- Apple. An apple a day may not keep the doctor entirely away, but apples are nutritious, convenient, and always available. Apples get an A+ in fiber content, since they contain a lot of the soluble fiber, pectin, that helps to lower cholesterol. They also contain some cancer-fighting flavenoids. Eating a whole apple is more nutritious than drinking apple juice, since the fiber, vitamins, and minerals may be processed out of the juices. When the flesh of an apple turns brown, it means some of the nutrients have oxidized and are lost. To get the best that any fruit has to offer, eat it fresh.
- Banana. Bananas mash easily for baby food and blend nicely into a sweet smoothie. They contain a lot of potassium, so eating a daily banana is helpful to people on certain medications, such as diuretics, which may deplete the body of potassium. Even though most bananas are imported, the easy-to-peel feature of bananas makes it easy to peel the pesticides off.
- Cherries. Cherries contain some beta carotene, and sour cherries contain more beta carotene than sweet cherries.
- Dates. Dates are a good source of fiber, iron, and niacin.
- Figs, dried. Dried figs are high in calories and high in carbs, but they also contain abundant amounts of other nutrients, such as calcium, fiber, protein, and potassium. They make an excellent snack and add fiber when they're chopped up and included in cookies. Their high carbohydrate and sugar content could be a drawback for sugar-sensitive individuals, but for athletes, figs would be a great addition to a pre-game meal.
- Grapes. The skin of red and purple grapes contain cancer-fighting anthocyanin pigments, similar to the ones in blueberries. Green, seedless grapes are not exactly nutritional standouts, but kids love to snack on them, especially on hot days. They're a popular alternative to soda or candy.
- Lemon and lime. Lemons and limes are a moderately good source of vitamin C, with lemons containing about one-third more vitamin C than limes. Lemon and lime juice add flavor to dishes, which can be helpful if you're cutting back on salt.
- Mango. Mangoes are high in fiber, high in beta carotene (similar to apricots and cantaloupe), high in vitamin C -- but much higher in calories than equal servings of similar fruits, such as cantaloupe and papaya.
- Orange. Oranges are known for their vitamin C content, but they're also a good source of folate and fiber. They even contain some calcium. As with grapefruit, the white membrane under the skin of the orange contains more vitamin C than the flesh and a lot of the pectin fiber. When peeling the orange, try to leave the white inner peeling on and eat it with the flesh (if you don't mind the slightly bitter taste).
- Papaya. High in calcium, folic acid, vitamin C, fiber, and carotenoids, this near-perfect fruit is becoming more widely available and affordable.
- Peach. The best peaches are tree-ripened and therefore locally grown. Its claim to fame is that it's the fruit highest in the essential nutrient, manganese, and that it has digestive enzymes, as does papaya.
- Plum. Plums contain a bit of carotenoids and some vitamin C. There are many varieties from which to choose.
- Strawberries. Strawberries have two nutritional claims to fame: they are higher in vitamin C per calorie than any other fruit and they are high in fiber. Like raspberries, strawberries lose points because of the pesticide issue. You don't peel them and because of their rough texture, they are hard to clean.
- Watermelon. Watermelon is the top fruit source of the carotenoid antioxidant lycopene.