FRUIT
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad
(Miles Kington)
(Miles Kington)
Fruit is a sweet, nutrient dense food made up of mostly water, making it relatively low in calories. The perfect snack does exist! Nature intended fruit to be very appealing to the taste buds in order for it to survive as a species. The sweet taste and smell of fruit draws animals in to imbibe on its succulent flesh, and as the animal moves around and defecates elsewhere, the seeds are scattered away from the mother plant, thus ensuring the plant’s reproduction and survival.
Humans have been eating and enjoying fruit for thousands of years, although the fruit of today looks very different than it did back then. Take the peach as an example: today’s peach is sweeter, juicier and sixteen times larger than the wild peach, which was the size of a cherry and domesticated in China in 4000BC. [https://jameskennedymonash.wordpress.com/category/infographics/artificial-vs-natural-foods/ ] Modern fruit is the result of thousands of years of selecting and planting the seeds from the tastiest and hardiest varieties until the fruit we grow and eat now barely resembles the wild fruit of years past.
Fruit - which was once an enjoyable treat and a rarity for many, showing up mostly in Christmas stockings and celebratory meals - has now become overthrown by hyper-palatable sweets that can’t compete with anything mother nature creates. For many, the bar has been raised on the expectations of what we think is enjoyable. Once you enter the world of processed food, and consume candy, cakes, and cookies, you train your taste buds to seek and prefer highly sweetened foods, sweeter than any food nature can create. That simple apple will no longer be enough to satisfy an internal craving for something sweet when apple pie or apple flavored gummy fruit is around.
The good news is that what can be turned up, can also be turned down. It can take as little as two to four weeks of not eating processed sweets to reset your taste buds to enjoy naturally sweet foods again. What was once preferred, is now too sweet, and that is great news! Why? Because fruit provides essential nutrients- vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals, needed to build and maintain a healthy body without the harmful added sugars that are found in processed sweets and treats.
Humans have been eating and enjoying fruit for thousands of years, although the fruit of today looks very different than it did back then. Take the peach as an example: today’s peach is sweeter, juicier and sixteen times larger than the wild peach, which was the size of a cherry and domesticated in China in 4000BC. [https://jameskennedymonash.wordpress.com/category/infographics/artificial-vs-natural-foods/ ] Modern fruit is the result of thousands of years of selecting and planting the seeds from the tastiest and hardiest varieties until the fruit we grow and eat now barely resembles the wild fruit of years past.
Fruit - which was once an enjoyable treat and a rarity for many, showing up mostly in Christmas stockings and celebratory meals - has now become overthrown by hyper-palatable sweets that can’t compete with anything mother nature creates. For many, the bar has been raised on the expectations of what we think is enjoyable. Once you enter the world of processed food, and consume candy, cakes, and cookies, you train your taste buds to seek and prefer highly sweetened foods, sweeter than any food nature can create. That simple apple will no longer be enough to satisfy an internal craving for something sweet when apple pie or apple flavored gummy fruit is around.
The good news is that what can be turned up, can also be turned down. It can take as little as two to four weeks of not eating processed sweets to reset your taste buds to enjoy naturally sweet foods again. What was once preferred, is now too sweet, and that is great news! Why? Because fruit provides essential nutrients- vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals, needed to build and maintain a healthy body without the harmful added sugars that are found in processed sweets and treats.
SECTION 1: FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS
Fruit is the mature ovary of a flowering plant that contains seeds, and its main role is protecting
those seeds which are needed to grow into new plants. One can define fruit from both a botanical perspective and a culinary one. While many think of berries, apples and oranges as fruit, few think of nuts, green beans, peas, corn, squash, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant as fruit too. By definition though, they are. For the purpose of this book, the fruit module will not include those fruit varieties that the majority think of as vegetables and instead will include only sweet or sour tasting fruit, or fruit otherwise known as culinary fruit.
those seeds which are needed to grow into new plants. One can define fruit from both a botanical perspective and a culinary one. While many think of berries, apples and oranges as fruit, few think of nuts, green beans, peas, corn, squash, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant as fruit too. By definition though, they are. For the purpose of this book, the fruit module will not include those fruit varieties that the majority think of as vegetables and instead will include only sweet or sour tasting fruit, or fruit otherwise known as culinary fruit.
SECTION 3: WHY ARE FRUIT SO HEALTHY?
Fruit, which is made up of mostly water (from 74% in the banana to 92% in the strawberry), provides more nutrients per calorie than most foods, thus making it a nutrient dense food. Besides delivering traditional vitamins like vitamin C, and minerals, like potassium, fruit also provides phytonutrients which are plant nutrient powerhouses. There are over 100,000 phytonutrients that have been discovered to date, and many of them have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. According to the USDA DGA 2015, the key contributing nutrients, among other nutrients, that fruit provides are vitamin C, potassium and fiber, and these are nutrients that are also under-consumed in the US population. Fruit is also healthy because of what it does not have- fruit are naturally low in fat, sodium and calories and none have cholesterol.
SECTION 4: FRUIT INTAKE AND HEALTH OUTCOMES
When people are asked to think about antioxidant-rich fruits, blueberries are often one of the first fruit that come to mind. Indeed, blueberries have high levels of antioxidants which help to decrease the risk of many diseases caused by oxidative stress (Krikorian R, 2010). Regular blueberry consumption has also been shown to help reduce blood pressure and arterial stiffness (Johnson, 2015).
Other berries can tout similar health benefits. Blackberries are packed full of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin K. Additionally, they are a good source of folate, and a folate deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia, an increased risk of cancer, and an increased risk of birth defects (Oregon State University). Strawberries are also an excellent source of vitamin C, and people with higher blood levels of vitamin C have been found to have a lower risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease and cancer (Oregon State University). Raspberries contain the most fiber per gram of any of the berries.
Fruits outside of the berry family provide numerous health benefits as well. Peaches and nectarines are excellent sources of vitamin C as well as fiber, vitamin A, potassium, and niacin. Watermelon is another vitamin C and vitamin A powerhouse. Apples are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber as well as vitamin C and the antioxidant quercetin, which may help reduce the risk of gout and certain cancers (Fabianai R, 2016). Oranges and other citrus fruit are commonly regarded for their vitamin C content, but they also contain high levels of folate, potassium, and several classes of phytonutrients that have been linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, neural tube defects, and anemia (Economos C, 1998). Kiwifruit contains numerous bioactive materials that have anti-cancer and antimicrobial activity as well as good amounts of vitamins A, E, and K, leutein, and xanthin (Tyagi S, 2015). Bananas have become synonymous with potassium, but they also contain several bioactive compounds including phenolics, carotenoids, biogenic amines, and phytosterols, all of which have antioxidant activity (Singh B, 2016).
Grapes are another class of fruit that have received attention for the potential health benefits they provide, and this is mainly due to the health effects of red wine (explored in greater detail in the Beverage module). Over 500 antioxidants have been identified in grapes, but the main bioactive components are resveratrol and proanthocyanidins. These compounds are found primarily in the seeds and skin of the fruit and have been found to protect LDL cholesterol from lipid peroxidation, thus attenuating atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. They may also act as anti-cancer agents. It is still unknown whether the benefits seen in drinking moderate amounts of wine can also be obtained by eating grapes, and what volume of grapes this might amount to. However, like all other fruits, grapes certainly contain valuable phytonutrient that undoubtedly have a positive impact on health outcomes (Bertelli AA, 2009).
Other berries can tout similar health benefits. Blackberries are packed full of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin K. Additionally, they are a good source of folate, and a folate deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia, an increased risk of cancer, and an increased risk of birth defects (Oregon State University). Strawberries are also an excellent source of vitamin C, and people with higher blood levels of vitamin C have been found to have a lower risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease and cancer (Oregon State University). Raspberries contain the most fiber per gram of any of the berries.
Fruits outside of the berry family provide numerous health benefits as well. Peaches and nectarines are excellent sources of vitamin C as well as fiber, vitamin A, potassium, and niacin. Watermelon is another vitamin C and vitamin A powerhouse. Apples are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber as well as vitamin C and the antioxidant quercetin, which may help reduce the risk of gout and certain cancers (Fabianai R, 2016). Oranges and other citrus fruit are commonly regarded for their vitamin C content, but they also contain high levels of folate, potassium, and several classes of phytonutrients that have been linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, neural tube defects, and anemia (Economos C, 1998). Kiwifruit contains numerous bioactive materials that have anti-cancer and antimicrobial activity as well as good amounts of vitamins A, E, and K, leutein, and xanthin (Tyagi S, 2015). Bananas have become synonymous with potassium, but they also contain several bioactive compounds including phenolics, carotenoids, biogenic amines, and phytosterols, all of which have antioxidant activity (Singh B, 2016).
Grapes are another class of fruit that have received attention for the potential health benefits they provide, and this is mainly due to the health effects of red wine (explored in greater detail in the Beverage module). Over 500 antioxidants have been identified in grapes, but the main bioactive components are resveratrol and proanthocyanidins. These compounds are found primarily in the seeds and skin of the fruit and have been found to protect LDL cholesterol from lipid peroxidation, thus attenuating atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. They may also act as anti-cancer agents. It is still unknown whether the benefits seen in drinking moderate amounts of wine can also be obtained by eating grapes, and what volume of grapes this might amount to. However, like all other fruits, grapes certainly contain valuable phytonutrient that undoubtedly have a positive impact on health outcomes (Bertelli AA, 2009).
SECTION 6 CLINICAL & CULINARY RECOMMENDATION
CLINICAL RECOMMENDATIONS
- Eat more fruit- mostly whole fruit (USDA DGA 2015)
- Eat fruit in nutrient dense forms (USDA DGA 2015)
- Eat a variety of fruit
- Eat fruit lower in sugar
- Eat more fiber
CLINICAL COMPETENCIES
- Know the definition of a fruit
- Know how many servings of fruit is recommended per day
- Know which nutrients for which fruit supply a ‘good source’
- Know which cohorts are at risk of not meeting their daily fruit requirement
- Understand the importance of fruit in overall health- both prevention and treatment for various diseases
- Be able to identify fruit low in sugar and know when to suggest it
- Know which conditions require limiting fruit in one’s diet
- Understand that certain fruit or fruit juices can interact with medication
- Be aware of oral-allergy syndrome
- Understand the FODMAP diet
CULINARY COMPETENCIES FOR FRUIT
Shopping and Storing Competencies
- Know how to shop for fruit - fresh, frozen, canned
- Understand ripening
- Identify fruits in season
- Know how and when to clean fruit
- Know how to store fruit
Cooking/Preparing Competencies
Knife/instrument skills
- Know how to, and when to, use a paring knife
- Know how to, and when to, use a chef’s knife
- Know how to use a peeler
- Know how to use a zester
- Know how to use a citrus reamer
- Know how to use a melon baller
- Know how to use a blender
Flavor Development Competencies
- Understand how acid affects flavor
- Understand how, and which herbs to use with fruit to add flavor
- Know how to make a balsamic reduction
Cooking Competencies
- Know how to make a fruit salad
- Know how to use fruit in salads
- Know how to make a fruit kebab
- Know how to make a healthful smoothie
- Know how to grill fruit
- Know how to poach fruit
- Know how to dehydrate fruit
- Know how to compress fruit
Serving Competencies
- Know where to add fruit to a menu
- Know how to travel with fruit
- Know how much of the plate should be filled with vegetables
Safety Competencies
- Know how to prevent cross-contamination
- Know how to identify rotten fruit
- Understand knife safety