The 10 Healthiest Fruits, According to Nutritionists

Fruits come packed with different sets of nutrients. We asked three registered dietitians for their opinions on which fruits have the most health benefits, and these experts had some unexpected answers.

Before you radically change your food routines, be sure to get personalized advice from a doctor or nutritionist who can assess your own specific needs. And whatever your habits are, be kind to yourself. Shana Minei Spence is a New York-based registered dietitian nutritionist who runs a blog called The Nutrition Tea. Some people get concerned about the sugar content in fruit, but she says fruits are full of naturally occuring sugars (unlike the added sugar contained in so many processed foods we eat) and are also packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. “No one is overeating fruit,” she says. “There's no need to count servings of fruits. I suggest always thinking of ways to add them into your day.”

May Zhu, a registered dietitian in Chicago who runs a blog called Nutrition Happens and works with companies like Setton Farms and Quaker Oats, says apples are on her list of the most nutrient-packed fruits. “Apples contain a source of fiber called prebiotic fiber, which can help feed the good bacteria in our digestive system to support healthy digestion,” she says.

Chrissy Arsenault, the Indianapolis-based registered dietitian nutritionist who founded The Pink Pamplemousse, says grapefruits are packed with antioxidants, vitamin A and beta keratin, which can help with eye-related issues. They’re also full of anti-inflammatory flavonoids, which can help lower cholesterol and can be good for people who have or are at risk of developing diabetes. If you find raw grapefruit to be a bit too bitter for your taste, Chrissy recommends sprinkling a bit of natural sweetener on top of the flesh of a grapefruit half and broiling it for a few minutes to caramelize the natural sugars. She said the texture is similar to grilled peaches, and it can be a tasty and healthy snack. She recommends using stevia, monk fruit sweeteners or honey as an alternative to cane sugar. 


May and Chrissy agree: Avocados are an excellent source of mono-unsaturated fats, magnesium and potassium. “Avocados are one of the fattiest plant foods in existence and are really good for lowering your bad cholesterol,” Chrissy says. They have more potassium than bananas, and are a great food to give you steady energy all day. “For a fruit, it checks off all the boxes,” she says.