Everyone knows that eating fruit is an important part of a well balanced diet, but many fall short of eating their minimum  2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables per day.

Many fruits are low in sodium, have no cholesterol, have few calories, and are also low fat.

Fruits are packed with nutrients:

• Potassium:  Potassium in fruit helps maintain a healthy blood pressure.  Bananas, dried peaches, dried apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, orange juice, prunes, and prune juice are some common fruits that contain Potassium.

• Fiber:  Fiber is not only great for digestion, but more specifically, fiber from fruits helps reduce blood cholesterol and may help reduce risks of chronic heart disease.  The fiber in fruits also helps the stomach feel fuller and provides other metabolic benefits.

• Vitamin C:  Vitamin C is important for the growth and repair of all body tissues.  It also helps heal cuts and wounds, and also keeps teeth and gums healthy.

• Folate:  Folate or folic acid found in fruits helps the body form red blood cells.

So next time you need a quick and easy snack, grab a piece of fruit!