Nutrition and the New Food Pyramid: Fruit

Like vegetables, fruit contains fiber and plenty of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. But the great thing about fruit is its flavor. If you have a sweet tooth or just want a little treat, fruit is the healthiest way to indulge. Include a variety of fruits in your meals each day.

Most fruit is seasonal. So your choices change with the time of year. Take advantage of the seasons to keep healthy by eating fresh fruit. Most of your fruit should come from whole fruit. Nutrient-rich choices include:

• Any fruit that's fresh, frozen (unsweetened), or canned in its own juice (no added sugar).
• 100% fruit juice, such as orange juice. (Be aware that 100% juice is high in calories, and juice has less fiber than whole fruit. One cup a day is enough.)

• Added fat, sugar, or refined flour makes fruit less healthy. This means desserts like pastries, pies, and sorbet. Try a fruit salad or a smoothie instead.
• Fruit canned in heavy syrup contains added sugar. Check the label to find out if the fruit is canned in syrup. If it is, drain and rinse the fruit before eating it. Don't drink the syrup.
• Juice with sugar added (not 100% fruit juice) contains a lot of calories and very little nutrition. You may already know that soda has lots of sugar in it. But believe it or not, so do most juice drinks! Instead, try sparkling water with a splash of 100% fruit juice.
• Dried fruit may have added sugar. It also has less vitamin C and more calories than fresh fruit. It's okay to have a small handful from time to time. Just remember, it's not as good for you as fresh fruit.

Next time you're at the grocery store, pick out two fruits you've never tried. Have a better idea? Write it here:

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