Fruit is a high-quality carbohydrate that is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. The fiber in fruit comes in two forms — soluble and insoluble — and it can be a big help when it comes to weight loss.
The soluble fiber in fruit stabilizes blood sugar, keeps you feeling full, controls your hunger, and it may also lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Plus, it helps to temper blood sugars by slowing the absorption of carbohydrates into your bloodstream after meals, which can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and help keep your mood and energy levels steady. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your food so you can eat more of it without adding extra calories.
You can also think of fruits as “juicy foods,” since they’re mostly made up of water. Fresh and frozen fruit and other foods that have a high water content tend to be low in calories, since all that water adds volume and dilutes the calories. The high fiber and water content in fresh fruit helps fill you up for a minimal calorie cost, making whole fruit a smart addition to any weight-loss plan. The water contained in fruit, like the water you drink, hydrates your cells, flushes toxins from your body, assists with normal organ functioning, and helps you maintain optimal energy levels.
Fruit is especially beneficial for people fighting cardiovascular disease, as research suggests a diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and coronary artery disease. Heads up — if you’re taking any cardiac medications (or any other medications, for that matter), it’s important to check with your physician or pharmacist to see if any of your meds interact with grapefruit. Compounds in grapefruit and grapefruit juice can affect how certain medications are absorbed and metabolized, so you’ll need to avoid grapefruit completely if directed by a health-care professional.
Common nutrients in fruit include beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, folate, vitamins B6, C, and E, potassium, anthocyanins, and quercetin.