by John McDevitt

Created on: May 18, 2007   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

Who else wants mouth watering snacks that can help keep you in the peak of health? A handful of bright red strawberries picked fresh in early June. A fat juicy peach on a hot summer afternoon. The crunch of an apple on a crisp fall day. The medical establishment is just now discovering what our mothers and grandmothers knew all along. Fruit is good for you.

Which would you rather do, eat a bowl of delicious strawberries or pop an ibuprofen? Strawberries contain a compound that lessens the activity of COX enzymes, the same enzymes that ibuprofen and similar drugs block to reduce painful inflammation. And strawberries can help protect your heart and fight cancer.

All berries except cranberries are alkaline. Eating berries can help maintain your body's acid/alkaline balance. Very important for overall health and well being. Best of all, you can eat a lot of berries without worrying about weight gain because berries are fiber rich and low in sugar.

Who can resist a ripe, juicy peach. Peaches are low in calories, rich in antioxidants and supply good amounts of Vitamins C and A. They're easy to digest. And because they're diuretic and detoxifying, they can even help you lose weight.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples have a well deserved reputation in folklore as a healthy food. They are great for keeping your digestion up to par. Apples can not only prevent and treat constipation, they are a traditional treatment for diarrhea as well.

Apples are rich in pectin, a soluble fiber believed to play a key part in reducing blood cholesterol levels, especially LDL cholesterol (the bad kind).

When you choose fresh, in season fruit, you're guaranteed variety and great taste. Maybe the great taste of fruit is nature's way of enticing us into good health. But use moderation. Remember that all fruits contain sugar.

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