I've written before about how a couple apples a day can really impact your overall health. The fiber they provide and the nutritional value is terrific, in addition to the degree of fullness you will get - you can't beat that feeling of satiation. But it is easy to get bored eating the same things day after day. No one has said you have to get stuck in a rut. You have an amazing variety of fruits and vegetables that you walk by every time you go to the grocery store.
Lots of people are drinking pomegranate juice. It's a healthy choice and very high in anti-oxidants, just be careful of added sugar (or high fructose corn syrup) that often gets thrown into that mix. But have you ever eaten a pomegranate? The first time I picked a couple up and brought them home everyone looked at me like I had grown a second head. I think people are challenged by the unknown and eating is definitely one of those areas. You are willing to test drive almost any car, so why not test drive a pomegranate? All you have to do is break up the outer skin and pick out the corn kernel shaped purpley bits of goodness. Yes it is a little messy, but I think that's half the fun.
Once you've gotten into the pomegranates you are just tasting the tip of the fruity iceberg. There are more kinds of berries out there than just strawberries and blueberries, but sometimes we'll just pass them all by. As a young boy I used to love walking through the woods and stumbling upon a raspberry bush in the wild. Most times it wasn't a lone camper, but was part of a colony of bushes. Those spots were marked for return visits for sure. But if you can't get out in the woods, check out the local produce department. Raspberries, gooseberries, cherries - the list goes on and on. They taste great by themselves, maybe with a touch of whipped cream (fresh and home-made, if possible) or in a smoothie. Most people don't realize it, but grapes and currants are also members of the grape family.
But how about some real odd fruit choices? For something different I tried a blood-orange. The taste doesn't stray too far from a regular orange, but they can have a slightly berry taste. Last week I tried an ugly fruit, which is a cross between a grapefruit and a tangerine. It looked really ugly, but tasted like a very sweet grapefruit. Next I tried a star fruit. Juicy and sweet, it was. You can eat the entire fruit, skin and all, so don't be shy. Cut it up and share it with your friends. Maybe a fruit party is in order. Hmm, that's a grape idea.
The idea here is to not limit yourself. Many of the things you pass by are very tasty and full of antioxidants, but they are just slightly out of your comfort zone. I was nervous buying my first pine apple, but after the first foray into strange fruit, you may be amazed.