruit is a good way to boost your potassium intake.

 

• Peaches – A large peach has only 70 calories and provides vitamins A and C and a good amount of potassium at 285 mg per peach.  (We need about 4700 mg of potassium a day and fruit is a good way to add potassium to your diet.)
• Raspberries – oh so good fresh.  Farmer’s markets or if you are lucky a family member or friend who grows raspberries so you can get them really fresh.  Full of antioxidants.  They also add a lot of fiber to your day, about 8 grams of fiber in one cup of berries.  Fiber is important to our health as it helps reduce Type 2 diabetes and helps lower your cholesterol.
• Watermelon – we mentioned watermelon in a recent blog post.  And like its name, watermelon has lots of water in it, about 91% water.  So, a good fruit for hydration.  Watermelon provides many vitamins – A, C and B vitamins and also that important mineral – potassium.  Very low in calories so fill up.  Only 46 calories in a cup of diced watermelon.  A good-sized wedge has about 86 calories and is fat free.   As USDA says, watermelon packs a powerful lycopene punch, as  lycopene provides 40 percent more lycopene than tomatoes do.  Lycopene is a red pigment, an antioxidant that is good for your eyes and may protect against some cancers and heart disease.  USDA notes:  Watermelon “can be a so-called functional food – one that can help prevent certain diseases.”  

Watermelon - low in calories

This week pack some superpower fruits in your lunch.  Have a superpower fruit for a snack.  Serve some superpower watermelon at a picnic.

Sources:  Fruit and Veggie Superpowers, 10 Super-Healthy Sumer Fruits and Vegetables, brain, cherries, peach, provides, potassium, watermelon, watermelon, wedge, USDA, lycopene, calcherry