Eat More Fruit This Year!

January isn’t over yet, so if you want to jump on the resolution bandwagon, there’s still time, and we have an easy one for you – eat more fruit this year!

Why You Should Up Your Monthly Fruit Intake This Year

You already know edible fruit arrangements are great gifts (whether you’re the one receiving one or you’re the one sending one), but did you know why (apart from them being delicious, that is)? Fresh fruit gives your immune system a huge boost, is packed with healthy fiber that fills you up and keeps your digestive system regular and lowers your risk of developing many health conditions. Here are just a few:

1. Eating plenty of fruit can lower your blood pressure. Making fruit a regular part of your diet helps counter the effect of salt (which contains sodium), which raises your blood pressure.
2. A diet rich in fruits can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Many fruits are rich in vitamin C and in beta-carotene (which is a form of vitamin A). These work as antioxidants in your body, helping to slow down or prevent atherosclerosis by reducing the buildup of plaque from cholesterol and other substances in the arteries.
3. Many fruits help prevent some types of cancer. Many fruits provide antioxidants to help fight the growth of cancer cells and may even offer other health benefits to help ease certain side effects of treatment. Enjoying healthy fruits in combination with a well-rounded diet can help cancer patients feel their best and get them started on the road to recovery.
4. Fruit can lower your risk of developing eye and even digestive problems. Orange-colored fruits (like mangos and apricots) are high in beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A that helps with night vision. Fruits are also high in fiber, which helps keep you regular so you don’t experience as many symptoms of bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
5. Fruit can help regulate your blood sugar. Did you know that just two servings of fruit per day may reduce your risk of developing Type II Diabetes by a third? That fact may seem counterintuitive because many fruits are high in natural sugars, but it’s true. Most fruits are actually low on the glycemic index because they’re full of healthy fiber, which also makes you feel fuller, so you tend to eat less. Remember, though, this is NOT true of fruit juice, which has almost no fiber at all. You get plenty of fiber, more vitamins, and fewer calories when you opt to have an orange with your breakfast instead of a glass of orange juice.

Easy Ways to Add Fruit to Your Diet

Not sure how to add more fruit to your diet? It’s easy! Here are five simple ways to make fruit available and incorporate it into your diet several times throughout the day:

1. Keep a basket of fruit on the kitchen counter. If you keep your favorites on hand, you’re much more likely to turn to them when hunger strikes. Keeping a fruit basket with some fresh fruit in it on the kitchen counter not only looks pretty (all those colors!), it makes it easier to make good choices. You may find yourself reaching for a sweet and juicy Ruby Red Grapefruit some mornings instead of a bowl of cereal!
2. When you order gifts of fruit from Hale Groves for loved ones, get one for yourself! When arranging a fruit delivery for friends and family, it’s a great time to stock up on your own favorites. The fruit you buy from Hale Groves is far superior to what you’ll find in your local grocery store, because we leave it on the tree as long as possible so it reaches its peak of flavor (this is especially true of our Navel Oranges, Honeybells, and other Florida fruits).
3. Use fruit as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. Instead of a coffee laden with sweetener or some other caffeinated drink, have a piece of fruit. Tangerines (like Hale Groves Honey-Sweet Tangerines) are just 50 calories apiece, and the natural sugars that make them taste so good will give you a boost that will help you through the rest of the workday.
4. Swap out a sugary dessert for a piece of fruit. You don’t have to give up sweets just because you’re trying to eat healthier! Orchard and citrus fruit, cherries, berries…they all make a wonderfully sweet and satisfying after-dinner treat – one you won’t have to feel guilty about eating.
5. Enjoy a fruit salad before dinner. From apples to oranges, fruit makes an excellent addition to salads. For a bit of a change-up from the traditional garden salad, try tossing a few orange sections and cucumber slices with a lemon vinaigrette and enjoy it over a bed of spinach leaves.

Shop Delicious Treats from Hale Groves

Hale Groves of Vero Beach, Florida, offers the best citrus and fruit gifts money can buy. Order some for your friends, family or yourself.

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