Everyone is trying to get us to eat more fruits by touting their abilities to help us lose weight, fight cancer and even prevent the common cold.
Antioxidants in fruits (and vegetables) may prevent the harmful oxidation that leads to disease and signs of aging.
And they're powerful cancer fighters, said Dr. Mehmet Oz, a professor of surgery, the director of the Cardiovascular Institute at Columbia University and a co-author of You: The Owner's Manual (HarperCollins, 2005).
"Ninety percent of the population has cancer at any given point; it's just that our bodies are constantly fighting it off, which is exactly why cancer-fighting foods are so important," Oz said.
And because fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and water, you get a lot of food for relatively few calories.
Nutrients: Packed with vitamin C and fiber, oranges also contain thiamin, folate, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), potassium and calcium.
Health perks: Researchers have found more than 170 phytochemicals in oranges.
Karen Collins, a registered dietitian and nutrition adviser to The American Institute for Cancer Research, said, "Oranges are among the few major sources of a group of flavonoid phytochemicals called flavanones."
These flavonoids help prevent DNA damage from cancer-causing substances and decrease inflammation throughout the body.
Why: They come in hundreds of varieties, they taste wonderful, and they're very low in calories.
Apples aren't bursting with vitamins, but boast disease-fighting ability and portability.
Nutrients: Blueberries are a good source of vitamin C, manganese and dietary fiber.
Health perks: Fresh or frozen blueberries protect against heart disease, weak eyesight, cancer and aging.
A Tufts University study found that the antioxidant activity of blueberries consistently outscores other fruits and vegetables.
Blueberries also contain potassium and vitamin C, which play a role in lowering blood pressure.