Five essential fruits for any diet

Welcome to Diet and Fitness Podcast, a free audio podcast sponsored by Diet.com. This is your fit, fun, and fabulous host, Lady Diet, ready to give you the skinny on the latest diet fitness health tips and news.

How many times have you heard the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Is this really true? What is it about apples, and other fruit, that makes them such nutritional leaders? Are there any fruits that are particularly good for maintaining your waistline and your health? In today’s podcast, I venture into the fruit kingdom to bring you five of my favorite fat-fighting fruit stars!

1)First, let’s get back to apples. Apples are fantastic for your diet for a wide range of reasons. Number one – they’re packed with fiber. One medium apple contains over three grams! The insoluble fiber in apples can reduce cholesterol by about 10%. Eat two apples a day, and that’s almost 20%! In addition, apples contain flavinoids, the pigment that brings out the color in apples. Flavinoids actually help lower the risk of heart disease! I personally have taken up a daily apple routine and I haven’t gone to a doctor yet! My practical reasons why apples are amazing? One medium apple is about 100 calories and highly durable – the perfect, portion-controlled, on-the-go snack!

2)Blueberries are next on my list of essential fruits to keep in your diet. The blueberry is considered one of the world’s superfoods, armed with antioxidant power to fight off free radicals that can lead to heart disease, colon cancer and more. They’re loaded with vitamin C and bursting with flavor and go great on almost anything. I always add a handful to my cereal in the morning and leave a bowl of them out to snack on.

3)Kia ora, kiwifruit! If you really want some vitamin C, go for kiwifruit, the small green fruit from New Zealand! It’s got a zingy taste unlike any other fruit, and its vibrant green coloring and crunchy seeds surely stand out. If you haven’t heard of that study from Rutgers University, kiwifruit topped the list of nutrient-dense fruit. In addition to vitamin C, it’s also rich in potassium and vitamin E. Personally, my favorite way to eat kiwifruit is to slice it in half and scoop it out with a spoon!

4)Grapefruits are great for your diet and your taste buds. With almost as much vitamin C as kiwifruit, grapefruit has great antioxidant effects to help boost your immune system. Go for grapefruits rich in pink and red colors to get more lycopene, a phytonutrient that fights free radicals. Red grapefruits are better than blond grapefruits at lowering cholesterol. One serving is about one half of a grapefruit, and the best way to eat it is to slice a half into individual sections and enjoy one by one!

5)Watermelon is the quintessential summer fruit, probably for its light taste and extraordinary ability to cool and refresh any summer enthusiast. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin A or beta-carotene. Another reason to rejoice with watermelon? It’s got a high water content and low calorie content in comparison to other fruits. One cup is just 48 calories! Watermelon’s great in fruit salad, but my favorite way to eat watermelon is by the slice on a hot summer day.

Now that you’ve heard my top five picks for healthy fruits, try going to Diet.com’s own recipe section for great fruitiful recipes! Try to include fruit in your daily diet so you don’t miss out on essential nutrients. Instead of going for a fattening high calorie dessert, try your favorite fruit instead. They’re naturally sweet, healthy, and absolutely delicious!

If you have any comments or suggestions about today’s podcast, or any fun health diet or fitness tip, please feel free to email me at LadyDietPodcast at dietdotcom.

This is Lady Diet signing off…