Nutrition: Fruit Fever
By
John Honerkamp
of
Trackcoach.com
We have all heard the cliches "You are what you eat" or
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away". However corny, they
hold much truth. Fruit contains fiber, vitamins and minerals that
are imperative to our health. Fruit also contains carbohydrates and
a small amount of protein and fat. Carbohydrates (starches and
sugars) and fats are our primary source of energy (or calories).
Different fruit contains different nutrients, so it is wise to
consume a wide variety of fruits. Peaches, apricots, nectarines,
mangoes and watermelon are all sources of carotene, a form of
Vitamin A. Grapefruits, oranges, melons, berries, papayas, and kiwis
are all sources of Vitamin C. Vitamin C not only helps to fend of
the common cold, but it also aids the body in binding cells together
to increase iron consumption. Dried fruits (such as raisins, dates,
prunes, and dried apricots), bananas and oranges are great sources
of iron and potassium. Iron merges with protein to create
hemoglobin, which carries the oxygen in red blood cells from the
lungs to cells all over the body.
Most fruit also contains magnesium and folic acid. While folic
acid allows certain chemical changes in our body to take place,
magnesium aids our metabolism, protein digestion and nervous system
functions. Aside from its abundance in essential nutrients, fruit
also has no cholesterol and little fat or sodium.
Fruit can be bought in a variety of different ways: fresh,
frozen, or processed. While fresh fruit is recommended, processed
and frozen fruit is also beneficial. Freezing, canning, or drying
fruit can limit the amount of Vitamin C and A that it contains.
Another thing to remember is that sweet syrups are sometimes added
to packed or frozen fruit which increases the amount of sugar (and
therefore calories) in the fruit. Dried fruit also has a high
proportion of sugar due to the lack of water in the fruit.
It pays to be careful when shopping for fruit. Bruising often
occurs and this depletes the amount of nutrients. Nutrients and
vitamins can also be lost when fruit is spared, sliced or diced. The
area just under the skin of the fruit is the richest and slicing or
chopping can expose this surface to the air and light—the longer the
fruit is exposed the more harm is done.
So, next time you hear one of those over used, or hackneyed
expressions, stop and think about it. Cliches usually contain a
valuable message, especially when they are coming from your doctor
or your mom.
