1. Pick a Color
Although all fruits are healthy, one way to get the most out of this sweet food group is to eat a variety of colors of fruit. Instead of apples, pears and bananas all week, branch out into colorful berries, exotic mangoes, papayas, juicy plums and peaches.
The color of fruit is often produced from compounds that have purported health benefits. Blueberries, for instance, get their deep color from anthocyanins, a class of compounds thought to act as antioxidants and potential cancer-fighters. Choosing from a variety of colors also lets you access a wide range of nutrients that are scattered across different fruits.
2. Focus on Fiber
All plant foods have some fiber and fruit is no exception. Some fruits are fiber powerhouses while others have just a bit. If you're looking for the most fiber, focus on these fruits: raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, boysenberries, oranges, pears and avocados.
3. Eat More Fruit Than You Drink
For healthy fruit, it's a good idea to choose whole fruit instead of fruit juice. Why? First of all, clear fruit juice contains none of the fiber of whole fruit. Also, certain nutrients and antioxidants can be lost during the processing of fruits into fruit juice.
You can see the differences by comparing 1/2 of a large apple to the same amount by weight of apple juice (about 3 1/2 oz.). Calories and sugars are similar, but the whole apple contains over 2g of fiber while the juice contains none. Also, the whole apple contains more of every vitamin than the juice.
Lastly, it's easier to drink more calories of juice than of whole fruit. The example above shows that for the same calories, you get either one half of a large apple or 3 1/2 oz. of juice. If you're trying to lose weight, which option do you think makes a more filling snack?
4. Beware of Fruit Snacks
Lots of products use images of fruit and fruit ingredients to appeal to consumers looking for good tasting ways to get more fruit in their diet. The problem is that many fruit snacks such as fruit pieces, fruit leathers or fruit flavored treats don't carry the health benefits that whole fruit is known to have.
One reason why public health groups recommend eating more servings of fruits and vegetables is that many research studies have linked higher intakes of these foods with lower rates of disease. Plus, people who eat more fruits and vegetables are more likely to be at a healthier weight than those who eat less. The people studied generally ate more whole fruit and whole vegetables.
Read labels of fruit snacks to find out exactly what you are getting. Actual fruit ingredients often make up a small percentage of total ingredients. Or, few of the nutrients of the whole fruit are retained. The bottom line is to eat most of your fruit in whole form!
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