We all know we should eat fruit, but why?
The Benefits of eating fruit include:
- They are packed with vitamins and minerals
- They contain dietary fibre, which, in a diet of high dietary fibre, may reduce the risk of constipation and help to lower cholesterol
- They are a tasty snack that has a lot less energy (kilojoules/Calories) per volume than many other snack foods, so may help when trying to maintain a lower energy intake.
- A high fruit and vegetable intake may be helpful in reducing your risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
- They are naturally low in salt, fat and don't contain any cholesterol, which may be helpful in protecting against heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
Where do I get good quality fruit?
There are many places to get fresh fruit and your access to these will depend on what is available in your local area. If you are somewhere there is a fresh farmers market that would be a great place to start. Farmers markets are great because you can buy the fruit directly from the farm where it is grown. You will get great tasting fruit that is in season and you will probably find that it lasts longer when you get it home.
Not all areas have farmers markets so that next best thing would be to keep an eye out for road side stalls if you are driving through farming areas. Some of these stalls are fantastic for fresh fruit, the freshness and taste are usually great and best of all they are generally quite cheap.
Many towns and cities also have specialty green grocers too. The produce at these stores is usually hand picked by the owners at a larger wholesale market. The green grocers have extensive experience in buying and selling fruit, so tend to select great produce for their stores, so don't be afraid to ask them for their pick of the produce this week.
Supermarkets also have fruit and vegetable sections within them and they are getting better at providing good quality produce. They are beginning to display and keep fresh produce in more appropriate ways, so they can also be a good place to purchase your fruit.
A couple of tips when buying fruit:
- Make sure you buy in season: This ensures that the fruit is fresh to you in the season it should be harvested for the best nutrient profile and taste.
- Know what to look for in a fruit: There are many places that will give advice on individual fruit, a large proportion of the large city fruit and vegetable markets often have guides available or the fruit and vegetable board in your local area may be able to provide you with this information relative to the fruits that are in season in your local area at the time.
What will make us want to eat it?
Now you know some background on why fruit is so important and where to find it. Here are a few tips on how to "get them to eat more fruit":
- Cut it up: Many of us are lazy, so simply having the fruit cut up for us in the fridge will make us more inclined to eat it. Better still having some fruit salad around for snacks or for a sweet treat after a meal will never go uneaten!
- Varying the colour, flavour and texture of the fruits available: If you are buying what's in season and from the vast array available this will be an easy task
- Freeze fruits for a cool treat or snack on a hot day: Not only will this cool you down it will help you meet your fruit requirements too
A quick note on Juice
While juice is still a fruit as far as recommendations go, it isn't the best choice of fruit available.
Why?
- It is easy to drink a lot of juice without really realising it. Keep in mind that it takes 1 whole orange to make ½ cup of orange juice (which won't fill you up anywhere near as much as consuming the actual piece of fruit).
- Watch out for the big upsized juice smoothies you can get from fast food kiosks, these are often way bigger sizes that what you need and are high in energy (kilojoules/Calories).
- Juice doesn't have the added benefit of the fibre that fresh fruit does as the fibre if left behind when making the juice
- Whole fruit is better at helping you feel fuller (higher satiety) than juice so therefore helps you limit your intake and you are less likely to over consume or be unaware of how much you are consuming.
Can I have too much fruit?
We've all had an over indulge on fruit in season at sometime in our lives. Be it, our family has a tree in the backyard that is loaded with fruit or we happen to drive past a roadside stall selling your favourite fruit for cheap, cheap, cheap. But it is possible to have too much fruit on a regular basis and for it be a problem in maintaining weight. Although, fruit is good for us, it still contains energy (kilojoules/Calories) so therefore we need to see it as part of a balanced diet. You can, unfortunately, have too much of a good thing!
To help keep you up informed on what you need to keep in mind about fruit and what quantities you should consume, check in your local area for your country's guide to healthy eating.
For more information on including fruit in your diet and in particular your lunch please visit us at http://www.TheBalancedLunchbox.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joanne_Mirtschin
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