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Do you eat enough fruit? Many health practitioners advocate eating ten portions of fruit and vegetables per day, while most public health campaigns recommend five portions per day, as this has been thought to be more achievable. However, in 2017, only 29% of UK adults and 18% of children ate the recommended minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables per day (1).
In this article we bring you a roundup of ten of the healthiest fruits to include in your daily food choices and help you reach ten portions of fruit and veg per day.
As you will discover, fruit can help counter inflammation, support your brain and heart health and more.
Health benefits of fruit
Fruit contains a range of antioxidants which exert many different effects in the body, each providing various health benefits.
Antioxidants form part of a fruit’s defence mechanism, naturally protecting it from pests and ultraviolet rays. When you eat fruit, these antioxidants protect your cells from damage caused by oxidation; this occurs when free radicals are produced in the course of normal metabolism. Free radicals are molecules containing an extra electron, making them unstable.
Oxidation is linked to cellular ageing and DNA damage, so it’s important you take in sufficient antioxidants to arrest the process.
Antioxidants also play a role in the regulation of chronic inflammation. Although acute or short term inflammation is an important part of the process by which the body heals from injury, if it’s allowed to carry on unchecked it can be damaging. Uncontrolled, chronic inflammation is now believed to be a factor in the development of most chronic health conditions and diseases.
Healthy plant pigments
A good guide to the antioxidant content of a fruit is its colour. The richer and deeper the pigment, the more antioxidants it contains as the antioxidants give fruits their vibrant colour.
So it makes sense to choose a variety of fruit in different colours to maximise the variety of plant nutrients you’re consuming, and because antioxidants all work in combination with one another. Try to eat blue, red, orange and yellow fruits every day.
Read on for our pick of the top ten healthiest fruits for you to enjoy eating and boost your health.
#1 Blueberries
Elevated by the popular press to superfood status, these little nutritional powerhouses are believed to be one of the richest source of antioxidants in nature and contain a class of antioxidants called anthocyanins.
These antioxidants can reduce levels of so-called ‘bad’ cholesterol and prevent it oxidising, as well as support healthy blood pressure.
One study gave 250mg blueberries to volunteers for six weeks and discovered an increase in the activity of certain white blood cells, forming part of the immune system (2). Eating blueberries was also found to improve memory in older people after only 12 weeks.
As if this wasn’t enough, they’re also delicious! Try in smoothies, with yoghurt or granola or as a simple snack with a handful of fresh nuts.
#2 Cherries
Cherries are well known for their use in alleviating gout, an indication of their anti-inflammatory properties. Cherries have also been linked with less joint and muscle pain following exercise, as well as lower cholesterol and blood pressure and improved blood sugar control (3).
Cherries contain protective antioxidants such as polyphenols, anthocyanins and carotenoids – all natural anti-inflammatories.
Many people suffer from a lack of sleep, and one interesting health benefit of cherries is their melatonin content. Melatonin is the hormone responsible for helping you fall asleep.
Cherries grow naturally here in the UK, so why not treat yourself to some?
#3 Pomegranates
Although not grown locally in the UK, the pomegranate is worth a mention, again due to its ability to decrease levels of inflammatory chemicals in the body (4).
Research on pomegranate juice in connection with colon cancer suggests it may decrease the rate at which cancer cells divide. It has also been found to reduce blood pressure and normalise cholesterol levels.
Your brain may thank you for including pomegranate in your daily food choices. In one study, people were asked to drink eight fluid ounces of pomegranate juice daily for four weeks. Those drinking the juice scored better on a verbal memory test compared to people who were given a drink tasting the same but containing no pomegranate (5).
Pomegranates are an ideal ingredient in salads as well as with yoghurt or cereal, add to cold drinks for a colourful and nutritious decoration, or enjoy drinking fresh pomegranate juice.
#4 Red grapes
You’ve probably heard stories about red wine being good for your health – this is largely because of its grape content. Red grapes provide antioxidants including resveratrol, which has been widely studied in relation to its benefits on heart and circulatory heath, blood sugar control and its ability to retard cancer cells.
Other plant compounds in grapes may help protect eyes, joints and even boost brain power.
While some evidence suggests drinking moderate amounts of red wine may be beneficial to your health, eating red grapes has the advantage of providing you not only with antioxidants but also with dietary fibre.
Grapes are grown here in the UK so you won’t have problems finding local grapes in season.
#5 Apples
The humble apple is often overlooked, but the old adage ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ contains more than a grain of truth.
Apples contain the antioxidant flavonoid quercetin, which has been shown to reduce inflammation and allergic reactions. Apples also support your heart health and blood sugar control as well as protect brain function.
Pectin is a type of soluble fibre in apples, providing a food source for the beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome. Healthy gut bacteria affect your health in numerous ways, both by reducing inflammation and producing chemical messengers capable of influencing distant cells and tissues.
Apples are inexpensive, come in many different varieties to suit all palates, and keep well.
#6 Grapefruit
The sour taste of grapefruit divides opinion – if you’re not keen, you may want to think again as it’s believed eating grapefruit may support the action of insulin in the body, leading to better blood sugar control and so impacting on weight management (6).
Eating grapefruit has been linked to a reduction in cholesterol levels and prevention of kidney stones.
Grapefruit also contains substances called furanocoumarins which may protect cells against cancer.
Be careful if you are taking medical drugs such as certain statins, as well as some antidepressants and pain relievers, because grapefruit juice may affect how the drug is metabolised by the liver. By decreasing the rate at which the drugs are broken down, blood levels of the drug can rise. If you are taking these types of drugs, it is advisable to seek the advice of your medical practitioner before consuming grapefruit.
#7 Pineapple
Pineapples are included in our list of healthy fruits because they contain an enzyme known as bromelain, which has potent anti-inflammatory effects. Bromelain has been studied with relation to its role in reducing arthritis pain and it may also help prevent the growth of tumours.
The anti-inflammatory properties of pineapple may help support the immune system. One study fed children pineapple and found they had significantly more infection-fighting white blood cells than children who ate no pineapple (7).
Use pineapple in sweet and savoury dishes, including tropical fruit salad, veggie kebabs, or as a twist to a chicken casserole.
#8 Avocado
Slightly different from the other fruits on our list, avocado is low in sugar and contains plenty of healthy fats in the form of oleic acid. This is a type of monounsaturated fat believed to play a role in reducing inflammation and supporting cardiovascular health.
Avocado also contains good levels of potassium, needed for healthy heart function.
In terms of antioxidants, avocados contain lutein, which helps to protect eyes and skin, and can support brain function.
Avocado is versatile and can be used as the base of a smoothie, in sandwiches or salads, on toast as guacamole or with scrambled eggs.
#9 Watermelon
Perfect on a hot summer’s day, refreshing watermelon contains the antioxidant lycopene, along with a bitter compound called cucurbitacin.
A good level of lycopene is connected with improved eye health, fewer incidences of cancers of the digestive system, as well as lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and protection from diabetes. Cucurbitacin may prevent cancer cells from growing and is thought to support brain health.
Eat watermelon as it is, spice it up with black pepper, include in a salad, serve with seafood or use it to flavour water.
#10 Blackberries
Another berry fruit containing anthocyanins, blackberries have been shown to be anti-inflammatory, supportive to brain health and may protect arterial health. They’re also a great source of vitamins C and K.
One study found blackberries contain antimicrobial substances which can help support your oral health (8).
They grow in the UK, and are delicious raw, cooked or in smoothies.
Takeaway
We hope we’ve provided you with inspiration to incorporate more healthy fruits into your day.
Buy fresh and local when possible, so your fruit hasn’t travelled long distances. Nutrient content naturally starts to decline after fruit has been picked. Frozen fruit can offer a healthy option out of season as fruits are typically frozen shortly after they are picked.
Go organic if you can. One recent review of over three hundred studies found organic crops contain on average 40% more antioxidants than conventionally grown crops. Specific antioxidants such as flavanones were an incredible 69% higher in the organic crops, while anthocyanidins were 51% higher. Unsurprisingly, pesticide residues were significantly higher – up to four times – in the non-organic crops (9).
It’s important to remember fruits do contain sugar in the form of fructose. However, because the sugar is naturally packaged in fresh fruit along with fibre and other nutrients it does not impact as greatly on your blood sugar as processed foods, which often contain added sugar or fruit juices, which lack fibre and so can interfere with blood sugar control as the sugar is absorbed more swiftly.
If you would like further guidance on how food choices can contribute towards optimal health, a consultation with an Amchara practitioner specialising in Personalised Health can look into your unique nutritional requirements and assess how your lifestyle may be impacting on your health.
We believe sharing knowledge and experience is an important part of achieving optimal health and we’d love to hear about your healthy fruit choices.
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