Podcast Name: Being Healthy TV
Podcast URL: http://www.beinghealthy.tv/media/videopodcast/

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When your parents said it was important to eat more fruits and vegetables, they were right.  Fruits and vegetables are nutritional powerhouses.  They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants and may help protect us from diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.  But what should you do if your neighborhood store has slim pickings for fresh produce?  Should you head to the frozen section to pick up some frozen or canned produce instead?  Are they just as nutritious?

Those are good questions because if you are buying produce for the health benefits, you want to buy the produce that provides the most nutrition and health benefits.  So, today I’m going to clear up the confusion a bit and break down the differences between the different options available to you.

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References used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia and National Library of Medicine.

Photo by Pink Sherbet

Doris remembered the apples, pears, strawberries and oranges that were available at the local grocery store when she was a kid seventy odd years ago.  You didn’t see guava, kiwifruit, mango and papaya like you did now.  Those were all considered exotic delicacies when she was young.  But now you could find them all year round at the supermarket. Things had sure changed since she was a kid, she mused as she pushed her cart past the papayas.

Improvements in shipping and horticultural methods have made many tropical fruits that were not available at the grocery store in Doris’s time, available year round now in most supermarkets and specialty food shops.  You no longer have to travel to a tropical locale to get your fill of tropical fruits.  You just need to head to your local supermarket.  That is great for our taste buds, but is it a benefit for our health as well?

Are tropical fruits healthy to eat?
Many tropical fruits are packed with beneficial vitamins and minerals. Here are 6 common tropical fruits and their nutritional profiles (a serving is a 3.5 oz edible portion).

1. Papaya: Has a sweet, mellow flavor and is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of folate, potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin E, vitamin A and vitamin K.  It has 39 calories per serving.
2. Guava: Has a sweet or sour, aromatic flavor and is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A and B vitamins.  It has 51 calories per serving.
3. Kiwifruit: Has a sweet-tart flavor and is a great source of vitamin C and a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and copper.  It has 61 calories per serving.
4. Mango: Has a spicy aroma and a peach-like flavor and is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of B vitamins, vitamin A and potassium.  It has 65 calories per serving.
5. Lychee: Has a sweet, grape-like flesh and is a very good source of vitamin C, folate, copper, potassium and vitamin B6.  It has 66 calories per serving.
6. Passion fruit: Has an intense sweet flavor and is a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, iron and potassium.  It has 97 calories per serving.

How can I fit tropical fruits into my diet?
Even though tropical fruits are easily available, they tend to be a little on the expensive side.  So, if you are watching your budget, don’t expect to replace your daily apple with a mango or kiwifruit.  However, it is nice to spice up your meal with these different tasting fruits once in a while.  Here are 5 ways to serve tropical fruit:

1. Salads: Kiwifruit, lychee and papaya are some tropical fruits that are a nice addition to fruit salads or even green salads.
2. Cereal: Many tropical fruits can be added to cereals, which is a tasty way to start your day.
3. Jellies or Preserves: Passion fruit, quince and guava are some common tropical fruits that are used in jellies or preserves.
4. Desserts: Guava, quince, kiwifruit and kumquat can be used in pies or tarts.  Papaya and passion fruit make great ice cream toppings.
5. Snack: The best way to eat these fruits is by themselves.  They are very healthy, low-calorie snacks.

The bottom line:
If you want to spice up your fruit selection, have a piece of tropical fruit occasionally.  Not only are they very tasty, they are also a great low calorie snack or dessert that is loaded with beneficial vitamins and minerals.

In this episode, I am going to go over why bananas are so good for us and how to choose and store them.  So, sit back and enjoy the show!

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Sometimes the fresh fruit that we want to eat is unavailable where we live, out of season, or we worry that it will go bad before we eat it.  So, we opt for dried fruit instead because not only does it have a longer shelf life, but it’s always available. Plus, there are so many options.  Raisins, prunes, dates, apples, apricots, bananas, cranberries, kiwis and mangoes are just some of the options you might find.

How is dried fruit different than fresh fruit?
Drying fruit to preserve it is a practice that has existed for centuries.  It used to be that the fruit was dried by placing it in the sun.  Nowadays, there is also the option of passing forced hot air over it using a food dehydrator.  Either way, what you end up with is a fruit that has about 80% less water content than it did before.  This results in a fruit that has a stronger taste and a higher concentration of nutrients.  Like fresh fruit, dried fruit provides a rich source of dietary fiber, iron, copper, potassium, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B’s, and sometimes beta carotene. However, be aware that dried fruit loses most of its vitamin C when it is dried.  So, if you want the vitamin C, you should stick to fresh fruit.

Unfortunately, drying fruit also concentrates the fruit’s sugar and calorie content, which is up to 70% sugar by weight.  Don’t get me wrong, a grape and a raisin have the same amount of calories. In a raisin, the calories are just concentrated in a smaller weight, since all the weight that the water contributed is missing. With all the water removed, the dried fruit is also less filling than the amount of fresh fruit it took to create it, so people tend to eat more than they would with fresh fruit. Here are a few examples to show you the calorie difference between fresh and dried fruit in a one cup serving:

1. Apples: Fresh apples have about 57 calories, while dried ones have about 200.
2. Grapes/Raisins: Grapes have about 60 calories, while raisins have about 430.
3. Apricots: Fresh apricots have about 80 calories, while dried ones have about 310.

Thinking about how many more calories a dried fruit contains than an equal weight of fresh fruit is not the only concern.  Make sure to read the nutrition labels because you also want to choose a dried fruit that has not been glazed or had sugar added.  These added sugars add empty calories that you don’t need.  And if you have asthma or are sensitive to sulfur, make sure that the nutrition label doesn’t list sulfur dioxide. Sulfite preservatives are mainly used to keep the fruit from turning brown, so that the color will be more appealing.  So, there’s no nutritional benefit, but it can potentially be harmful to some individuals.  If you are having a hard time finding a sulfur free version of your favorite dried fruit, try the organic version.  Organic dried fruits are produced without sulfur dioxide.

How can I eat dried fruits?
Now most of the time you see people eating dried fruit right out of the bag or box, but that’s not your only option.  Dried fruits can be eaten in various ways:

1. On their own: They are a wonderful snack when you are on the go.  Boxes of raisins are one of the most popular dried fruits to eat this way.
2. In baked items: Dried fruit can be found in scones, cakes, cookies and granola.  Dried cranberries are an especially popular addition to many baked items.
3. With breakfast cereals: Raisins and sometimes banana chips are very popular dried fruits to add to a bowl of cereal.

Dried fruits are a great substitute for fresh fruit when you are on the go or are unable to get the fruits fresh, such as when you’re camping or back packing.  However, be aware that when you eat dried fruit you are getting a food that is relatively dense in calories.  So, if you’re watching your calories, be aware of how many pieces of dried fruit you eat.  If you pay attention, you can easily get the nutrients you’re looking for without a surprising amount of calories!

Almost every morning, I eat steel cut oatmeal with a handful of blueberries for breakfast.  I am a big fan of blueberries.  They add a lot to my breakfast.  They make my breakfast taste great because they’re mildly sweet and flavorful.  Plus, they are bursting with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, making blueberries one of the top health foods out there.

Why are blueberries so healthy?
A cup of fresh blueberries has about 80 calories and is a great source of vitamin C, almost one third of your daily requirement, manganese, vitamin E and dietary fiber.  In addition, blueberries are loaded with antioxidant phytonutrients, which are plant compounds that may prevent disease.  In fact, eating a cup of fresh blueberries will provide you with more antioxidant activity then most other fruits and vegetables.  If that’s not enough of a reason to eat blueberries, here are a few more reasons to convince you:

1. Promotes urinary tract health: May help prevent urinary tract infections.
2. Prevents certain kinds of cancer: Studies have shown that eating blueberries may reduce the risk of colon and ovarian cancer.
3. Lowers cholesterol: Blueberries contains soluble fiber which acts as an agent to lower cholesterol.
4. Improves brain function: Eating a diet rich in blueberries may improve short term memory and motor skills and may reduce the effects of age related brain function impairments, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Where can I add blueberries to my diet?
Blueberries are really a wonderful treat that can be served in many different dishes.  Here are just a few serving suggestions:

1. Cereals or oatmeal: Add a handful to your bowl in the morning.  It really is a nice, tasty addition!
2. Fruit salads: Blueberries taste great in any fruit salad.
3. Yogurts: Buy plain lowfat or nonfat yogurt and add blueberries.  It’s a much healthier choice than buying yogurt with fruit already added.
4. Muffins, pies or pancakes: Stir blueberries into your muffin mix, make a blueberry pie or use them in or on top of pancakes.

Blueberries are really a wonderful health food.  They are low in calories and are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  Plus they taste good in so many dishes.  So, tomorrow morning add some blueberries to your breakfast.  They taste great!  See?  You can enjoy being healthy.