I have always advocated for eating fruits; more vegetables than fruit, of course. There are so many benefits. They are full of nutrients, protect the heart and brain, easy to eat, delicious, and low calorie. Don’t stop eating them because some people think they are high in sugar. This natural sweetener helps curb sugar cravings and there’s always more fiber than sugar in mother nature’s food. (You’ll have to be strict with portions if you have diabetes).
I am a big fan of variety. Even though I’m sharing the top 5 fruits, please eat them all and focus on variety and eating with the seasons. Fruits are packed with potassium, vitamin C & K, folate, fiber, carotenoids, lutein, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, magnesium, etc. A serving of fruit is typically only 50-100 calories and they fill you up. Choose to eat the whole food versus drinking juice, smoothie, or eating dried or processed fruits. The high water content is what keeps the calories low.
My snack is normally a fruit because I just need to tie myself over until the next meal so that I’m not h-angry. It’s just so easy…bananas, apples, berries, tangerines, peaches, etc. I know pineapples, mangoes, papayas, melons, etc. take more prep time but it’s worth it. They are so delicious and add on to that variety topic I love so much. I am a mama-bear to a 5-year old so I’m so willing to put in the work so I can pack my family full of nutrients. But…aren’t you worth it too???!!! So what if you’re single, living alone, or whatever your circumstance. Aren’t you equally as important as my super cute 5 year old?! I think so. Let’s re-frame how we see self-worth and the time it takes to commit to just “me.”
Here you go. Top 5 fruits for each category:
Fiber: Kumquats, raspberries, pink guavas, blackberries, pomegranates
Vitamin C: Pink guavas, kiwis, lychees, papayas, strawberries
Potassium: Pink guavas, bananas, dried apricots, kiwis, dried peaches
Folate: Pink guavas, mangoes, pomegranates, papayas, kiwis
Carotenoids: Pink guavas, watermelons, papayas, persimmons, red or pink grapefruits
* Study conducted by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
If you need help understanding nutrition and all the mixed messages out there, give us a call. We will address your stress level, diet, exercise, cravings, emotional eating and overall health and happiness. Start with a free health consultation at www.HappyFoodHealth.com or (619) 876-2655. See if this is the right match for you. I do things very differently to make health a natural lifestyle. Check out Yelp for other people’s opinion of Happy Food.
~ Samantha Hua, Happy Food
Nutrition & Holistic Health Coach, San Diego, CA
