What is the #1 healthiest food?

The Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is important for optimal health. Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and plant compounds that may help prevent various diseases and promote longevity (1, 2).

In fact, higher intakes of fruits and vegetables are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some cancers (3, 4, 5).

One review of 16 studies found that each additional serving of fruits or vegetables per day was linked to a 5% lower risk of coronary heart disease. Eating an extra serving was also associated with a 4% lower risk of stroke (6).

Another study in 134,796 adults found that high intakes of fruits, vegetables, and fiber were associated with a significantly lower risk of colon cancer (7).

What’s more, increasing fruit and vegetable intake may benefit blood pressure, cholesterol levels, vision health, immune function, and mental health (3, 8, 9, 10).

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal (11).

Why Are Fruits and Vegetables So Important?

Fruits and vegetables are loaded with prebiotic fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support optimal health in the following ways:

They’re high in fiber

Soluble fiber from fruits and vegetables helps feed the healthy bacteria in your gut, which keeps your digestive system functioning properly (12).

Fiber also slows the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, helping keep blood sugar levels stable. This may help reduce food cravings (13).

What’s more, fiber has been shown to increase feelings of fullness. This may automatically help you eat fewer calories throughout the day, aiding weight management (14, 15).

They provide essential vitamins and minerals

Fruits and veggies are great sources of vitamins, including folate, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K1. They also provide essential minerals like potassium and magnesium (16).

Diets rich in potassium help control blood pressure. Lowering your blood pressure can, in turn, reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke (17).

Folate helps make red blood cells and produce DNA. During pregnancy it helps prevent neural tube defects in babies (18).

Vitamin C boosts immune health and iron absorption, while vitamin K1 benefits bone and heart health (19, 20).

They’re packed with antioxidants

Antioxidants are compounds that prevent cellular damage from molecules called free radicals.

Over time, damage from free radicals can accelerate aging and contribute to chronic diseases like cancer (21).

Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of powerful antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids, which help fight free radicals and may reduce oxidative stress in your body (22, 23).

The Top 7 Healthiest Fruits

All fruits offer unique health benefits, but some stand out for their exceptional nutritional profiles.

Here are the top 7 healthiest fruits:

1. Apples

Apples are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and various antioxidants. They rank very high on the ANDI score, which measures nutrient density in foods (24).

The antioxidants in apples have anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-lowering benefits that may help promote heart health. They may also reduce your risk of stroke, diabetes, and certain cancers (25, 26, 27).

What’s more, apples contain pectin, a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic. This means it nourishes the beneficial bacteria in your gut (28).

2. Avocados

Avocados are an extremely nutritious fruit loaded with fiber, magnesium, potassium, antioxidants, and monounsaturated fats that help lower cholesterol levels (29).

They also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that promote eye and skin health (30).

Studies show that avocados benefits your gut microbiota by enhancing the growth of beneficial bacteria and preventing overgrowth of harmful bacteria (31).

Plus, avocado is high in fiber and very filling. Eating it may help you feel satiated, eat fewer calories, and lose weight (32).

3. Bananas

Bananas are a great source of several nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants like dopamine and catechin (33).

The fiber and resistant starch in bananas may benefit gut health and digestion. Unripe bananas also rank very high on the glycemic index, making them a great choice for blood sugar control (34).

Additionally, studies indicate that the high levels of antioxidants in bananas may reduce damage from free radicals and lower your risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes (35, 36).

4. Blueberries

Blueberries provide lots of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K1, and manganese. They also contain powerful antioxidants that benefit your health in many ways (37).

Research shows that eating blueberries regularly may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce belly fat, two major risk factors for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (38, 39).

Additionally, the antioxidants in blueberries protect your cells against oxidative stress and may decrease inflammation, lowering your risk of heart disease (40, 41).

5. Oranges

Oranges are one of the most popular fruits in the world. They contain an impressive amount of vitamin C, potassium, and folate.

The citrus limonoids and anthocyanins in oranges act as antioxidants that benefit heart and immune health (42, 43).

Regularly eating oranges in their whole form has been linked to improved heart health, including reduced inflammation and blood pressure (44, 45).

Oranges are also very high in fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels and improves digestive health (46).

6. Strawberries

Strawberries are highly nutritious, supplying an extensive array of vitamins and minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. They rank very high on the ANDI score of nutrient density (47).

The antioxidants in strawberries have strong anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. They may provide protection against chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease (48, 49).

Strawberries also contain anthocyanins, which can help control your blood sugar. They’re able to reduce markers of inflammation and insulin resistance (50).

7. Kiwis

Kiwis provide a variety of vitamins, minerals, and potent plant compounds that offer health benefits. In fact, kiwis score higher than oranges on the ANDI scale (51).

Eating just 1 or 2 kiwis per day may boost fiber intake, reduce blood pressure, and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke (52).

Kiwis are also an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin E, and polyphenols. These antioxidants can protect your cells from free radical damage and reduce inflammation (53).

Additionally, kiwis may benefit your digestive health. Their fiber content feeds your beneficial gut bacteria, and the actinidin enzyme helps digest protein (54).

The Top 6 Healthiest Vegetables

Like fruits, choosing the healthiest vegetables is largely a matter of nutrient density. The best ones provide a wide array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and plant compounds.

Here are the top 6 healthiest vegetables:

1. Kale

Kale is arguably one of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet. It’s loaded with fiber, vitamins C and K1, beta carotene, lutein, and various minerals.

A single cup (67 grams) of kale provides the daily recommended amount of vitamins C and K1, plus more than twice the daily recommended amount of vitamin A (55).

Research shows that the potent antioxidants in kale may reduce chronic inflammation and lower your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer (56, 57, 58).

2. Spinach

Spinach provides impressive amounts of fiber, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, and vitamins A, C, E, and K1. It also boasts an abundance of antioxidants (59).

Spinach is high in lutein and zeaxanthin. These carotenoids safeguard your eye health by protecting your eyes from damaging UV light and promoting retina health (60).

Furthermore, spinach contains nitrates that may boost mitochondrial function and enhance physical performance. Many studies associate spinach intake with a lower risk of cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative conditions (61, 62).

3. Broccoli

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable rich in sulfur compounds called glucosinolates. Your body breaks glucosinolates down into bioactive compounds like sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol (63).

Sulforaphane boosts antioxidant defenses in your body and may lower your risk of various chronic diseases. Meanwhile, indole-3-carbinol has been shown to reduce cancer growth and progression (64, 65).

Broccoli is also loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K1, fiber, potassium, iron, and folate (66).

4. Garlic

Garlic offers an array of health benefits, earning it a spot as one of the world’s healthiest foods. It contains antioxidants that support immune function and fight oxidative stress (67).

The compounds in garlic also promote heart health. Studies show that it may improve cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood flow (68, 69).

Eating garlic may be particularly protective against certain cancers like stomach, colon, prostate, and pancreatic cancer. Multiple population studies link higher garlic intake to a lower risk of these cancers (70, 71).

Moreover, garlic has strong antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and may boost your immune system (71).

5. Bell peppers

Bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, supplying nearly 300% of the daily recommended amount in just 1 cup (149 grams) (72).

They’re also rich in carotenoids like capsanthin, violaxanthin, and lutein, all of which function as antioxidants that protect your cells from oxidative damage. Diets high in lutein have been linked to reduced risk of macular degeneration, heart disease, and cancer (73, 74).

Bell peppers also provide vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K1, as well as B vitamins like thiamine and folate (75).

6. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are loaded with important nutrients like selenium, potassium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin D, and antioxidants such as ergothioneine (76).

They also provide several important plant compounds that play a role in health, including phenolic acids, polysaccharides, ergosterols, and triterpenoids (77).

Mushrooms have been associated with a lower risk of prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers. Eating them may also help increase “good” HDL cholesterol levels and protect brain health (78, 79, 80).

The Single Healthiest Food

Based on their stellar nutrient profiles, foods like kale, garlic, blueberries, and spinach can certainly make a case for being the healthiest of all foods.

However, no single food takes the title of the outright healthiest.

After all, despite their differences, all fruits and vegetables offer unique health benefits and disease-fighting qualities.

For optimal health, it’s best to consume a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes.

Key takeaways

  • Fruits and vegetables should make up a large portion of your plate at each meal. They provide essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
  • To maximize health benefits, aim for at least 5 servings per day.
  • The healthiest fruits are rich in nutrients and low in calories. Top choices are apples, avocados, bananas, blueberries, oranges, kiwis, and strawberries.
  • The healthiest vegetables are typically dark green, leafy varieties, like kale and spinach.
  • No single fruit or vegetable can be crowned the outright healthiest. Vary your intake to take advantage of the unique benefits each offers.

The Bottom Line

Fruits and vegetables are loaded with prebiotic fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that provide many health benefits.

To maximize the health promoting characteristics of your diet, fill at least half your plate with a variety of fruits and vegetables at each meal.

The healthiest fruits and vegetables are those that offer the most nutrients for the least amount of calories. Basing your diet around these nutritionally-dense superstars can lead you down the path of optimal health.

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