The six healthiest fruits of all time, according to a dietitian

For all the fruit lovers out there, it is certainly your time of year. Not only is delicious Aussie stone fruit in season but fresh produce is available in bountiful amounts, at reasonable prices.

Fruits – unlike most vegetables – do have a higher calorie load, thanks to the naturally occurring sugar, fructose, but fruit is also a rich source of a number of essential nutrients, including dietary fibre, vitamin C and potassium.

While all fruits are good for us, there are a handful of fruits that are rich sources of a number of essential nutrients, and for this reason these options are nutritional standouts when it comes to the super fruits to add to your diet regularly.

Blueberries

While all berries are good for us, it is blueberries that stand out when it comes to boosting health and longevity, with a number of studies showing that the high antioxidant content of blueberries appears to help protect the brain from cognitive decline.

Not only are blueberries low in calories, they’re also rich sources of vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium and dietary fibre. Even better, fresh berries have also become much more affordable, which means they can now be enjoyed as a light snack between meals, as a fibre boost to smoothies and juices, or as a sweet treat served with a little Greek yoghurt and seeds or nuts. Always wash your berries to help minimise exposure to pesticides.

Apples

With just 60 to 80 calories per serve, 3g of fibre and plenty of nutrients including potassium and vitamin C, apples are a low-GI, high-fibre food that make a perfect snack on the run.

While the positive nutritional profile of apples has been known for thousands of years, more recently researchers have become increasingly aware of the nutrient powerhouse that is apple skin.

Apple skin contains high amounts of polyphenols, in fact more than double the amount of these powerful molecules than the flesh of the apple. Specifically, research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition has found that the high polyphenol content of apples appears to be linked to preventing weight gain via a range of mechanisms, including reducing the absorption of fat and carbohydrate in the body, helping fat to be metabolised, and to help create a healthy gut that is required for weight control.

Avocado

It is hard to fault Australia’s favourite toast topping – avocados are rich in the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and a good source of dietary fibre, and it is their high natural vitamin E content that takes them into the superfood category.

Linked to everything from heart health to good skin to acting as a natural anti-inflammatory, you cannot go wrong if you include a quarter to a half an avocado in your diet each day. It has been shown that enjoying half an avocado at lunchtime can significantly improve feelings of fullness and satisfaction through the afternoon.

Kiwifruit

When we are considering including more vitamin C in our diet, thoughts often turn to citrus fruits, but it is kiwifruit that is, in fact, the super fruit in the vitamin C department, offering more than 50mg of vitamin C per kiwi.

They also offer dietary fibre – the antioxidant molecules carotenoids, which protect cells from damage – as well as vitamin E. Specifically, it is the high soluble fibre content of kiwis that is linked to improving digestion. In fact, studies have shown that adding two kiwifruits to the diet each day can help to relieve chronic constipation.

Pomegranate

This underrated, sometimes hard-to-find fruit hit the superfood list thanks to its extremely high anthocyanin content, which has been shown to significantly reduce inflammation in the body.

Rich in vitamins C and K, as well as potassium and magnesium, pomegranates have also been shown to have a beneficial effect for both high cholesterol and blood pressure and are a must-add to the diet for anyone battling the effects of chronic pain secondary to inflammation.

Kakadu plums

Plums in general are rich nutritionally, offering dietary fibre, vitamins C and K, potassium and magnesium, but it is the Kakadu plum in particular that is a true superfood.

Found rarely in its natural form but used medicinally for thousands of years by Indigenous Australians, the Kakadu plum contains more than 50 times the natural vitamin C oranges offer, linking it to myriad health benefits, including playing a strong anti-cancer role.

It is currently most commonly found in powdered forms. If you are looking for a nutrient-rich addition to smoothies and yoghurts, Kakadu plum powder is certainly worth a try.

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