Many fruits are filled with essential micronutrients, making them a high-value carbohydrate choice. Citrus fruits are famously high in vitamin C. Because different fruits have an array of nutritional benefits, look for variety in the fruits with which you start your meals. Begin breakfast with pink grapefruit packed with vitamins C and A, try a banana before lunch or dried blueberries with your starter salad at dinner.
Most fruits contain fiber, a special kind of carbohydrate that aids in digestion and contributes to good cardiovascular health. Fiber comes in two forms, soluble and insoluble, and both forms are indigestible; this is why fiber has no net calories as part of your diet. By beginning your meal with fruit, you increase your likelihood of getting the recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber your body needs daily.
Snacking on fruit before a meal might help you feel fuller after you eat. Many fruits, including apples, berries and pears, contain 3 to 5 grams of fiber per serving, so starting every meal with fruit can supply you with enough fiber to make a potential difference in satiety.
