Nutrition: Apples Are American Kids Favorite Fruit

Children's favorite food might not be fruit but rest-assured, when it comes to their favorite fruit, apple takes the cake. (Well, not exactly... but you know what we mean.)

A new study found that apples accounted for close to 20 percent of all fruit consumption among kids ages 2 to 19, followed by citrus fruit and apple juice. Our potassium flavored favorite, the banana, came in second, at 6.8 percent of total fruit consumption in kids, according to researchers.

While the U.S. Department recommends that children eat anywhere from 1 to 2 cups of fruit a day, the study also found that children were eating an average of 1.25 cups of fruit every day.

"Apples and apple juice alone account for 30 percent of total fruit intake," said study author Kirsten Herrick, a senior service fellow with the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, via Health Day.

However, study doesn't doesn't explain whether this is good news or not. "They're a good fruit option, but there are a rainbow of fruits to consider that offer a variety of different minerals and vitamins," she added.

The study findings were based on the results of 2011-2012 surveys of food habits of more than 3,100 children and young people aged 2 to 19 years. Investigators found that whole fruits made up 53 percent of fruit consumption, while 34 percent were based on fruit juices.

Researchers also found that black children were the more likely to consume fruit juice over fruit over other races, while asian children were more likely to eat fruit over others.

"The study can't speak to why these differences exist," Herrick said. However, previous research may, in part, explain why certain disparities exist.

At the end of the day, the study emphasis that the most important thing is to consume a variety of fruits.

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