Filled with good-for-you stuff like vitamin C and antioxidants, citrus fruits fortify your diet. Although great as snacks in and of themselves, they can also be used as primary ingredients in a variety of recipes. Plus, they have more health benefits than you know, so get creative with citrus fruits!

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Of course vitamin C comes to mind when you think of oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes. But did you know that citrus fruit can keep cholesterol levels down? Hesperidin and naringin are 2 compounds that raise your good cholesterol and reduce the potential for blood clots, both things that can keep heart disease and stroke at bay.

Citrus fruits keep the outside of your body healthy and looking good, too. Vitamin C fights signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles by neutralizing free radicals in your body with their antioxidants. Really, these superficial benefits only serve as icing on the cake for the really great things that antioxidants do, like prevent cancer. Eating a serving of citrus fruit daily can also help you lessen cellular damage.

A serving of fruit is:

• 1 whole piece, raw
• 1/2 cup juiced
• 1/2 cup frozen, chopped

Now that you know how much citrus fruit you should consume to get all of its great benefits, let's check out some inventive ways to incorporate them into your diet.