Fruit Does a Body Good

You may or may not have realized it by now, but I love fruit. I crave it all the time, and we know, I don’t like to deny my cravings. It can get ugly.

On average, I consume three to five servings of fruit a day. I have at least two servings with my morning smoothie (typically a banana and some strawberries). I’ll easily ingest another piece or two throughout the day at work, which is feasible since I keep a giant fruit bowl at my desk all week long. No prep work needed for this snack. And if I’m lucky, I’ll have another serving with dinner or dessert (hello raspberry hotcakes…come to mama).

I really just adore fruit, and I’m skeptical of people who don’t eat it and of course, assume they are untrustworthy and twisted individuals.

Fruit really just kicks ass for soooooo many reasons. Just in case you don’t know why, I’m gonna break it down for you:

This is me, breaking it down.

• The variety is astounding. Honestly, if you can’t find one fruit you love, then you are way too picky and having bigger problems because your options are kind of unlimited: apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupes, cherries, figs, grapefruits, grapes, honeydew melons, kiwis, lemons, limes, mangos, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, tangerines, watermelon, to name just a few (notice the alphabetical order…calming sigh).
• You don’t need to cook it, and you don’t even need utensils to eat it. Talk about easy. You’re never gonna hear someone say, “No, I just didn’t have time to prepare those bananas, so I had to skip them.”
• Fruits are sweet, and I like sweet things (like the Hubby and gelato).
• Fruits make everything better. Chicken (eh), but chicken with a pineapple salsa. Now you’re talking (if you’re into eating meat,that is). A mango or tomato salsa (yes, tomatoes are actually a fruit) is a lovely accompaniment to tortilla chips, and fruit amps up every dessert it touches. Is there anything more American than apple pie or strawberry shortcake. Lemon tart with raspberries. Yes, please.
• Fruits are low in calories and almost fat-free (the real fat-free, not the scientifically manufactured, let’s add more sugar, fat-free).
• Fruits are high in fiber, and let’s face it, most folks don’t get enough fiber. Fiber keeps your digestive system regular and allows things to flow smoothly and naturally. I’ll put it to you this way, if you’re spending too much time in the bathroom (i.e you have enough time to read in there), then you’re not getting enough fiber. Fiber also keeps you feeling fuller longer, so you can eat less and still feel satisfied.
• Fruits are chock full of vitamins and antioxidants, and antioxidants keep us looking younger longer. If I thought it would work, I’d rub fruit all over my face, and I’m not even a little bit embarrassed by that statement.
• Fruits have carbs, and you most definitely need carbs. Carbohydrates are your source of energy, and we will go into this in great detail (probably more detail than you even want) later this week. So stay tuned for “The Truth About Carbs” (cue scary music).

Don’t you love having a food option which not only tastes fantastic, but makes you feel fuller longer and you can eat it 100% guilt free and in mass quantities. Now go eat your fruit. Preferably in mass quantities.

What’s your favorite fruit?  How often do you eat it?