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Besides the fact that they taste delicious, fruits also have many different healthy properties. Next to green vegetables, they should be a staple of your daily diet.

The Food Guide Pyramid, which was developed by the US Department of Agriculture, is a new way of looking at which foods, and in what quantities, we should be eating each day. The foods are separated into colored strips, which are shown on the pyramid in a way to designate the amount and types of foods we eat. The color for fruits is red, and it comes in third in importance – just behind grains (which are orange) and vegetables (which are green). Depending on your sex and age, adults are advised to consume 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit a day.

The benefits of eating fruits are numerous. One of the most important benefits is that of disease prevention. Fruits, along with vegetables, contain many components that can help your body to fight off both chronic and acute conditions. The fiber contained in fruit, for example, is an excellent source of prevention for colon cancer – as well as other colon conditions including diverticulitis and constipation. Consuming this fiber may also help you to feel fuller while eating lesser amounts of food – which can help you on a plan to losing weight.

Also speaking about losing weight, eating fruit can be a great part of any diet plan. Per ounce, fruits generally contain far less calories than some other food groups – especially those that contain fats, oils and refined sugars, or meats and dairy. Fruits are still satisfying to your body, both because of the fiber contained within the fruit and also the fact that they are full of water and simple carbohydrates. The sweetness of fruit can help curb sugar cravings for other, less healthy foods.

Some other benefits of eating fruits come from the vitamins and minerals that are contained within fruits. By now, we all know that tomatoes are fruit – and they also contain one of the most exciting vitamin compounds that has been found recently – lycopene. Lycopene has been shown to reduce men’s chances of getting prostate cancer. Other vitamins, including vitamins C and folates, are also beneficial to our diets and help prevent other types of cancers and diseases.

Fruits are a delicious way to add a bit of difference to your daily diet, and the benefits gained by eating just a few servings of fruit a day can go a long way to extending your life and making you feel great.

Walter Taguchi writes about weight loss for WeightLossLodge.com

Tags: diet, fruit, fruits, health, lose, minerals, nutrition, vitamins, weight

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