The Health Benefits to be derived from your fruit bowl - will an apple a day keep the doctor away?
In our article “The Fruit Smoothie - An Easy Way to Your Five a Day!” to be found elsewhere on our Blog, we have examined how adding a fruit smoothie to your breakfast can be an easy way to help you achieve the recommended daily target of five portions of fruit and vegetables.
The range of different fruits available is enormous and is continually changing as different fruits are in season at different times throughout the year.
Detailed in the table below are some of the most readily available fruits together with their perceived health benefits. Try to eat as broad a range of different fruits as possible as not only will this stop you getting bored with the food you are eating, it will also increase the range of health benefits which you are able to derive.
| The Fruit | Beneficial For |
| Apple | Digestion Low Cholesterol Blood pressure |
| Banana | Protection against heart disease Heartburn Nervous System Immune System [Good source of Folic Acid, Magnesium & Potassium] |
| Blueberry | Protection against heart disease Protection against cancer Immune System [Said to contain as many antioxidants as five servings of apples, carrots & broccoli] |
| Grapes | Protection against heart disease Nervous system Immune system Circulation/blood pressure [Contain anti-aging compounds] |
| Kiwi | Nervous System Immune System Skin Reduces risk of strokes Helps to regulate blood sugars |
| Mango | Immune system Protection against cancer Muscles Red blood cells Eyes Skin |
| Orange | Protection against heart disease Immunity Fighting infections Blood pressure [Good source of Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron & Potassium] |
| Pomegranate | Protection against heart disease Low cholesterol Detox - supports the kidneys Mouth ulcers/gum disease |
| Strawberry | Protection against cancer Skin Gums Healthy joints [May also act as a painkiller. Good source of Potassium] |
So, while eating an apple a day may not necessarily keep the doctor away, you can be sure you will derive very real health benefits from regularly eating a range of different fruits.
