Q ‘Is fruit a friend or foe?’
A nutritionist, and health experts once reveals the truth about fruit…
A If you’re sidestepping dessert for a fruit salad you’re
definitely doing your waistline a favour. Fruit has tons of
health benefits – it’s rich in phytochemicals, antioxidants
found in plant pigments which are thought to prevent
disease. For example, the deep purple hue of berries and
grapes is loaded with powerful antioxidants that have
been associated with a slew of benefits, from reduced
cancer risk to better memory. A recent study published has found that blueberries,
raisins and grapes were the fruits most strongly
associated with reduced diabetes risk. Meanwhile,
Harvard University researchers found that fruits rich in
the orange pigment beta-carotene (such as mango) and
vitamin C (such as citrus fruits) are associated with a
reduction in heart disease risk, although total overall
fruit and vegetable intake was more important.
It’s a good idea to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables
rather than sticking to the same old ‘apple a day’,
especially if you include fruits of different colours. The
World Cancer Research Fund recommends that we eat at
least 600g of fruit and vegetables a day – in red, green,
yellow, white, purple and orange – to prevent cancer,
although try to make sure that at least three quarters of
your intake comes from vegetables like broccoli, spinach
and peppers. The reason for this is because some fruits
have a higher glycaemic index than others. This means
that their carbohydrate content raises your blood
glucose relatively quickly. An example of this is
watermelon, so it’s better to eat lower-GI fruit like
blueberries, strawberries and raspberries.
If you're watching your weight, you should try to cut out
store-bought fruit juice from your diet as this is high in
sugar which causes blood glucose spikes and can add
excess pounds long term. Juices are also missing the
fibre found in whole fruit that benefits the digestive
system and keeps the bowel healthy. That’s why the NHS
advice is that only one 150ml glass of juice counts
towards your five-a-day. I consider juices to be like a
body tonic – a good way to get a dose of nutrients,
easily. I add in a teaspoon of psyllium husks, a special
type of fibre to slow down the sugar release. Another
thing you could try is making the bulk of your juice from
vegetables and adding a small amount of fruit. You could
try broccoli, ginger and pineapple, or apple, beetroot,
lemon and carrot.
3 ways to eat more fruit
1. Stay local
Wherever possible, go for locally grown, in-season
produce because as soon as fruit is picked, it starts to
lose nutrients.
2. Eat fresh
Choose fruit that’s heavy and firm (but not hard) as this
indicates that it’s ripe and fresh.
3. Freeze it
Don’t be afraid to buy frozen fruit and vegetables.
Freezing produce helps preserve nutrients, so frozen
berries are a better choice in winter than fresh ones
flown in from afar.
Fruity superfoods
Baobab Bursting with flavour and high in antioxidants,
the African baobab fruit contains more calcium than a
glass of milk! It’s also crammed with vitamin C and iron.
Aduna Baobab Fruit Pulp Powder ,Goji berries
Thought to improve immunity and heart health, goji
berries are wonderful as an afternoon snack or mixed
into your morning cereal.
Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic Goji Berries,nealsyardremedies.com
Acai berry
This Brazilian berry is anti-inflammatory and a good
source of vitamins A, C and E.
Solgar Super Acai Extract