Da Kine Star-Bulletin staff and wire services

---

EATING RIGHT
Fruit may reduce heart attack risk

The low-carb approach pushed the limits of dietary common sense, but its most illogical move may have been making fruit taboo. New research suggests that dieters can help their waists and their hearts by revisiting the produce aisle.

Nutrition scientists in Spain, asked 15 obese women ages 26 to 38 to follow one of two reduced-calorie diets: one group got 5 percent of calories from fruit; the other, 15 percent. After eight weeks, all had lost the same amount of weight -- an average of 15 pounds -- but those on the high-fruit diet got an extra benefit: Blood markers for free radicals, which can contribute to cardiovascular disease, had dropped significantly.

Fruit contains antioxidants that help combat cell damage caused by obesity, say researchers. The fiber in fruit helps to reduce cholesterol.