Vitamins in Fruits

Eating a balanced diet provides all the nutrients your body needs, including the vitamins in fruits and vegetables.

U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend 2-4 servings of fruit each day.

Fruits and vegetables are a part of every healthy diet. We hear that over and over, but when you really look at the benefits of adding fruits and vegetables to your daily intake you might just be a little more enthusiastic about reaching for that next piece of fruit. Eating a diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables has been shown to:

• Control appetite
• Stabilize blood sugar
• Lower blood pressure
• Reduce the risk of heart disease
• Reduce the risk of stroke
• Reduce the risk of cancers
• Reduce the risk of eye problems
• Reduce the risk of digestive problems

Different fruits provide different vitamins. If you prefer to get vitamins from diet rather than supplements, look at the produce section of your local grocery store as nature's source of the following vitamins:

Vitamin A plays an important role in cell reproduction and is necessary for the development of some hormones. Adequate vitamin A in the diet promotes healthy skin and hair, and also increases your immunity, helps vision, encourages bone and tooth development, and maintains healthy mucous membranes. If you suffer from dry skin or night blindness you may want to eat these fruits which are rich in vitamin A.

• Apricot
• Blackberry
• Cantaloupe
• Kiwi
• Kumquat
• Orange
• Papaya
• Persimmon
• Peach
• Tangerine
• Tomato
• Watermelon

Vitamin B3 which is also known as niacin helps your digestive system to function properly. It also plays an important role in converting food into energy. Fruits that provide B3 to your diet include:

• Banana
• Cantaloupe
• Kiwi
• Peach
• Tomato
• Watermelon

Vitamin B5 is necessary for the metabolism and is essential in creating hormones and HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). While you may find traces of Vitamin B5 listed among vitamins in fruits, the two fruits highest in this vitamin are:

• Banana
• Orange

Vitamin B6 helps create antibodies in your immune system and assist in normal nerve function. It also plays a role in the making of red blood cells. Vitamin B6 is especially needed in individuals who eat a high protein diet, because it is necessary for the chemical reactions of proteins. The higher the protein intake, the more need there is for vitamin B6. If you suffer from symptoms like: dizziness, confusion, convulsions, irritability or nausea it might be due to a lack of B6 in your diet. These fruits provide a rich source of B6:

• Bananas
• Figs
• Guava
• Kiwi
• Mango
• Pomegranate
• Watermelon

There are two forms of B9: Folate and folic acid. Folate is the one you'll find in fruits because it is naturally occurring while folic acid is synthetic. Your body uses B9 to create red blood cells, to maintain brain function, and a host of other benefits. The reason we hear about this vitamin so often is that it is a vital in the diet of women who plan to get pregnant or who are already pregnant for proper development of the embryo.

• Blackberry
• Cantaloupe
• Kiwi
• Orange
• Strawberry
• Tomato

When you think of fruit and vitamin C the first thing that comes to mind is oranges, but you can also find this essential vitamin in:

• Blackberry
• Guava
• Kiwi
• Strawberry

Vitamin E is well known for its importance as an antioxidant and its ability to protect our body tissue from oxidation. It also helps in the creation of red blood. Fruits containing this nutrient include:

• Apple
• Banana
• Blackberry
• Blueberry
• Cantaloupe
• Kiwi
• Mango

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables in real terms means that you consume at least nine servings daily. To break that down in a tangible way it is equivalent to at least 4 ½ cups a day. How much of that should be fruit? U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend 2-4 servings each day.

• Amino Acids Affecting Hair
• Foods Containing Vitamin K
• Facts About Iron

• Vitamin B12 Injections Side Effects
• Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms
• Vitamin D Overdose
• Foods High in Vitamin K
• Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms

• Vitamin Mineral Guide
• Sources of Vitamin A
• Foods High in Vitamin C
• Vitamins and Minerals and Their Roles
• Why Are Vitamins Good for You