What is the healthiest fruit?

joey snijders 4 min read

There is no single healthiest fruit: each type provides different vitamins and fibre. Kiwis are packed with vitamin C, blueberries and strawberries provide fibre, and apples are easy to take with you. The smartest approach is to vary what you eat. The Voedingscentrum advises adults to eat two portions of fruit a day. Our top 10 is below.

What are you going to eat today? A kiwi, or a nice juicy apple? As we all know, fruit is really healthy. For a healthy lifestyle, fruit is a must in your diet, especially when you really want to lose weight. Fruit gives your body plenty of vitamins, minerals and fibre. It also gives you a lot of water, which helps with your daily hydration. It's important to add fruit to your eating pattern, and every type of fruit is unique. But which fruit is the healthiest? We show you which healthy fruit stands out in our top 10!

Why is fruit so healthy for you?

Fruit contains many nutrients that our body needs and that are essential to function well. Every piece of fruit consists largely of vitamins and minerals. These play an important role in many body functions. Think of your immune system, healthy skin and the strength of your bones. Fruit also contains a lot of fibre, which helps digestion. This is especially useful when you want to manage your weight, because fibre makes you feel full. In addition, several types of fruit contain antioxidants. These antioxidants attack free radicals, which can damage your cells. This damage can then lead to chronic diseases. Finally, fruit naturally contains a lot of water, which is good for your daily hydration.

Least healthy fruit

Fruit is always healthy for you, but in some cases you need to watch out for certain types. Dried fruit is one example. All the water has been removed from dried fruit. That isn't necessarily bad, but it does make the sugar content go up a lot. A lot of people do this: lie on the couch with a bunch of grapes. Very healthy, of course, but make sure you do it in moderation. Grapes contain a lot of sugar. Fruit juice in the morning always sounds like a healthy start to the day, but the sugar content of fruit juice is also very high. So definitely keep this in moderation, and treat it as a snack you have now and then. Finally, watch out for sprayed fruit. So mainly buy organic fruit, to avoid all those pesticides.

Now you know why fruit is so healthy for your body, and which is the least healthy fruit that you're better off avoiding. For your healthy lifestyle, here is our top 10 of the healthiest fruit!

Top 10 healthiest fruit

Apples

You know the saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Apples are indeed one of the healthiest types of fruit. They are full of fibre, B vitamins, vitamin C, potassium and vitamin K. Thanks to all the antioxidants in apples, they lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer's. Apples also support healthy gut flora and improve your digestion.

Bananas

You often see it in cycling or tennis. Someone is always eating a banana. They do it for a reason, because a banana gives you more energy. Not only because of the sugars, but also because of potassium. This supports a good fluid balance and the contraction of muscles.

Oranges

Of all citrus fruits, oranges contain the most vitamin C. They also contain protein, carbs, fibre and calcium. They have a positive effect on your lungs and can help with inflammation.

Blueberries

Blueberries contain a lot of nutrients and are also very low in calories. These berries contain lots of antioxidants, have a beneficial effect on your brain and blood pressure, and are very good for your heart. That's why they are definitely among the healthiest fruit.

Kiwis

A kiwi is an explosion of vitamin C! When you eat 1 kiwi, you already reach your daily amount of vitamin C. You also get vitamin E, vitamin K and quite a bit of fibre. This fibre lowers the risk of bowel cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and helps your bowel function.

Watermelon

Watermelon is also one of the healthiest fruits. It contains vitamins A, B and C, which keep your skin supple and elastic. And as you can imagine, there is an incredible amount of water in a watermelon. That helps you reach your daily need for water.

Mangoes

Mangoes are rich in beta-carotene, fibre and vitamin C. Our body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which offers a range of health benefits, including strengthening your resistance, promoting good vision, supporting strong bones and teeth, and promoting healthy skin and hair growth. In addition, fibre helps reduce the risk of heart disease.

Strawberries

Strawberries are rich in ellagic acid and vitamin C. Ellagic acid contributes to the health of cell tissue, supports the digestive system and helps counter the signs of ageing. Vitamin C supports not only your heart and blood vessels, but also your immune system and the health of your bones. It also boosts the absorption of iron and contributes to preventing ageing.

Lemon

It's not only the sweet, tasty fruits that contribute to a healthy diet. Sour lemons are also an essential addition to your eating plan. Lemons can be beneficial for lowering blood lipids and blood pressure. The citric acid in these fruits can even contribute to the treatment of kidney stones. They are also an excellent source of vitamin C. Although a lemon is usually not eaten whole, a few slices are perfect for giving your water a refreshing taste with lemon juice.

Pineapple

This exotic fruit is full of vitamin C, and one portion provides you with almost your daily need for manganese. If you eat a lot of pineapple, you may notice a strange feeling in your mouth. That's because pineapple contains bromelain, a protease – a digestive enzyme that contributes to the digestion of protein. But bromelain does more than that. The enzyme has anti-inflammatory properties.

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