Striving4Zen

Keep in mind that fruits also contain fructose, although an ameliorating factor is that whole fruits also contain vitamins and other antioxidants that reduce the hazardous effects of fructose.

Juices, on the other hand, are nearly as detrimental as soda, because a glass of juice is loaded with fructose, and a lot of the antioxidants are lost.

It is important to remember that fructose alone isn’t evil as fruits are certainly beneficial. But when you consume high levels of fructose it will absolutely devastate your biochemistry and physiology. Remember the AVERAGE fructose dose is 70 grams per day which exceeds the recommend limit by 300 percent.

So please BE CAREFUL with your fruit consumption. You simply MUST understand that because HFCS is so darn cheap, it is added to virtually every processed food. Even if you consumed no soda or fruit, it is very easy to exceed 25 grams of hidden fructose in your diet.

If you are a raw food advocate, have a pristine diet, and exercise very well, then you could be the exception that could exceed this limit and stay healthy. But in my experience that is far less than one in 1,000 people and probably closer to 1 in 10,000 people.

So please, carefully add your fruits based on the table below to keep the total fructose from fruit below 15 grams per day.

Fruit Serving Size Grams of Fructose Limes 1 medium 0 Lemons 1 medium 0.6 Cranberries 1 cup 0.7 Passion fruit 1 medium 0.9 Prune 1 medium 1.2 Apricot 1 medium 1.3 Guava 2 medium 2.2 Date (Deglet Noor style) 1 medium 2.6 Cantaloupe 1/8 of med. melon 2.8 Raspberries 1 cup 3.0 Clementine 1 medium 3.4 Kiwifruit 1 medium 3.4 Blackberries 1 cup 3.5 Star fruit 1 medium 3.6 Cherries, sweet 10 3.8 Strawberries 1 cup 3.8 Cherries, sour 1 cup 4.0 Pineapple 1 slice (3.5" x .75") 4.0 Grapefruit, pink or red 1/2 medium 4.3

Fruit Serving Size Grams of Fructose Boysenberries 1 cup 4.6 Tangerine/mandarin orange 1 medium 4.8 Nectarine 1 medium 5.4 Peach 1 medium 5.9 Orange (navel) 1 medium 6.1 Papaya 1/2 medium 6.3 Honeydew 1/8 of med. melon 6.7 Banana 1 medium 7.1 Blueberries 1 cup 7.4 Date (Medjool) 1 medium 7.7 Apple (composite) 1 medium 9.5 Persimmon 1 medium 10.6 Watermelon 1/16 med. melon 11.3 Pear 1 medium 11.8 Raisins 1/4 cup 12.3 Grapes, seedless (green or red) 1 cup 12.4 Mango 1/2 medium 16.2 Apricots, dried 1 cup 16.4 Figs, dried 1 cup 23.0

Labels: American Dietetic Association, fructose, fruits, inflammation

Cantaloupe and honeydew share similar nutritional profiles, except for two main differences-vitamin C and beta-carotene. Cantaloupe contains about twice the amount of vitamin C as does honeydew (37 mg per 100g serving vs 18 mg for that same amount) and about 67 times the amount of beta-carotene (2,020 micrograms for 100g serving vs 30 micrograms). This difference in beta-carotene is significant-if we were looking for a source of this important nutrient, we would look to cantaloupe but not to honeydew as the amount it contains is minimal.

Even though cantaloupe contains more vitamin C and beta-carotene, honeydew and cantaloupe are far more similar than different. Both contain approximately the same amount of calories per bite as well as similar amounts of fiber and phenol phytonutrients and similar trace amounts of B vitamins and minerals.

Labels: beta-carotene, cantaloupe, eating healthy, fruits, honeydew, melons, Vitamin C

"Eating a variety of fruit together provides more health benefits than eating one fruit alone," says Bowerman. "Studies have shown that the antioxidant effects of consuming a combination of fruits are more than additive but synergistic." In fact, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition by Rui Hai Liu, PhD, from Cornell University's department of food science, looked at the antioxidant capacity of various fruits individually (apples, oranges, blueberries, grapes) versus the same amount of a mixture of fruits, and found that the mix had a greater antioxidant response.

According to the study, this effect explains why "no single antioxidant can replace the combination of natural phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables." The author also recommends eating five to 10 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables daily to reduce disease risks, as opposed to relying on expensive dietary supplements for these compounds. "There are a huge number of compounds yet to be identified," adds Jacobs.

Source

Labels: antioxidants, fruit salad, fruits, fruits and veggies, healthy diet, nutrition, phytochemicals

There's an emerging star in the super-food world.

Plums are rolling down the food fashion runway sporting newly discovered high levels of healthy nutrients, say scientists at Texas AgriLife Research.

Plainly, "blueberries have some stiff competition," said Dr. Luis Cisneros, AgriLife Research food scientist."Stone fruits are super fruits with plums as emerging stars."

Far from fruit snobbery, the plum is being ushered in after Cisneros and Dr. David Byrne, AgriLife Research plant breeder, judged more than 100 varieties of plums, peaches and nectarines and found them to match or exceed the much-touted blueberries in antioxidants and phytonutrients associated with disease prevention.

The duo acknowledge that blueberries remain a good nutritional choice. But Byrne said their findings are plum good news, especially in tight economic times, because one relatively inexpensive plum contains about the same amount of antioxidants as a handful of more expensive blueberries.

Discovery of the plum's benefits - along with that of fellow stone fruits, the peach and the nectarine - came after the researchers measured at least five brands of blueberries on the market. Against those numbers, the team measured the content of more than 100 different types of plums, nectarines and peaches.

The first comparison was for antioxidants, molecules that sweep through a body looking for free radicals to knock out. Free radicals are atoms or molecules that lurk where diseases like cancer and heart disease are found.

"If the radicals aren't taken care of," Cisneros said, "they will cause the problems that lead to disease."

"Knowing that we had all these varieties with high levels of antioxidants, then the possibility of preventing these diseases would also be high with their consumption, so we went to the next step - how these compounds could actually inhibit chronic diseases," Cisneros said.

The team examined the full content of plums and peaches, then tested the effect of the compounds they found on breast cancer cells and cholesterol in the lab.

Byrne noted, for example, that one benefit the team found was that the phytonutrients in plums inhibited in vitro breast cancer growth without adversely affecting normal cell growth.

He said this type of research needs further study but is an indication that breeders ultimately will be able to produce new crop varieties with the best ratio of various phytochemicals to have an impact on disease prevention and inhibition. And these fruits will be available as fresh produce as well as in extracts for dietary supplements.

"Future work with stone fruits will focus on cardiovascular and cancer using animal models and identification of specific compounds that exert the properties," Cisneros added.

Bottom line from the researchers: "We suggest that consumers take seriously the recommendation to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables - or even more - every day and to make sure that plums are part of that," Byrne said.

Read full article here...

Labels: antioxidant, blueberries, fruits, fruits and veggies, healthy diet, phytonutrients, plums

Studies show that many berries, including these Olallie blackberries, are packed with nutrients and may be a weapon against cancer.

Several studies show that people who eat diets high in fruits and vegetables have lower cancer rates. Now a large body of research suggests that berries may be among the most potent cancer-fighting fruits.

In numerous laboratory studies, researchers at Ohio State University have found that black raspberries inhibit the development of oral, esophageal and colon cancers in rats. Some human studies have also suggested a benefit from berry consumption. In one small study of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, a genetic condition that raises risk for colon cancer, patients given black raspberry extract had up to 59% fewer rectal polyps than those taking a placebo; the findings were published in November’s Cancer Prevention Research journal. Another study showed black raspberry powder reduced symptoms for patients with Barrett’s esophagus, a precancerous condition.

The main berries being researched include black and red raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and elderberries. Although blueberries have numerous health benefits, they don’t appear to have the same cancer-fighting properties as other berries, researchers say. Berries contain a number of healthful compounds including vitamins A, C, E and folic acid; selenium; calcium; polyphenols; and compounds called anthocyanins, which give berries their color.

While berries, particularly raspberries, look like a promising super food, many people may not find it practical to eat them on a regular basis. A human would have to eat about a pound of berries a day to ingest the equivalent doses used in the rodent studies. Another concern is whether variations in climate and growing techniques may alter the concentration of the beneficial compounds found in the fruit. Although frozen berries can substitute for fresh when they are out of season, the fruits are expensive and may be too costly for most people to eat daily.

As a result, researchers are trying to identify the key ingredients that make berries cancer fighters. In a study published this month in Cancer Prevention Research, scientists compared rats who ingested a diet of whole black raspberries or a concentrated powder of black raspberry anthocyanins to rodents who ate a regular diet. The study found that the anthocyanin powder worked just as well as whole raspberries for slowing tumor growth. Both groups of rats consuming either whole berries or anthocyanin powder developed 50% fewer esophageal tumors compared to untreated rats.

Although the verdict on berries as cancer fighters is still out, Dr. Stoner says more people could benefit by eating them. Studies already show people with diets high in fruits and vegetables are healthier, and berries are a particularly tasty fruit. Dr. Stoner says frozen berries are a good option, because they won’t spoil, can be eaten year round and often are cheaper than fresh berries. Concentrated berry powders are also available at health food stores.

Dr. Stoner says he starts every morning with a shake made with strawberries, blackberries and blueberries mixed with yogurt and milk.

“We think for the average American, probably the consumption of three to four helpings of berries every week is a good thing,” he said. “We know berries have so many effects on processes related to cancer development. They are one of the food stuffs you probably should consider consuming every day, or at least a few times a week.”

Source

Labels: berries, cancer, fruits, healthy diet, study

Despite the fact that it's Winter, don't limit your fruit intake to oranges, bananas, and apples. Next time you're at the market, pick up a few persimmons. The sweet, mild-flavored fruits, which originate from Asia, are in season between November and February. Persimmons are bountiful in Asia, and are popular yard fruit trees in the United States, but if you've never enjoyed a persimmon before, know that there are two distinctly different kinds: fuyu persimmons and hachiyas. While they're both persimmons, fuyus and hachiyas have striking differences.

Orange-red, acorn-shaped hachiya persimmons are very astringent when unripe, which means that if you eat them before their prime, you'll experience a bitter, tannic, chalky taste. When ready to eat, the variety will be soft and squishy to the touch with a jelly-like texture. In contrast, tomato-shaped, light orange-hued fuyus are ripe when they are firm, yet give slightly to the touch, much like a peach. While the two kinds of persimmons are distinct, they're both aromatic and sweet.

They are a good source of Vitamin C, and a very good source of Fiber, Vitamin A and Manganese.

Source

Labels: eating healthy, fruits, fuyus, hachiyas, in season, persimmons

Cranberries are in the peak of their season and are our food of the week.

Did you know that cranberries contain one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants of any fruit?

Studies conducted at the University of Scranton, PA, found cranberries to contain the highest level of phenol antioxidants when compared to 19 other common fruits! (Some of the other fruits found to be rich in phenols, in descending order after cranberries, were apples, red grapes, strawberries, pineapples, bananas, peaches, lemons, oranges, pears and grapefruit).

Antioxidants are premier disease-fighters and anti-aging agents. Cranberry phenols have been found to help protect against certain types of cancers, the brain cell damage that usually occurs in the early stages after a stroke, and urinary tract infections. They protect against the free radical activity that is thought to be responsible for making cholesterol harmful to arteries and the heart, memory impairment, difficulty in mobility, cataracts and macular degeneration of the eyes. So, as the holiday season approaches, you can enjoy your cranberry sauce, not only because it tastes great, but because you know you will be getting an extra big dose of health-promoting antioxidants.

Read More ...

Labels: antioxidant, cranberries, food of the week, fruits, healthy food, phenols

Apples are in the peak of their season!

Did you know that, compared to other fruits and vegetables, apples have been found to be most consistently associated with a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma and type 2 diabetes?

Apples, which contain significant amounts of phenols and other flavonoids that act as powerful antioxidants and help protect against cell-damaging free radicals, were also associated with increased lung function and weight loss. These findings are from a recent review of 85 different studies.

The total antioxidant activity of 100 grams of whole apple (with peel) was found to be equivalent to the antioxidant effect of about 1,500 mg of vitamin C! Most of apples' antioxidant protection, however, does not come not from vitamin C (100 g of apples contains only about 5.7 mg of vitamin C), but from their rich supply of phytonutrients.

Labels: apples, flavonoids, fruits, healthy diet, healthy snacks, phenols

1. Banana A-Peel
   
   What could be better than potent nutrition in a no-prep-required package? Not-so-boring bananas make a great fruit choice since they are loaded with minerals like potassium, which is important for heart, skeletal and muscle function. Research suggests a correlation between a diet low in potassium and high blood pressure, as well as an increased risk for stroke. A medium banana contains about 420 mg of potassium; even better, banana benefits don’t stop at potassium; you’ll also be getting a healthy dose of Vitamin B6, which helps improve immune function and protein metabolism.
   
   
2. An Apple a Day
   

   So just how is it that apples have gotten the reputation for keeping the doctor away? It's likely due in part to the high antioxidant capacity that apples boast. Several studies have correlated eating apples with reduced risk of some cancers, heart disease, asthma, and diabetes. And the doctor isn't all that an apple can help keep away: it can help keep the pounds away, too. A 2003 study suggested that three apples a day could help aid weight loss efforts.
   

3. Orange You Crazy for Citrus?
   

   You'll discover much more than Vitamin C when you peel into an orange, though just one tangy fruit can fulfill your daily requirement. Oranges are bursting with benefits, like a healthy dose of phytonutrients - some of which have been suggested to reduce inflammation, as well as cholesterol and blood pressure. And like apples, oranges are a dieter's delight, since they have a low glycemic index and are high in soluble fiber, which slows down the rapid rise in blood sugar and helps tame hunger.
   

4. Great Grapes
   
   You’ve probably heard the claims about the health benefits of grape-derived foods like wine and grape juice, but what does the grape itself have to offer? While most research suggests that the strongest antioxidant impact comes from concentrated sources like grape juice and wine, grapes are still great. Whatever variety you choose, grapes supply your diet with manganese, Vitamin B6 and potassium. Best of all, because they require no more prep than washing, a handful of grapes make it easier to sneak more servings of produce into your day.
   

Source

Labels: eating healthy, food shopping, fruits, minerals, Vitamins

Did you know kiwifruit is the most nutrient dense fruit?

A study conducted by Dr. Paul Lachance of Rutgers University evaluated the nutritional value of fruits to determine–ounce for ounce–which provide the most nutrition. The study found that out of the 27 most commonly consumed fruits; kiwifruit is the most nutrient dense.

Did you know kiwifruit has the highest level of Vitamin C?

Kiwifruit has almost twice the Vitamin C of an orange. A serving of kiwifruit (two medium) provides about 230% of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance. Vitamin C aids in wound healing, iron absorption and maintains bones, blood vessels and teeth.

Did you know kiwifruit outranks bananas as the top low-sodium, high potassium fruit?

A serving of kiwifruit contains an average of 20% more potassium than a banana. Potassium is an important mineral that controls heart activity and works with sodium to maintain fluid balance in the body.

Did you know kiwifruit is a good low-fat source of Vitamin E?

A serving of kiwifruit has some 10% of the U.S. RDA. Kiwifruit actually has twice the Vitamin E of an avocado, but has only 60% of the avocado’s calories. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant and may reduce the risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer.

Did you know there are few foods equal to kiwifruit in folic acid?

Kiwifruit provides 10% of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance of folic acid, or folate. Folic acid is essential to the reproduction and formation of red blood cells. Lack of folic acid can contribute to some problems of anemia and it is especially important for expectant mothers to protect against birth defects.

Did you know kiwifruit is especially rich in lutein?

Kiwifruit ranked higher than spinach and all other fruits and vegetables, except yellow corn, for its lutein content. Lutein is an antioxidant that may decrease the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration.

Did you know kiwifruit is an excellent source of dietary fiber?

Kiwifruit provides both soluble and insoluble forms of fiber (16% USRDA), providing more than a serving of bran flakes and four times that of a cup of chopped celery. Soluble fiber appears to play a protective role in heart disease and diabetes, while insoluble fiber aids in prevention of constipation, diverticulosis, hemorrhoids and some forms of cancer.

Did you know all the other rich minerals that are in kiwifruit?

Besides potassium, there are four minerals contained in kiwifruit which have a nutrient density of one or more. These are: Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Copper. In addition, kiwifruit is an unusual supplier of some new researched trace minerals including Manganese, essential to the enzymes involved in the body’s use of protein and food energy, and Chromium, known to be a key factor in regulating the heartbeat and the body’s use of carbohydrates.

Source

Labels: eating healthy, fruits, kiwifruit, Vitamins

Apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, kiwi, nectarines, peaches, pears, plantains and plums continue to ripen after they're picked. The tomato, which is actually a fruit, also continues to ripen after picking.

Fruits that you should pick or buy ripe and ready-to-eat include: apples, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, oranges, pineapple, strawberries, tangerines and watermelon.

To speed the ripening of fruits such as peaches, pears, and plums, put them in a ripening bowl or in a loosely closed brown paper bag at room temperature. Plastic bags don’t work for ripening.

Source

Labels: fruits, how-to