Do eat: Blueberries
All berries have incredible health benefits, but blueberries take it to another level. One cup of blueberries contains 4 grams of fiber and only 15 grams of carbohydrates. In that cup, you'll also get 24 percent of your daily recommended vitamin C and 36 percent of the recommended dose of vitamin K. Due to their high fiber content, they'll fill you up without adding much to your caloric intake.
Blueberries have more antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable, so grab a handful if you want to stay young longer. Antioxidants may reduce the effects of aging by counteracting damage to your DNA.
Studies have also found that blueberries can improve your memory, have anti-diabetic effects, and may reduce muscle damage after a rigorous workout. In addition, blueberries prevent urinary tract infections.
Want to eat more blueberries? Put them in your guacamole, mix up some delicious blueberry pancakes, or sprinkle them into your salad.
Do eat: Watermelon
There's a good reason you can find watermelon at most barbecues — not only is it delicious, but it also helps you stay hydrated, as it's 92 percent water. Watermelon boasts numerous other health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and helping with muscle soreness. Watermelon contains a wide variety of nutrients, including vitamin C, potassium, copper, vitamin A, and vitamin B5.
Watermelon's claim to fame, however, is the high level of citrulline you can find in the white part of the watermelon rind. In your body, citrulline turns into the amino acid arginine, which helps many of your internal organs, including your lungs and reproductive system. Arginine also helps prevent heart disease.
If you're looking to eat more watermelon, Real Simple has a great infographic that shows you how to eat up an entire watermelon. Their suggestions include tossing it with feta cheese, making gazpacho with it, and layering it with mozzarella for a sweet caprese salad. Yum!
Do eat: Apples
Apples are cheap, readily available, delicious, and healthy. They may be good for weight loss, as they contain a high percentage of water and are also high in fiber (there are 4 grams in a medium sized apple), so they fill you up without filling you with calories. One study found that subjects who had apple slices before a meal ate an average of 200 less calories during the meal.
Apples peels and flesh also contain polyphenols, a type of antioxidants that have been shown to reduce the risk of strokes and heart disease. There are five times more polyphenols in apple skin than in the rest of the apple, so don't throw that part out!
If you're wondering whether all apples have the same nutritional benefits, they don't. Skip the green apples and go for the red ones, as most of the polyphenols are found in red apple skin.
There's always room for more apples in your diet. Add them to your sandwiches, make them into a tasty slaw, or even sculpt them into swans to impress your dinner guests.
All berries have incredible health benefits, but blueberries take it to another level. One cup of blueberries contains 4 grams of fiber and only 15 grams of carbohydrates. In that cup, you'll also get 24 percent of your daily recommended vitamin C and 36 percent of the recommended dose of vitamin K. Due to their high fiber content, they'll fill you up without adding much to your caloric intake.
Blueberries have more antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable, so grab a handful if you want to stay young longer. Antioxidants may reduce the effects of aging by counteracting damage to your DNA.
Studies have also found that blueberries can improve your memory, have anti-diabetic effects, and may reduce muscle damage after a rigorous workout. In addition, blueberries prevent urinary tract infections.
Want to eat more blueberries? Put them in your guacamole, mix up some delicious blueberry pancakes, or sprinkle them into your salad.
Do eat: Watermelon
There's a good reason you can find watermelon at most barbecues — not only is it delicious, but it also helps you stay hydrated, as it's 92 percent water. Watermelon boasts numerous other health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and helping with muscle soreness. Watermelon contains a wide variety of nutrients, including vitamin C, potassium, copper, vitamin A, and vitamin B5.
Watermelon's claim to fame, however, is the high level of citrulline you can find in the white part of the watermelon rind. In your body, citrulline turns into the amino acid arginine, which helps many of your internal organs, including your lungs and reproductive system. Arginine also helps prevent heart disease.
If you're looking to eat more watermelon, Real Simple has a great infographic that shows you how to eat up an entire watermelon. Their suggestions include tossing it with feta cheese, making gazpacho with it, and layering it with mozzarella for a sweet caprese salad. Yum!
Do eat: Apples
Apples are cheap, readily available, delicious, and healthy. They may be good for weight loss, as they contain a high percentage of water and are also high in fiber (there are 4 grams in a medium sized apple), so they fill you up without filling you with calories. One study found that subjects who had apple slices before a meal ate an average of 200 less calories during the meal.
Apples peels and flesh also contain polyphenols, a type of antioxidants that have been shown to reduce the risk of strokes and heart disease. There are five times more polyphenols in apple skin than in the rest of the apple, so don't throw that part out!
If you're wondering whether all apples have the same nutritional benefits, they don't. Skip the green apples and go for the red ones, as most of the polyphenols are found in red apple skin.
There's always room for more apples in your diet. Add them to your sandwiches, make them into a tasty slaw, or even sculpt them into swans to impress your dinner guests.
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