Fruit is a nutrient-dense, delicious, fiber-rich addition to your diet. That being said, fruits are often high in natural sugars, and it can be tough to understand how much you should eat in a day. Here, we'll explore the health benefits of fruit, how much fruit you should eat each day, some easy-to-implement ways to increase the amount of fruit in your diet, and how you can use technology to support your nutrition goals.
Health benefits of eating fruit
Fruit is loaded with vitamins that support your body's processes, along with a combination of sugars and fiber that provide sustained energy to keep you going throughout the day.
Often referred to as nature's candy, fruit has many health benefits that can lower the risk of developing certain health conditions, and can support your body's immune system to fight disease.
Some of the health benefits of eating fruit every day include:
- Lowered risk of cardiovascular disease: A Harvard study showed that people who have a higher intake of fruits and vegetables may have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Lower blood pressure: A study from the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension showed that people who ate diets high in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy had lower blood pressure than those who did not eat a diet rich in these foods.
- Weight management: Research from Harvard also showed promising results in using fruits and vegetables to manage weight. Over a 24-year study, participants who ate more fruits and vegetables were more likely to have lost weight over time, while those who did not increase their intake were more likely to gain weight. Including fruits in your diet can help you to maintain a healthy weight.
Recommended daily intake of fruit
Yes, it's true: you can have too much of a good thing when it comes to fruit. That being said, there's a good chance you aren't currently getting enough produce in your diet, and it's likely that you have plenty of wiggle room to include more fruits and vegetables.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that you eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. You can get your servings of fruit by enjoying your favorite produce items on their own, or you can incorporate fruits into your meals as you see fit. An important note: when it comes to produce, try to keep it as close to its natural form as possible. For example, your body will benefit far more from eating an entire fiber-packed orange than from drinking a glass of orange juice.
An important note: If you're diabetic or have other health conditions that are affected by the amount of sugar that you eat, it's important to talk with your healthcare provider before making changes to your nutrition plan.
Portion sizes and serving examples
Unsure of what constitutes a serving of fruit? While some fruits make it easy—for example, you know a single apple with lunch counts as one of your daily servings of fruit—other produce items are a little trickier.
Some of the recommended servings of fruits include:
- Apricots: 1 fresh, 1/2 cup canned, or 5 dried
- Blueberries: 1/2 cup
- Cantaloupe: 1/4 of an entire melon
- Grapes: 1/2 cup
- Prunes/dried plums: 6 individual pieces or 1/4 cup
- Strawberries: 1/2 cup
Best fruits for different health goals
No matter what your health goals, there are a number of fruits and vegetables that can support you as you move through your wellness journey. Let's take a look at some common health goals and the fruits that can help you get where you want to go.
Digestive health
The fiber in fruit can help to regulate your digestive system. Try adding bananas, grapefruit, oranges, and berries to your diet to improve digestion.
Healthy skin
We all want clear, glowing skin, and thankfully, there are plenty of fruits that can give you the look you're after. For healthy skin, load up on avocados (yes—they're considered a fruit!), tomatoes, and red grapes.
Weight loss
If you're working to shrink the number on the scale, fruit can help you enjoy sweetness without blowing your nutrition plan. Try adding apples, berries, grapefruit, kiwis, and oranges to your diet to support healthy weight loss.
Tips for incorporating more fruit into your diet
We've all been there: you want to clean up your nutrition, but keep falling into old habits. Thankfully, there are some simple changes you can make to boost your fruit intake.
Learn more about the seasonal produce that's available in your area. There's not much that's better than freshly picked fruits, and knowing that you have fruit at its peak freshness and sweetness can increase the likelihood that you reach for the fresh apples, strawberries, or watermelon slices you've prepared.
Add fruit to your grocery list instead of browsing the produce section and picking up your go-to items. Trying a new fruit each time you go grocery shopping can be a helpful way to find new favorites.
Leveraging technology to maximize your nutrient intake
Using a nutrition tracker is a smart way to make sure you're staying on track with your daily nutrition goals. Be sure to turn on notifications, so the app can let you know if you've missed a meal. Before long, you'll be habitually reaching for your phone to log your food throughout the day.
If you're ready to enjoy more fruit, we're here to help! At Evidation, our app analyzes the health data you're already tracking (with your permission) to provide you with personalized, content-based insights that give you the information you need to keep moving forward on your health journey. Learn more about how the app works and download Evidation today.
