Fruits

1. Fruits

2. Fruit –Good for You • Energy – source or carbohydrates • Natural sugars • Sweet flavor • Canned, frozen, dried

3. Fiber • Helps your digestive tract • Protects against cancer and heart disease • Part of edible skins (apples, pears, grapes) • Pulp also has fiber (oranges, tangerines, grapefruit (citrus)) • Edible seeds (strawberries, kiwi, raspberries)

4. Low-fat, cholesterol-free • Only avocados have fat, eat them less than others • Nutrition bargains • Vitamins and minerals • Choose variety • See page 308 for examples

5. More Benefits • Phytochemicals • May help protect from cancer, heart disease, and other health problems • More than 900 different phytochemicals have been identified as components of food

6. Phytochemicals are associated with the prevention and/or treatment of at least four of the leading causes of death in the United States -- cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension (7). • They are involved in many processes including ones that help prevent cell damage, prevent cancer cell replication, and decrease cholesterol levels.

7. Food Guide Pyramid’s Advice • 1 medium whole fruit • ½ grapefruit • ½ C berries • 1/2 C canned, frozen, or cooked • ¾ C fruit juice • ¼ C dried fruit • **jellies/jams, fruit-flavored drinks don’t count, mostly sugar and flavoring

8. Fruit Variety • Eat a vitamin C fruit every day • Breakfast is a good time for the choice • Choose mostly fruits and juices without added sugar • Be adventurous –try a new fruit • Use dried, canned and frozen when fresh aren’t available choose fresh fruits with edible skins for extra fibers

9. Shopping for Fruits • Ripe VS Unripe • Ripe – full of flavor and color and ready to be eaten • Unripe usually hard to the touch and less flavorful

10. Cherries, grapes, citrus fruits, pineapples should be ripe (don’t ripen after harvest) • Apricots, avocados, bananas and peaches continue to ripen after harvest • Buy unripe fruit and let them ripen at home

11. Fresh Fruit –What to Look For • Sight • Color should be bright, no dark spots • Touch • Free of dents, bruises, slightly soft • Smell • Sweet aroma

12. Buying Fruit In Season • “in season” • Specific time of year • Most plentiful, highest quality and lowest price

13. Buying Fruit for Convenience • Convenience may cost more but saves you time • Produce department and salad bar: • Look for precut fruits, dried fruits

14. Grocery Aisles • Available in cans and jars • Canned may be whole, sliced, halved or crushed • Packed with water, juice, or sugary syrup • Canned fruits cost less than fresh or frozen

15. Dairy Case • Cartons of chilled, ready-to-serve fruit juices • Concentrated also • Freezer Case • Sliced, whole or crushed berries • Some frozen in sugar syrup • Fruit concentrates –juice with most of water removed

16. Buying Fruit Juice • Best thing to whole fruits is their juice • Nutrients stay in the fruit but lack fiber • Beverages labeled “juice” must be 100% juice • “fruit punch”, “fruit drink”,, “juice blend”, “juice cocktail” only have a portion of juice

17. Fruit nectars • Thick, sugar-sweetened beverages of fruit juice and pulp (contains fiber) • Calcium is sometimes added to some fruit juices and drinks • Fortified products are not meant to replace the milk group

18. Storing Fruit for Top Quality • Handle fresh fruit carefully • Store Unripe fruit: • Less ripe can be allowed to ripen slowly on counter or in basket

19. Store Ripe Fruits: • Refrigerate to prevent further ripening • Wait to wash fruits until you are ready to use them (moisture speeds up spoilage) • Use ripe fruits within a few days

20. Preparing Fruit for Your Health • “Nature’s fast foods” • Ready to eat and enjoy with little preparation • Before eating, slicing, peeling, always wash thoroughly to remove pesticides and bacteria

21. To clean fresh fruit: • Rinse under cold running water • Use a small knife to remove bruises • To keep cut-up fresh fruit at their best: • Sprinkle lemon or orange juice on cut apples, pears, and peaches • Store cut fruit in airtight container in fridge

22. Cooking with Fruit • Easy to prepare and delicious • Simmer, steam, bake, sauté, or broil • To make a fruit sauce: • Add a small amount of liquid (water, juice) and cook over low heat

23. To cook whole fruits: • Apples, pears, peaches, or nectarines to remove the core or pit • Stuff for nuts, oats, or dried fruits • Bake or micro wave • Mix dried fruits: • Into cookie or muffin batter, cooked cereal for extra flavor and nutrients