They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but cranberries, pomegranates and grapefruit appear to be more healthful than apples. And, in general, any of these fruits are nutritionally better whole than squeezed into juices.

Karin Crowell, dietitian for the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s EatRight Program, said darker fleshed fruits – such as cranberries, pomegranates and red grapefruit – are high in antioxidants. Many researchers believe antioxidants help ward off heart disease, lower bad cholesterol and prevent some cancers.

“I promote a variety of fruit to get all the antioxidants and nutrients present in all the different fruits,” Crowell said. “It could get boring to eat the same thing every day.”

Peeling, slicing, dicing or spooning whole fruit takes time, Crowell said, but whole fruit has a benefit over juice.

“The big thing with juice is it can be a healthy component of the diet as long as the daily caloric needs are not exceeded,” Crowell said. “It can be good if it replaces soda, but it still can be a source of added sugar. We recommend whole fruit instead of juice. Fruit contains fiber that juice lacks.”

Pomegranates are in season only from October through January. They aren’t available in the summer so the juice is an alternative. Cranberries are also in season during fall months, but can be bought frozen or dried.

If buying fruit juice, Crowell said, look for labels that have 100 percent fruit juice. And, she said, avoid fruit cocktail, fruit-ade or fruit drinks because these are usually high in sugar. Lower-calorie juices that use sugar substitutes are an option.

Crowell generally suggests two servings of fruit a day and one serving of juice, depending on the size of the fruit. A common equation is one serving of fruit equals half a cup of juice. Frozen fruit and dried fruit are alternatives.

“Fruit is lower in calories and high in fiber. It’s more nutritious and should help fill you up more than juice,” Crowell said.

Know your good-fo-you fruits

Cranberry

Benefits: Crowell said cranberries are high in vitamin C and have antioxidants that may help lower bad cholesterol, protect against heart disease and prevent certain types of cancers.

The Cranberry Institute claims cranberry juice promotes good blood circulation.

One of the most popular uses for cranberry juice is to treat urinary tract infections. Antibiotics are often used with it. UTIs are more common in women, but men and children can also have them. According to the National Kidney Foundation, drinking 10 ounces of cranberry juice a day can reduce the risk of getting a UTI. Certain compounds in cranberry juice prevent bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract wall.

Researchers at the International Association for Dental Research in Brisbane, Australia, completed a study that showed cranberries may be helpful in preventing cavities. Two antioxidants found in cranberries, quercetin and myricetin, were tested against a bacteria that leads to plaque buildup and tooth decay.

The Cranberry Institute issued reports stating that isolated flavonoids in cranberries are effective in fighting ulcer-causing bacteria and blocking several types of cancer cells.

Did you know: The United States produced 675 million pounds of cranberries in 2006, valued at $251 million. More than half of the nation’s cranberries are produced in Wisconsin followed by Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington, according to a report by the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center.

On the Web: www.cranberryinstitute.com.

Red grapefruit

Benefits: Grapefruit is a low-calorie food that has been proven to help lower bad cholesterol levels, said Crowell. Red grapefruit has more antioxidants than white grapefruit.

Grapefruit is also low in sodium and high in potassium. The grapefruit has a high concentration of water, which makes it a healthy low-calorie food, Crowell said. The antioxidants and fibers are believed by many to help fight cancers and heart disease.

According to the World’s Healthiest Food organization, grapefruit is rich in vitamin C. It has an ingredient called lycopene in the pink and red varieties that may help fight prostate cancer and heart disease.

Crowell said it also contains pectin fiber, which helps lower cholesterol. It is packed with vitamin A, potassium and folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in food.

Half of a large grapefruit is equal in calories to half a cup of juice, Crowell said. The fruit is better to eat because of the fiber. It also doesn’t have added sugars like most juices.

The “Miracle Grapefruit Diet” once was a popular lose-weight-quick scheme, but Crowell warns not to think of the diet as a miracle.

“There is no one super food that will magically make you lose weight, but grapefruit is low in calories and high in fiber.”

Caution: Grapefruit is known to interact with certain medications. Consult your doctor and pharmacist.

Did you know: Grapefruit was developed in the West Indies in the early 1700s and first introduced to Florida in the 1820s. Grapefruit got its name from the way it grows in clusters (like grapes) on the tree.

On the Web: www.foodreference.com.

Pomegranate

Tom Pjerandsen, manager of the Pomegranate Council in Sonoma, Calif., said there are many claims about pomegranate juice that haven’t been proven. More research is needed, but he’s confident the fruit is good for prostate and cardiovascular health.

“Pomegranate has unique attributes in many areas,” Pjerandsen said. “It’s something people are recognizing, and I think it will move back into the spotlight.”

The benefits: Pomegranate is high in vitamins, A, E, and C, said Crowell. It has antioxidants that are believed to help lower bad cholesterol and protect against heart disease.

Just one pomegranate equals about 6 ounces of juice and contains about 40 percent of the daily requirement of Vitamin C, according to www.pomegranatebenefits.com.

One study showed that antioxidants in pomegranate juice could help people with Type 2 diabetes. The juice appears to prevent arthosclerosis, a thickening of arteries. Pomegranate juice may also suppress colon cancer cells.

An animal study published by the Journal of Urology suggested that antioxidants in pomegranates could even help with erectile dysfunction, but testing in humans is needed to prove this.

It may also help brain development in unborn children, and protect the body from premature aging, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. Pomegranate and its juice are said to treat jaundice and diarrhea symptoms. Again, scientific studies on humans are needed.

Pomegranates contain estrone, a natural estrogen which is also produced by women. According to one study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2004, pomegranate extract improved the menopausal symptoms of depression and bone loss.

Did you know: The word “pomegranate,” derived from the Middle French “pomme garnete,” literally means “seeded apple,” a fitting name for this exotic-looking fruit. Covered by a thin, leathery skin, most pomegranates are deep red and about the size of a softball. Pomegranates contain hundreds of seeds, each surrounded by red pulp. Both tart and sweet, the seeds and pulp are edible. Some scholars suggest that it was a pomegranate, not an apple, depicted in the biblical Garden of Eden.

On the Web: www.pomegranate-benefits.com.