This incredible guide to fruit will blow your mind with fascinating fruit facts, fruit benefits, fruit tutorials, 200+ fruit recipes, and videos.
Even before mankind has found pleasure in consuming artificially-made sweets and munchies, nature has already gifted us with more than a dozen varieties of fruit.
Often prepared as desserts and snacks, fruits are actually more than just foods you eat to refresh your palate or satisfy your sweet tooth.
It shouldn’t be news to you that fruits are healthy—a lot of plant-based foods are.
** Please note that this post may contain affiliate links which means that I can receive a small payment if you make a purchase through my links.
There’s a truth in the adage “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, though it virtually applies to any fruit in the produce section (including the ones you thought were “veggies”; surprise!).
But did you know that only 1 out of 10 adults consume their daily dietary requirement of fruits?
It’s more alarming than interesting; especially since we have a surplus of produce, of which fruits make up the largest portion.
Looking back to when I was younger, I would try my best to sneak fruits into my diet despite not having much time to indulge in them.
Sometimes I wonder if I had only had eaten a lot of this product, I would never have to suffer from poor health growing up.
But epiphany comes to everyone at the right time, and I’m just thankful to have realized the healing and restorative effects of fruits before it’s too late.
So since I’m preaching the importance of plant-based foods in the diet—especially of fruits—I’m going to discuss with you everything you need to know about nature’s first and ultimate answer to hunger, in hopes of making you experience the amazing health benefits of these earth’s harvests.
Table Of Contents
- 5 Fascinating Fruit Facts
- 5 Fabulous Fruit Benefits
- Fruit vs Vegetables: Which Is Better?
- Fruit For Weight Loss: Does It Work?
- How To Keep Fruit Fresh
- How To Quickly Ripen Fruit
- How To Tell If Fruit Is Ripe
- How To Cut Fruit Correctly
- Fruit List
- Low Fat Sweet Fruit
- Fruiting Vegetables /Non-Sweet Fruit
- High Fat Fruit
- High Protein Fruit
- Fruit Recipes
- Fruit Videos
- Conclusion
- Related Guides You Will Love
5 Fascinating Fruit Facts
I guess it would be fun to start with a few interesting tidbits about fruits to see how much you know about them.
Did you know…?
1) Strawberries Aren’t Exactly Berries
Sure, they may have it in their name. But strawberries aren’t berries in a sense that they grow from flowers having multiple ovaries.
“Real berries” only develop from one ovary, which consequently makes grapes also a berry species.
Other fruits you probably don’t know are actually berries include bananas, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, chili peppers, and watermelons.
However, this only applies to botanical classification and is not meant to confuse you.
In general, any fruit that is juicy, grows in clusters, rounded, brightly colored, and doesn’t have a pit is considered a berry.
2) Your Apple Is Actually A Rose
No kidding: apple, peaches, and raspberries are all classified under the same botanical family group called “Rosaceae”.
Rose itself has been discovered edible, but it doesn’t mean we can automatically consider it a fruit; besides, it needs special preparation to make it safe for consumption.
Obviously, non-fruit- bearing trees and ornamental genus of Rosaceae are not referred to as fruits.
3) Coconut Is All Three Kinds: A Fruit, A Nut, And A Seed
Coming from the palm tree family, coconut is one of the few botanical mysteries in which it can be classified as a fruit, a nut, and a seed.
Technically, coconut is a drupe—a one-seeded fibrous fruit.
The “nut” part comes with the idea that it has a hard shell outside and an edible “seed” inside.
If you have concerns about nut allergies, you can rest assured that this fruit doesn’t register as a botanical nut in the same sense as peanuts, almonds, cashews, and walnuts, among many others.
4) Tomatoes Are Actually The World’s Most Popular Fruit
Being a garden staple, tomatoes have been considered as vegetables which you typically use for cooking soups and stir-frys.
In fact, in 1893, a court justice declared tomato as a taxable vegetable variety for this reason.
Botanically, tomato is a fruit. But through usage and tradition, it has become known as a vegetable.
5) Bananas Ripen While In Transit
This is why they often arrive in the groceries already ripe and fresh.
Special storage procedures are being carried out to ensure the still-unripe bananas will not spoil upon delivery.
5 Fabulous Fruit Benefits
A diet that is rich in fruits has been linked to a number of health benefits that help improve a person’s quality of life.
There have been a lot of studies discussing the effects of fruit consumption on health to validate the traditional beliefs surrounding it.
Among them are as follows:
1) Fruit consumption reduces the risks of developing chronic and terminal diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and cancer.
2) Fruits help improve vision through lutein and zeaxanthin components, thereby preventing age-related eyesight conditions such as macular degeneration and cataracts.
3) Fruits help maintain a healthy digestive tract through high fiber content, consequently making your bowel movements regular and helping you avoid bloating.
4) Regular consumption of fruits helps regulate blood pressure through a high concentration of potassium and almost non-existent saturated fats.
5) Water-rich fruits help you stay hydrated.
6) The vitamins C and E present in fruits can help you achieve healthy, glowing skin.
7) Citrus and other fruits containing antioxidants and phytochemicals help improve the immune system.
Fruit vs Vegetables: Which Is Better?
In terms of palatability, fruits are hands-down a better option for consuming nutrients from plant-based foods.
Unlike most vegetables that may need flavor enhancers to make them ready for consumption, fruits can be eaten alone and in huge amounts without experiencing any bitter aftertaste and possible food poisoning.
This leads you to increase your stock of nutrients minus the hassle of having to prepare cooked veggies.
Fruit For Weight Loss: Does It Work?
Fruits are high in fiber and low in calories, which means you can curb your hunger pangs and avoid calorie-loading by staying full for longer.
Since most successful weight loss efforts are linked to low-calorie intake, you can benefit from frequent consumption of fruits to replace your calorie-heavy diet.
What’s more, is that there are components in fruits that help rev up your metabolism by signaling the responsible hormones.
Similarly, there are a few fat-busting enzymes present in fruits that can aid in effective weight loss.
How To Keep Fruit Fresh
You should keep your fruits separately from each other when in bundles to avoid premature ripening caused by the production of ethylene gas in already ripe fruits.
Still-unripe fruits can be stored in the counter or in a fruit basket until they are ripe enough to be transferred into the fridge.
Most citrus fruits can keep for a week inside cool, dark storage, but can also be prolonged when refrigerated.
Do not wash berries prior to storage because it will cause the molds to develop.
How To Quickly Ripen Fruit
Worried that you might miss your daily fruity fix because they’re still unripe?
Help ripen your fruits, especially apples and bananas, by placing them inside a brown paper bag.
If you have a stock of uncooked rice, completely submerge your unripe fruits in the grains to trap the ethylene gas and in turn, speed up the ripening process.
In case you have plenty of fruits that need to hasten ripeness, you may lay them down separately on a clean cloth and top them with another cloth.
How To Tell If Fruit Is Ripe
You can tell if a fruit is ripe basically by its smell.
If it smells fragrant, it could be a sign that it is ripe.
Otherwise, you can press lightly on the sides of the fruit to see if it has turned a little tender.
Most unripe fruits tend to be hard on the surface when pressed.
Some select fruits can easily be recognized as ripe through its color change.
Green mangoes, bananas, and some citrus fruits are known to turn from green to yellow and orange when ripe.
Still, other fruits tend to be heavier when ripe.
Check the weight and compare similar fruits to know which needs to ripen and which is ready to eat.
How To Cut Fruit Correctly
To cut fruits the right way, you need a sharp knife to begin with.
This will ensure that your fruits won’t mash—especially if they have tender flesh—when you attempt to slice it with a dull knife.
For cantaloupe, start peeling the surface from top to bottom sideways, following the lines previously made, and slicing them into boats or into cubes.
For pineapple, cut away the head and bottom and follow the same procedure as for cantaloupe, only removing the “eyes” as you do so.
The rest of the fruit cuts depend on their respective size and texture.
Tender fruits may only need slicing or cubing, while fruits with a rind or outer skin may need to be peeled first.
Fruit List
This list will give you some ideas of some of the most common fruits you can try to get some variety in your diet.
Low Fat Sweet Fruit
- Bananas
- Apple
- Apricot
- Blackberry
- Blackcurrant
- Blueberry
- Carob
- Cherry
- Cherimoya (Custard Apple)
- Cranberry
- Dates
- Dragonfruit (Pitaya)
- Elderberry
- Feijoa
- Fig
- Goji Berry
- Gooseberry
- Grape
- Grapefruit
- Guava
- Jackfruit
- Kiwifruit
- Kumquat
- Lemon Juice
- Lime Juice
- Lychee
- Mango
- Mangosteen
- Cantaloupe Melon
- Honeydew Melon
- Watermelon
- Mulberry
- Nectarine
- Orange
- Blood Orange
- Clementine
- Mandarine
- Tangerine
- Satsuma
- Papaya
- Passionfruit
- Peach
- Pear
- Persimmon
- Plantain
- Plum
- Prune
- Pineapple
- Pomegranate
- Pomelo
- Quince
- Raisins
- Raspberry
- Rambutan
- Redcurrant
- Strawberry
- Tamarind
- Ugli Fruit
- White Currant
- Sapote
Fruiting Vegetables /Non-Sweet Fruit
- Butternut Squash
- Pumpkin
- Zucchini / Courgette
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Bell Peppers
- Eggplant / Aubergine
- Corn
- Green Beans
High Fat Fruit
- Avocado
- Olives
- Durian
- Coconut
High Protein Fruit
- Beans
- Peas
- Chickpeas
- Lentils
High Protein & High Fat Fruit
- Almonds
- Peanuts and other groundnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Chestnuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
- Pecans
Fruit Tips, Facts & Motivation
10 Inventive New Ways To Eat More Fruits For Health
We all know we should eat fruits for health reasons but we often struggle to get enough. Here I share my top 10 ways to eat more fruit.
Click here to read 10 Inventive New Ways To Eat More Fruits For Health
4 Ways To Avoid Harmful Chemicals On Your Fruit & Veg
Pesticides have been linked to neurological damage and cancer. Find out how you can avoid harmful chemicals on your fruit and veg with these 4 tips.
Click here to read
8 Ways To Get Your Kids To Drink Their Smoothies
Are you struggling to get some healthy nutrition into your child? Here are 8 great ways to get your kids drinking their fruit and veg smoothies in no time.
Click here to read 8 Ways To Get Your Kids To Drink Their Smoothies
Two Fruits Pack The Biggest Antioxidant Punch For Disease Prevention And Longevity
While eating an apple a day could keep the undertaker away, a cooked tomato may be the biggest source of a powerful antioxidant to prevent disease. Find out more…
Click here to read Two Fruits Pack The Biggest Antioxidant Punch For Disease Prevention And Longevity
Eating Healthy When You Hate Fruits And Vegetables
Many people dislike the taste of fruit and vegetables but know they are vital for good health. Here are some ways to get all the goodness without the taste you hate.
Click here to read Eating Healthy When You Hate Fruits And Vegetables
5 Tropical Fruits That Can Change Your Life
From preventing birth defects to killing cancer cells, tropical fruits are not only delicious but can also be an amazingly healthy choice!
Click here to read 5 Tropical Fruits That Can Change Your Life
Top 40 Disease-fighting Fruits And Vegetables Revealed
These 40 foods are those most likely to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer!
Click here to read Top 40 Disease-fighting Fruits And Vegetables Revealed
Fruit And Veggies Pave The Road To Happiness
As well as being good for our bodies, it has been scientifically proven that fruit and vegetables are also extremely beneficial for mental well-being.
Click here to read Fruit And Veggies Pave The Road To Happiness
Berries – The Best Overall Fruits For Your Health
Berries are high in vitamins and antioxidants and can protect against such illnesses as cancer and heart disease! In fact, there are so many health benefits of these tiny miracle wonder-fruits.
Click here to read Berries – The Best Overall Fruits For Your Health
Is Sugar And Fruit Bad For Us? (I Reveal The Truth)
Is something as delicious as fruit really bad for us? Are some sugars better than others? I reveal the truth about sugar and fruit that can help you get healthier and shed weight without sacrificing taste!
Click here to read Is Sugar And Fruit Bad For Us? (I Reveal The Truth)
Stop The Fear Mongering.. Fruit Is Not The Enemy!
There is a really worrying trend that’s doing the rounds at the moment.
People are actually telling us that fruit is bad for us, and this statement absolutely breaks my heart.
Today I’m going to completely dispel the myth that fruit is bad for us.
Click here to read Stop The Fear Mongering.. Fruit Is Not The Enemy!
I’m Going To My First Fruit Festival!
I’ve never been to a fruit festival before and I’m so excited! So why am I going to a fruit festival this year? And why would you want to come? I explain all in this quick video.
Click here to read I’m Going To My First Fruit Festival!
21 Lowest Calorie Fruits For Weight Loss List
These 21 lowest calorie fruits will help you choose the fruit with the least calories so you can still get all the nutrients you need while you drop the fat.
Click here to read 21 Lowest Calorie Fruits For Weight Loss List
Fruit Diet & Meal Plans
I created a series of healthy, calorie counted diet plans to help you easily lose weight, feel full and also eat delicious food.
Here are all my diet plans to help you reach your goals fast.
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FREE 7 Day Smoothie Diet Plan For Weight Loss: Healthy Smoothie Recipes
This FREE 7 Day Smoothie Diet meal plan contains a week's worth of healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss.
Fruit Recipes
Homemade Raw Vegan Date Syrup Recipe
This healthy date syrup is a quick, easy, low cost, whole food homemade fruit sweetener that you can add to all your favorite recipes.
4 Ingredient Warming Apple Crumble
This easy 4-ingredient warming apple crumble recipe shows you can enjoy all the familiar comfort foods and still lose weight and be healthy.
Homemade Chocolate Orange Pudding
5 minute healthy and delicious chocolate and orange pudding with whipped coconut cream - a dessert in the Virtual Vegan Potluck. Check it out now.
Beautiful Banana And Blueberry Chia Pudding Recipe
"I finally found an amazing homemade pudding recipe that’s so healthy, you can even eat it for breakfast.
Find out how I make my beautiful banana and blueberry chia pudding recipe..."
Berry Smoothie Recipe: Reduce Inflammation
This antioxidant loaded berry smoothie recipe has a variety of fibre rich berries. It is full of antioxidants which protect your body from inflammation.
Spicy Plum Smoothie
This sweet and spicy plum smoothie will warm you up on a cold day as it has a lovely kick to it. It also has hidden greens for even more nutrition.
Persimmon Smoothie Dessert
A blended persimmon is very gelatinous which is perfect for making thick smoothies. This persimmon smoothie is so thick it's best eaten with a spoon!
Creamy Green Smoothie Bowl Recipe
Get my creamy green smoothie bowl recipe and 6 reasons why smoothie bowls are one of the things that I can’t live without. Read the post to find out why and get the recipe...
Lemon Meringue Pie Smoothie
Gorgeous lemon meringue pie smoothie recipe and a free 1 day sample of the Green Thickies 7 Day Diet Plan for weight loss and improved health. Get yours now.
Cold and Flu Busting Coconut and Orange Smoothie
This cold and flu busting coconut and orange smoothie will melt away your cold in no time. It will also give you sustained natural energy to keep you going all day,
Strawberry Chia High Protein Smoothie Bowl
This smoothie bowl is less than 500 calories. It contains 16.6 grams of protein, with 70 percent of your daily dietary fiber.
This recipe is rich with vitamin A, C, calcium, and iron.
Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
The combination of indulgent chocolate and the tart sweet fruitiness of the cherry is perfectly balanced in this chocolate cherry smoothie.
Rippled Raspberry Smoothie
This pretty rippled raspberry smoothie doesn’t require any chopping if you use frozen fruit.
Easy Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie
We all love our desserts but we don’t love what they do to our waistlines and health. Unless you make a healthy thick dessert smoothie – A Thickie!
Coconut Mango Spinach Smoothie
This Coconut Mango Spinach Smoothie is a grain free smoothie made more filling with the use of hemp seeds.
Fig Pie Dessert Smoothie
We all love our desserts but we don’t love what they do to our waistlines and health. Unless you make a healthy thick dessert smoothie – A Thickie!
Strawberry Balsamic Salad Smoothie
This Strawberry Balsamic Salad Smoothie sounds like it wouldn't work but it really does. This fresh green smoothie is a taste you'll never want to forget.
Homemade Cookie Dough Smoothie
This homemade cookie dough green smoothie recipe is so filling will fulfill your dessert cravings and is still extremely healthy as it contains greens.
Apricot Mango Spinach Smoothie
This mango spinach smoothie is very quick, it tastes very fresh and won’t take you any time at all.
Easy Black Forest Cake Smoothie
This Easy Black Forest Cake Smoothie is my all time favorite and I'm sure it will be yours too once you try it.
Peach and Orange Juice Smoothie
Adding an orange juice base to this orange juice smoothie takes it to another level of gorgeousness.
Watermelon Smoothie
I will show you how to make a watermelon smoothie out of my favourite salad recipe so you can make a salad and a smoothie at the same time.
Pineapple and Frozen Orange Juice Smoothie
This Pineapple and Frozen Orange Juice Smoothie has 4 options (4 Way Smoothie). You can make a fruit smoothie, green smoothie, thickie or green thickie.
Naturally Sweet Acai Bowl Recipe
What’s with all of the acai bowl images we are seeing? Acai berries are loaded with antioxidants, enzymes, nutrients, amino acids, minerals, essential fatty acids and fiber. Get my naturally sweet acai bowl and see what all the fuss is about.
Almond and Pear Smoothie
This almond and pear smoothie has only 3 ingredients but the combination of almond and pear just can't be beaten.
Homemade Orange Refresher
This homemade orange refresher recipe gives you that sweet vanilla orange taste but saves calories, gives you health benefits and cuts out refined sugar.
Lazy Sunday Berry Smoothie Bowl
This delicious and simple recipe is so healthy and perfect for those lazy summer Sunday mornings.
Mango and Passion Smoothie For Good Eyesight
I drank this gorgeous Mango and Passion fruit Smoothie (Green Thickie) every day for a month after giving birth. Options for green smoothies and thickies.
Fragrant Lavender and Blueberry Smoothie For Relaxation
This fragrant lavender and blueberry smoothie packs a potent antioxidant punch! The lavender is optional. Options to convert to a green smoothie/thickie.
Sunny Side Up Pineapple Smoothie
If a smoothie can be happy, this is the smoothie that is! A delicious, sunny recipe for you to enjoy any time.
Almond Blueberry Smoothie
A creamy dreamy Almond Blueberry Smoothie recipe to fill you up with energy and nutrients in the early hours.
Healthy Apple Pie Smoothie
We all love our desserts but we don’t love what they do to our waistlines and health. Unless you make a healthy thick dessert smoothie – A Thickie!
Fruit Videos
Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
Climate Cooler Coconut & Pineapple Green Smoothie
Raw Vegan Banana Pudding
Easiest Mango Smoothie Recipe (2 Ingredient, Raw, Vegan)
10 Second Banana Ice Cream Recipe (Using Only Bananas)
12 Ways To Cut A Mango
How To Store Bananas (NOBODY TELLS YOU THIS)
Conclusion
Nature has actually made it easy for us to consume nutrients through eating fruits.
If your diet is making you miss out on vegetables, you can be sure to get the same nourishment from equally healthy fruits and still enjoy the experience.
Now that I have laid down the information you need to start making space for fruits in your diet, perhaps you can even increase your daily intake by making fresh smoothies out of them.
I hope you can also finally make the decision to join other inspiring dieters in their journey towards better wellness and overall health improvement by eating your fruits every day.
- The Only Guide To Protein Shakes You’ll Ever Need
- The Complete Guide To Green Smoothies
- The Essential Guide To Meal Replacement Shakes
- The Ultimate Smoothie Blender Guide
- Over 50Spinach Recipes:The Complete Collection
Sources:
- https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/46/3/1029/3039477
- https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/177778/eating-more-fruits-vegetables-prevent-millions/
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vegetables-and-fruits/
- https://www.statista.com/topics/1475/fruit-consumption/
- https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1116-fruit-vegetable-consumption.html
- https://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g4490
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Katherine Kyle @ Green Thickies
Founder at Green Thickies
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