Similar to nectarines, peaches are a stone fruit with a juicy, sweet flesh. The main difference between the two is the skin. Peaches have a thin, fuzz-covered skin, while nectarines are smooth with no fuzz. The flesh ranges from white to pale orange, and they can be interchanged in recipes. The best part: Both are rich in vitamins and antioxidants that provide health benefits.

If you've heard that bananas are high in carbohydrates, you may be wondering whether they're a healthy fruit to eat. Bananas are made up of mostly complex carbohydrates, including resistant starch, which offers digestive health benefits. The vitamins and potassium in bananas are good for your blood pressure and overall health. Here are some of the details on this beloved fruit.

Some nutrition experts call the avocado a superfood. This flavourful fruit provides health benefits when you add it to your favourite dishes. But when you look at avocado nutrition, you might be surprised. Not only are avocado calories high, but most of the calories come from fat. So should you include this fruit in your diet? Many healthy eaters do, but usually in moderation.

The strawberry is a beautifully sweet, aromatic, fibre-rich fruit packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Strawberries are one of the most well-liked fruits on the market, with a naturally delicious flavour and lots of health benefits to offer. It's easy to agree that strawberries fit perfectly into a healthy lifestyle.

Watermelon, one of the summer's most iconic fruits, is low in calories and rich in water. Watermelon is often eaten on its own as a sweet snack (think: every picnic and BBQ of the season), but it can be a versatile ingredient in many recipes. It's also an excellent source of lycopene and vitamins A and C and is less acidic than citrus fruits and tomatoes, other well-known providers of lycopene and vitamin C.

Mangoes are tropical fruits that are not only juicy, flavourful, and pretty to look at, but are also good for your health. They're high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Figs, the fruit of the Ficus carica plant, are naturally sweet and good for your health. Throughout history, cooked figs have been used as a sweetener in lieu of sugar, and some countries still maintain this practice today.

Blueberries are the all-purpose berry: They're reasonably priced, beautifully coloured, delicious, and ideal for eating by themselves as a snack or in cereal, smoothies, salads, muffins, or pies.

Cherries are a nutritious, sweet treat that makes for a colourful addition in a variety of different dishes. The reputation of cherries as a dessert ingredient may have you wondering whether they're healthy enough to eat on a daily basis. Luckily, cherries provide several health benefits, especially when prepared without added sugars.

Passion fruit (Passiflora) is a round or oval-shaped fruit with a tough, waxy rind. It comes in two basic varieties: purple and yellow. If you're not familiar with the sweet, musky taste of passion fruit, it might take some getting used to. However, passion fruit is loaded with fibre and beneficial antioxidants, making it a unique and nutritious treat that's enjoyed in cultures all over the world.

Cooked jackfruit has a similar appearance and texture to pulled meat. For this reason, jackfruit has gained popularity in Western culture as a base for vegetarian meals like tacos, barbecue sandwiches, and chilli. You may be wondering if jackfruit is really a healthy meat replacement.

Persimmon is an orange tomato-shaped fruit that is native to Asia (particularly Japan and China) with increasing popularity in western countries. If you've never had a persimmon before, you may be wary of how it will taste. Depending on the variety, persimmons can be astringent or non-astringent. If you enjoy their mild sweetness, persimmons can be a healthy way to introduce more variety to your fruit intake.

Honeydew melons are large, oval melons with a smooth rind and pale centre. Despite their name, honeydew melons are not loaded with sugar. If you're concerned about the carb count of this sweet-tasting melon, keep in mind that honeydews have a high percentage of water that dilutes their natural sugars. Honeydew melons also provide some fibre and several essential micronutrients, including vitamin C and potassium.

Plantains may look like bananas, but they don't necessarily taste like them. In fact, unripe or green plantains may taste more like potatoes. The nutritional content of plantains varies greatly depending on their level of ripeness and how they're prepared. Plantains can either be a high-fibre and nutritious choice, or a salty, fried snack food. Here's how to get the most out of this hearty fruit.

Although dried apricots are a fun and convenient snack, you may be wondering if their sugar content is too high to be considered a healthy snack. Luckily, apricots provide several nutrients and health benefits whether eaten fresh or dried. Choosing apricot products with no added sugar can help you reap the maximum benefit from this antioxidant-rich fruit.

Pomegranates are a ruby-red fruit with juicy seeds called arils that can be added to salads, cocktails, meat or rice-based entrees. This versatile fruit provides important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C and copper, along with a healthy dose of fibre. Like most fruits, it is very low in fat and sodium. While it can be labour-intensive to free the arils from the flesh of the pomegranate, it's worth it for their bright flavour and antioxidants.

If you've been wondering whether rockmelons (cantaloupes) are too sweet to be good for you, you'll be happy to learn that these "muskmelons" provide several health benefits. Rockmelon is high in several nutrients and also contains a large volume of water (about 90%). Eating rockmelon is a good way to aid in hydration and fulfil your fluid requirements. Here's what else this yummy summertime fruit has to offer.

The satisfaction of crunching on a fresh, juicy apple is a sensory experience shared by people from the past to the present. Apples come in thousands of varieties and they are one of the most popular fruits around the world. While apples may not seem like the most exotic or interesting fruit, their nutritional value shouldn't be underestimated. After all, the old adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" has yet to be proven wrong.

Plums are a less-concentrated, lower-calorie form of prunes, which are commonly used to prevent and treat constipation because of their fibre content. A single plum has only about 30 calories, so it makes a great grab-and-go snack. Plums can be a healthy and delicious addition to your weekly meal plan.

Coconuts (Coco Nucifera) are the seed and fruit of the palm tree family. They are found in tropical regions where they are harvested for their white flesh, oil, and juices.

Blackberries are a low-carbohydrate fruit. They're considered a superfood that packs a major nutritional punch along with bright flavour and intense colour. Blackberries may protect against heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. They contain phytochemicals called anthocyanins, which can protect cells from free radicals. Their deep purple hue increases their antioxidant power. Blackberries are also an excellent source of fibre, vitamin C, and manganese.

Pineapple is a nutritious and delicious fruit with several unique health benefits. If you follow a low-carb diet, you may be wondering whether or not pineapple is off-limits.

Oranges are round citrus fruits with juicy flesh and pebbled orange skin. Most people think of them as an excellent source of vitamin C (and they are), but oranges offer a lot more—like calcium, potassium, fibre, and folate—making them a nutritious option. Plus they're easy to find, eat, store, and cook with.

Pears are a sweet, tasty fruit that's full of fibre, low in calories, and loaded with antioxidants, including vitamin C. They are native to Europe and West Asia and have been used in anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and anti-hyperglycemic folk remedies in China for more than 2000 years. And studies show they have research-backed health benefits too, such as protection from stroke and some cancers.

Goji berry (Lycium barbarum) is an ancient fruit popular in traditional Chinese medicine. It's a red berry that grows on an evergreen shrub native to China, Mongolia, and the Tibetan Himalayas.

Tangerines (Citrus reticula) are a variety of mandarin oranges. They are a diverse citrus fruit ranging in flavour from very sweet to tart and ranging in shape from egg-sized to grapefruit-sized. Compared to oranges, tangerines are smaller, contain more water, and contain less acid and sugar. They also have red-orange peels.

Raspberries are a delicate fruit, with a tart flavour and velvety texture. The most common type of raspberry is the red raspberry, but raspberries can also be black, purple, and golden. It should come as no surprise that raspberries are considered a superfood as they are rich in fibre and heart-healthy antioxidants.

Papayas are a mildly sweet, soft, greenish/yellow fruit shaped like a large pear, weighing in at about 1 to 2 pounds. Due to their sweetness, you may be confused as to whether or not papayas are a healthy choice. Luckily, papayas are high in fibre and loaded with key nutrients like vitamin C and A.

Known for adding flavour, freshness, and acidity to drinks and foods, lemons are the most commonly used citrus fruits. Lemons are also used for garnish and flavouring desserts. They can be juiced, cut into wedges, or grated to make lemon zest.

Nectarines are nearly identical to peaches in both their genetic makeup and nutritional profile. The most obvious differences are their skin and flavour. Peaches are covered with fuzz, while nectarines have thin, smooth skin. Nectarines also have slightly firmer flesh and a more sweet-tart flavour. Although their flavours are distinctive, nectarines and peaches can often be interchanged in recipes.

Kiwi is a tiny fruit that packs in a lot of nutritional benefits. Sometimes referred to as kiwifruit or Chinese gooseberries, kiwis originated in China before spreading to New Zealand, and eventually, Europe and the United States. Unfortunately, kiwis can trigger a fruit allergy for some. However, for the majority of people who aren't allergic, kiwis are a delightful way to eat healthily.

The bountiful beauty of grapes is not only appealing to the eye, but to the palate as well. Known as the key ingredient for making wine, grapes come in all different shapes, colours, and sizes, and have flavours ranging from sweet to sour.

Grapefruit is a hybrid of the orange and the pummelo that originated in Barbados in the 18th century. Today, the subtropical fruit can be found year-round in most grocery stores. The inside may be white, pink, or ruby. The bright yellow skin can range from relatively thin to thick.

No lettuce adds the same crispness to a salad, burger, or taco like iceberg lettuce. Although iceberg lettuce is popular, it's no secret that it's nutritional quality pales in comparison to some of the darker lettuce varieties. If you've wondered whether it's worth eating iceberg lettuce at all, the answer is yes. Iceberg has several beneficial qualities, including its high water content. Here are some of the reasons to rethink your opinion of iceberg.

If you like crunchy snacks, carrots are a great go-to. Don't let carrots' perceived starch or sugar content deter you. Although carrots are a root vegetable, they are not as high in carbohydrates as many other root veggies. Carrots add a pop of colour and a range of beneficial nutrients to salads, soups, stews, and side dishes.

Spinach is a nutritious, high-fibre food that adds volume, colour, texture, vitamins, and minerals to recipes. Whether eaten cooked or raw, spinach is a nutrient-packed vegetable.

Mushrooms are fungi, which is a separate kingdom of life from plants and animals. Technically, they are not a vegetable, but they are often used and served as a vegetable in recipes. They are a low-calorie, high-fibre food choice that can be used diversely in cooking. Mushrooms add a savoury flavour to recipes but are very low in sodium making them a healthy choice.

Kale is a member of the cabbage (Brassica) family of vegetables. It is considered to be one of the most nutritious foods per calorie and has often been labelled a superfood. It can be eaten raw, steamed, sauteed, boiled, or massaged in lemon juice. Kale makes a great addition to almost any diet for the substantial nutritional and health benefits it provides.

The name "sugar snap peas" may sound like a sugary treat, but these plump peapods are actually a non-starchy vegetable. Sugar snap peas are easy to grow, and lots of fun to eat. With a good balance of fibre and protein, sugar snap peas won't cause spikes in blood sugar levels. Sugar snap peas provide several health benefits that shouldn't be underestimated.

Beets are a root vegetable and a relative to chard and spinach. But unlike chard and spinach, we consume both the beetroot and the beet greens. Each part of the beet plant has its own nutritional profile. The beet greens are considered a non-starchy vegetable and contain very little carbohydrate, whereas the beet bulb is starchier and therefore higher in carbs (but also fibre). Each part of the vegetable contains some different vitamins and minerals.

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that belongs to the Brassica genus of plants. It's a type of flower and has a thick, central stalk with greyish-green leaves and green florets (there are some purple varieties). It is versatile and easy to find in most grocery stores.

If you're worried about whether or not sweet potatoes are a little too "sweet" for your low-sugar eating plan, don't despair. Sweet potatoes are a nutritious and low glycemic food that can be enjoyed in a variety of tasty dishes. The cooking methods and ingredients you use to prepare sweet potatoes can make or break their healthiness-factor. Here's the lowdown on this popular vegetable.

Brussels sprouts are hearty with a strong, nutty flavour. You can purchase a fresh Brussels sprout stalk, which hosts small heads neatly aligned side by side in rows, or you can buy a bag of loose sprouts, fresh or frozen. Enjoy them raw and shredded in a salad or roasted to perfection.

Originally used as a medicinal herb, celery is now a common ingredient in kitchens worldwide. Celery stalks are rich in cellulose, a complex carbohydrate found in the cell wall of plants that is edible but indigestible to humans. Given celery's high water content, you may wonder if it's worth eating at all. Luckily, celery provides several micronutrients, making it a valuable addition to any meal.

Rocket (Arugula) is a leafy green veggie with a spicy kick. Offering a pepper-like flavour, rocket leaves are high in nutrients including beta-carotene, vitamin C, folate, and magnesium, all of which are key to helping the body’s organ systems function properly.

Green beans are an inexpensive, versatile, easy-to-find source of healthy carbohydrates, protein, fibre, and micronutrients (you can even grow them yourself). Nutrition varies based on how they are prepared or processed, but in general, this legume is a healthy addition to your diet: It's a green vegetable with very little fat, cholesterol, sodium, or sugar.

High in vitamin C, red capsicums (bell peppers) are not only tasty but may also reduce the risk of certain chronic or aging-related health conditions. Red capsicums (also called sweet peppers) deliver a large volume of food with few calories, carbohydrates, or fat, and they have the most nutrients of all the sweet peppers.

High in vitamin C, red capsicums (bell peppers) are not only tasty but may also reduce the risk of certain chronic or aging-related health conditions. Red capsicums (also called sweet peppers) deliver a large volume of food wi”

Green garden peas (or English peas) are not to be confused with sugar snap peas, which are eaten as whole peapods.

Artichokes take a little more work to prepare and eat than other vegetables (they have thorny points on their leaves that must be removed before eating, for one), but these fibre-rich, savoury vegetables provide important health benefits.

Coriander is widely used in many different cuisines all over the world, particularly in Indian, Latin, and African dishes. Coriander—or Coriandrum sativum—is a member of the Apiaceae or parsley family. You may see it listed as an ingredient in recipes as coriander leaves (cilantro), coriander oil, or coriander seeds.

Members of the lily family, onions are a highly aromatic vegetable used in cuisines around the world. You may have heard rumours that onions become toxic after they're cut, or that onions are too starchy for those on low-carbohydrate eating plans. However, these rumours are quickly dispelled after reviewing the research on onions.

Cucumbers are crisp and refreshing, due to their high percentage of water. However, with 95% water content, you may be wondering whether cucumbers have much to offer by way of nutrition. Along with potassium, beta carotene, and vitamin K, cucumbers have several phytochemicals with promising health benefits.

Have you ever wondered if a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable? Botanists classify tomatoes as a fruit because they develop from the ovary of flowering plants and contain seeds. However, because tomatoes are prepared and served like vegetables, they're generally thought of as a vegetable from a culinary perspective. Either way, tomatoes are a delicious and nutritious food that makes a good addition to most healthy eating plans.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo or Cucurbita maxima) is a variety of squash that is native to North America. While most of us have a favourite pumpkin pie recipe that we pull out during the fall and winter holidays, this versatile bright orange vegetable isn't limited to dessert. It can also be used to make smoothies, baked goods, soups, salads, and more. Pumpkin's rich nutritional stores make it a healthful food to consume year-round.

Radicchio is a bright red leafy vegetable closely related to chicory (Cichorium intybus). As such, it is often called red chicory or red endive. Radicchio is often used in Italian cooking and it is also commonly added to salads or paired with crumbled cheese, dried fruits, and nuts.

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is a leafy green vegetable often used in salads, sandwiches, and other recipes. The semi-aquatic plant is native to Europe and Asia but now grown all over the world. Watercress is one of the oldest known vegetables consumed by humans. As its name implies, watercress is mostly water. Nonetheless, there are a host of health benefits to be gained from this refreshing green.

Asparagus spears are both delicious and nutritious. Asparagus (scientific name Asparagus Officinalis) is a perennial flowering plant that has been used as a food and medicine since as far back as 3,000 B.C. Many early cultures imbued it with aphrodisiac properties. Today, asparagus is recognised as an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and fibre, with few calories or sodium.

If you have ever experimented with the infamous cabbage soup diet, you may never want to look at another cabbage again. However, cabbage is often underrated for its culinary versatility. As an inexpensive vegetable that's packed with nutrients, cabbage is a great compliment to a healthy lifestyle.

Butternut squash is a type of winter squash native to the Americas. Technically a fruit, it has long been utilised as a complete source of vegan protein by native populations when also paired with corn and beans. Together, the three are referred to as "The Three Sisters" and are a common sight in autumn.

With the rise of low-carb, ketogenic, and Paleo diets, cauliflower has become increasingly popular. This veggie is versatile, non-starchy, and contains a lot of fibre and other beneficial nutrients. Whether you eat it raw, roasted, or riced, cauliflower offers a lot of bang for your nutritional buck.

Zucchini is a summer squash. Summer squashes are members of the gourd family, cousins of winter squash. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colours.

Garlic is a food that healthy eaters either love or hate. But if you're trying to watch your waistline or improve your diet, garlic nutrition can give you a boost. Find out how to prepare garlic and why you should add this low-calorie food to your meals.