ORGANIC FRUIT BASKETS

A fruit basket will brighten the day of someone in your life. Whether they are recovering from an illness or simply in need of a boost, they will really enjoy it!

Fruit gift baskets are typically made with various fruits organized with ribbons and bows to decorate them. Customizing a fruit basket can be easy! Make the gift of a fruit basket mean more by decorating it with things they like and the fruit they love!

If the person that you are going to give the fruit basket to loves strawberries and kiwi, fill it up with those two fruits and they are sure to love it. What is their favorite color? Chose ribbons in their favorite colors or pick some ornaments that fit the theme that you are going for to decorate the basket.

While other people are receiving the normal gift of flowers, you can give the gift of a fruit gift basket and really surprise them! Flowers are nice to look at but they are not as nice as a fruit basket. The fruit gift is an original gift.

As a gift for someone recovering from an illness, fruit can not only make them feel better by lifting their spirits. Fruit is full of essential vitamins that can aid them in feeling better and recovering more quickly from their illness.

As a gift to an office coworker, the fruit basket can be shared by many people. They can open the fruit basket and share it among their peers or take it home and share it with their family. They could also leave it at their desk and have a healthy snack just waiting on them whenever the need for one comes up.

Have you ever wanted to get a gift for your boss but are just not sure what to get him? He would not appreciate a flower bouquet as much as a female boss would. You are not sure if he is fond of a certain sport or team. Why not give him the gift of healthy fruit.

The fruit gift basket is a very versatile gift and will be appreciated and enjoyed by anyone who receives one. When you are considering gifts for that special someone or for that person that you do not know so well, consider the fruit basket. A gift basket designed particularly for someone is a very unique gift or just simply make it a collaboration of fruit. Either way, it is sure to be enjoyed!

Or for those who enjoy wine, you could consider a carefully chosen wine basket.

The famous 5 a day

We constantly hear the mantra 5 portions of fruit or vegetables a day will give us the vitamins and minerals we need to stay healthy. But how much is a portion? What can we include on the list?

Is tinned OK? What about frozen?

The best way to get the daily intake of fibre, vitamins and minerals that fruit and veg can provide is eating fresh, the fresher the better and in season, they will have more flavour and be at their best. Don't be fooled into thinking fruit and veg is expensive, sure some of the exotic varieties may be but the majority are not. Visit your local market towards the end of the day you can get some real bargains and if they are in top condition they can be preserved by freezing or bottling, this is a great way of having fruit and vegetables when they are out of season or the quality is poor.

Don't buy heaps of the stuff just to go off in the fridge this will just be self defeating. A little planning can go a long way, not everyone will like the same thing, so try a different type of fruit or veg each week the choice is huge. If you have children then encouraging them to eat veg can be a real challenge. If they have always eaten fruit and veg then it can be easier, try grating carrot into their meal or finely chopped onion,

These can easily be disguised but ideally you want them to see what they are eating so it becomes the norm. Encourage young children to grow some simple veg, mustard and cress on a window sill or a tomato plant in a pot if they can see the fruits of their labour (pun intended) then your half way there. Fresh fruit salads are a great way to encourage children to eat fruit and if you mix it with a little 100% fruit juice then all the better. If you are weaning your baby then it is an ideal time to introduce puréed fruit and veg into the diet.

Scrub don't peel, if you can get away with it, this will increase fibre intake. You can enhance the look of a meal, for instance by peeling stripes on cucumber or used a mini pastry cutter to produce star shapes, or whatever, be imaginative if it looks interesting they will want to try it. Don't forget to save any raw waste to make compost for your allotment.

Tinned fruit and veg can go towards your 5 a day but do remember that they may have added salt or sugar. They are a good way to take advantage of bargains and special offers and obviously a handy way to store food. Frozen fruit and veg is fine and again a good way to store food.

100% fruit juice is good but it only counts as 1 portion regardless of how much you drink in a day, this is because of the small amount of fibre that is present. Smoothies are similar to juices unless all the pulp is present. Pulses and beans only count as one of the five a day regardless of how many you eat, although they are high in fibre they do not provide us with the same mix of vitamins and minerals as fruit or veg.

The following quantities are for adults, children would usually require smaller amounts.

A portion = 80g

For vegetables, that's equivalent to 3 heaped tablespoons of cooked carrots, sweetcorn, peas or broad beans.

For fruit that's equivalent to a 50mm wide wide slice of melon, pineapple,a banana, a handful of grapes or an apple.

Dried fruit that's 3 apricots, 3 prunes, 1 tablespoon of mixed fruit or a handful of mixed fruit chips.

Fruit juice, smoothies 150mlof 100% juice = 1 portion, regardless of how much you drink in a day.

Pulses and beans 80g = 1 portion, regardless of how much you eat in a day.

Because fruit and veg differ in their vitamin, mineral and fibre content it is important that as many different types as possible are eaten, you should really consider 5 as a minimum. They should be part of a balanced diet along with starchy foods such as potatoes, rice, bread, pasta. Oily fish provides important vitamins and minerals and moderate amounts of meat or alternatives, eggs and dairy products. You should also aim for a low salt and sugar consumption.

Eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday is a difficult chore at best. The USDA now recommends we eat 3 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 4 servings of fruit depending on your age, weight and height. Some researchers have raised this to 12 servings a day. According to the government websites, USDA and the CDC , only 10-12% of the American population even comes close to consuming the recommended amounts. Another large number of us eat no fruits and vegetables at all. The CDC has said" we recommend supplementation for those people who cannot or do not eat enough plant-based food"

Fruits and vegetables are the source of the nutrition our bodies require to function. The more of these foods you eat the better your health and the less disease you are likely to attract. There is no nutrition in a bag of potato chips for example and there are quantities of elements like salt that are actually harmful. There is little or no nutrition in a happy meal but there are over a million served everyday.

So what is this fast and easy way to get 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day?

Technology is able to reduce all the nutritious fruits and vegetables no one seems to like down to a powder which can be quickly mixed and consumed. The process is called essences or extracts. This process reduces fruits and vegetables down to a fine powder while at the same time maintaining all of the nutrition, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and other essentials of the original fruits and vegetables. In this manner these whole food supplements keep all the synergistic attributes of the original plant.

Vegetables that are high in nutrients seem to be the least favorite to eat especially for children and young adults. Fruits are more popular but are still not consumed in the required amounts. By drinking your nutrition you will get the vegetables like spinach, swiss chard, kale leaf, broccoli and beets. These are the vegetables with the highest amounts of phytonutrients and the ones least liked. Most of these supplements have a chocolate flavor so they are easy to drink.

Add supplements to two meals a day, fast and easy

Breakfast: Have at least one fruit preferably two. Fruits like bananas or berries on good cereals, try oatmeal or 8 grain hot cereal or cheerios. Drink one antioxidant drink with a mixture of 26 fruits that gives 2 to 3 servings of fruit in one small scoop. If you can find one with energy foods and herbs all the better. Another suggestion have a smoothie with 2 cups orange juice, 1cup blueberries or blackberries and a few strawberries plus a scoop of Super Fruit and Berry. This is a super berry antioxidant energy drink which gives you a total of 7 servings of fruits plus the antioxidant and energy power for a whole day.

Lunch: Eat one vegetable or salad. At this time you can have a scoop of Super Veggies and Greens called Super Food Premier (search engine) It has 3 to 4 servings of vegetables and greens plus a lot of other nutrition which is excellent for your health.

Snack: Eat an organic apple.

Dinner: 4 oz of your favorite fish, beef or chicken. Have two vegetables like corn, asparagus, green beans etc. For dessert have fruit. Super Food Premier or similar supplement can be taken at dinner instead of lunch.

That is 12 servings or more of fruits and vegetables. The two supplements provide from five to seven servings and the Super Food Premier can be a substitute for an entire meal up to twice a day if weight loss is desired. The supplements alone give the minimum daily recommended portions of fruits and vegetables. Using this new technology of extracts gives you all the nutrition originally in the fruits and vegetables.

Anyone that has a taste for sweets yet does not want to fill up on candy should consider another alternative in fruit for life. Fruit is a great way to get what you need in your diet, and not have to worry about taking in all of the useless sugars and products that do your body absolutely no good. Fruit is something that you can enjoy at virtually any time of the day, and you can enjoy it in many different ways. Finding the right fruit for your desires just might be the hardest part of your day, if you enjoy various fruit on a weekly basis.

Fruit Salads

If given the option between a big bowl of candy or a wonderful fruit salad which would you prefer? If you have chosen the fruit salad, then you obviously know what it takes to stay healthy. Candy may be tempting from time to time, but there are many wonderful ways that you can dress fruit up in a salad that makes it just as appealing. Fruit with light syrups are an excellent way to keep the kids happy, and you will not have to worry about all of the processed sugar that you will find in the candy sending them into a hyperactive episode. While fruit does actually contain natural sugar, it is nothing in comparison to the sugar that is found in other man made sweets. Fruit salad is perhaps one of the most delightful dishes that can be found on a hot summer afternoon.

No Time Limits

There really are no time limits as to when you can or cannot enjoy fruit through the day. Many people like to start the morning off with a nice piece of fruit, and this is something that is actually practiced throughout the world. Fruit is something that has been around since the beginning of time, and you can easily understand the appeal of it as it is absolutely wonderfully refreshing.

Countries that are fortunate enough to have many fruits as native to their region can enjoy fruit with every meal. Warmer climates can enjoy fruit more consistently, and this makes it ideal as a source of snacks for kids and adults alike. Cooler climates are not quite as fortunate, yet you seldom hear them complain as they have a plethora of options at the grocery store. This is by far the most convenient way to obtain these fine treats that nature has provided us.

Organic Is The Way To Go

If you are going to enjoy fruit as a great snack, then you will obviously want to does it right. The best possible way for you to enjoy fruit, would be for you to obtain the organic version of whatever it is you are interested in. this is the very best of what nature has intended the fruit to taste like, and with the organic farmers help you get to enjoy this as well. While organic fruit is a bit more costly than the regular variety found in the grocery store, you will quickly forget the cost difference when you actually taste the organics versus the original fruit.

Studies on health benefits of fruits have always emphasized on their inherent goodness for the human body. It's a proven fact that people who consume adequate doses of fruits daily are less likely to suffer from diseases. Since different fruits carry nutrients in different quantities, it is best to incorporate a variety of fruits in your diet.

It's human desire to live long and fruits can fulfill one's dream of healthy longevity. Being natural, fruits contain no processed chemical preservatives and are best when eaten raw or as juices. Consuming fruits on a daily basis will surely improve your health quotient, making your skin glow like never before.

Still unconvinced? Here is an explanation of how fruits are the best friend of man. We live in an age where stress levels are constantly soaring high. Feelings of stress, depression, tiredness are a general occurrence. If we do not cope with them, we might end up lying sick for months and ultimately turn out to be losers in life. Paying attention to your health and nutrition is of utmost importance when you are planning to chalk out a successful career. A balanced diet complemented with adequate fruits gives you the extra energy to cope with the daily pressure of your life. Besides, the antioxidants produced helps to ward off free radicals from the body.

Free radicals are actually molecules, produced when our bodies are exposed to oxygen followed by a series of reactions. Free radicals can damage proteins, membranes, and genes. Presence of free radicals can cause Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer. Pollution, smoking, sunlight, and alcohol are some of the factors that trigger the production of free radicals. No wonder, we are now at greater risk!

Fruits help in the formation of antioxidants which fight free radicals thus preventing premature ageing and the onset of diseases. Enriched with natural fibers, fruits also ensure proper bowel movement and resist colon and bowel cancers.

Consumption of fruits thus becomes important to keep your body in good health. But the question arises how much fruit should we actually consume to ensure our body has met its daily requirement. It's a fact that every time you might not prefer to eat whole fruits at regular intervals. You can kick off this boredom with some interesting fruit recipes like juices, smoothies, fruit salads, fruit pies, cut fruit with chilled condensed milk, as pizza toppings etc. Club fruits with various dishes to bring a different flavor. As meal or snack, fruits are equally tasty. Armed with nutrients, they are your 'natural bodyguards.'

People who are suffering from diabetes should maintain a healthy balanced diet. If you have diabetes, you should withdraw from eating foods that are high in both cholesterol and fats. Your diet should be composed of non-greasy and simply-digested food that has a lot of fiber content. Fruits are the best source of fiber. Fruits for diabetics have a lot of benefits for diabetes patients. They are high in vitamins and nutrients, but are low on fats. Because of these, they bring positive effect to the control of the blood sugar. However, you should note that fruit juices do not give the same benefits as fruits themselves because juices and concentrates are highly rich in sugar. The dietary fiber you need is not provided by fruit juices; therefore you should choose whole fruits because these have more fiber. Remember to choose fruits that are not sweetened and choose citrus fruits like grapefruit, orange or lime.

Even if diabetics can eat any fruit available in the market, certain fruits like mango, grapes, and banana are considered diabetes bad food because they have high sugar content. These can raise your glucose level in blood. Grapefruit, jambul and apple are the three fruits highly beneficial for diabetic patients. Certain studies have proved that cholesterol is being lowered by this fruit. Because it has low glycemic index properties, it helps the body burn fats. On the other hand, diet composed of only grapefruit is not sufficient for diabetics; you should still eat more fruits and vegetables than foods rich in cholesterol and fats. Grapefruit is best taken with diabetic low carb diet to prevent the rise of sugar levels.

Another one of the fruits for diabetics is the apple. Apples have high contents of pectin that is very helpful to people with diabetes. Pectin detoxifies the body by providing excessively high amounts of galacturonic acid. This acid takes away the detrimental wastes out of the blood stream and helps generate a lower insulin requirement for diabetics by thirty-five percent or more. Aside from the pectin, Vitamin B1 is also found in apples. This vitamin averts the destruction of brain cells that may be occurring because of diabetic acidosis.

The rose apple or jambul is also another fruit beneficial for diabetic patients. The compositions of jambul have a great helpful effect on the pancreas. Starch is not converted to bad sugar because jambul prevents the conversion. This promotes lower blood sugar levels. Seeds of this fruit are dried, pulverized and dissolved in water for a healthful drink. This fruit also prevents a patient from experiencing excessive thirst and urination.

Diabetics are advised to eat five portions or more of fruits and vegetables daily to lower their blood glucose levels. It is also important for diabetics to know and understand the fruits they are eating. If you eat food with high sugar content, chances are your sugar level in blood will rise. Remember to abstain from eating fruits with high glycemic index. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables will help you not only lower your blood glucose but also maintain your general diet.

Fruits are the seed-bearing portions of plants. Some products of this class, such as melons, are sometimes called fruits and sometimes vegetables; and a few vegetable products which are not fruits in the strict sense, are included in this class of food products because they have a similar place in the diet.

Fresh fruits contain a high percentage of water, varying from about 75 per cent. to over 95 per cent. It has been suggested that those containing 80 per cent. or more of water be classed as flavor fruits, and those with less than 80 per cent. as food fruits: Bananas, grapes and fresh figs are the commonest examples of the latter class. When the water is removed by evaporation, as in drying, the percentage of moisture falls to 30 per cent. or less, and the proportion of nutrients is correspondingly raised, so that dried fruits would fall into the class of food fruits. Preserved fruits have their nutritive value raised by the addition of water, and usually by some loss of water in preparation.

As a class, fruits contain little or no fat. The olive is a remarkable exception. The proportion of protein is so low as to be practically negligible. Carbohydrates are the chief nutrient present. In ripe fruits these are almost wholly in the form of sugars and other soluble carbohydrates, commonly called pectin bodies. In unripe fruits starch is often found - notably in the ordinary banana. The principal sugars are sucrose or cane sugar, dextrose or grape sugar, and levulose or fruit sugar. A mixture of the last two is common, and is called invert sugar.

Fruits contain characteristic organic acids, such as malic in apples, citric in lemons, etc. These acids exist in the form of salts, usually of potassium. A little phosphoric acid, lime, iron, etc., also occur. The flavor is due partly to the sugars and acids, and partly to characteristic ethereal bodies present in small quantities. Chemists have isolated the ethers and oils which give the peculiar flavor to bananas, strawberries and other fruits.

Digestibility of fruits varies with the kind of fruit eaten and its mode of preparation; stewed fruits are, in general, more easily digested than raw fruits. Personal idiosyncrasy has also much to do with digestibility in case of this class of food materials. Oranges, lemons, grapes and peaches are very generally digested with ease. Oranges are much used in invalid dietaries, their juice being very effective in allaying thirst. Orange juice is also commonly administered to infants, especially if fed artificially, for the sake of the mineral matter and to prevent constipation and, in the case of infants fed on pasteurized or boiled milk or on proprietary foods, as an antiscorbutic. It is important to those who are obliged to exclude sugar from the dietary to know that fruits containing the least sugar are the plum, peach, apricot and raspberry. Those containing the largest amounts are the apple, sweet cherry, grape and pear.

Tropical fruit is not only exotic, but also provides some variety to your diet. Coconuts. Pineapples. Mangos. Papayas. These fruits are just some examples of the many tropical fruit varieties you can find in the exotic fruit section of your supermarket. Have you only admired tropical fruit from afar? Here is some advice on using the fruits.

Smoothies

All the tropical fruits are tasty in smoothies, especially pineapples, mangos, and papayas. Just mix one cup of fruit in any combination with one cup milk, one tablespoon honey, and a few ice cubes. If you use frozen tropical fruit, you can omit the ice cubes. Using frozen tropical fruit instead of ice actually enhances the flavor of the smoothie.

Salsa

Mangos, pineapples, and papayas are especially tasty when incorporated into a salsa. Mangos especially seem to blend well with other salsa ingredients such as jalapeno peppers and cilantro. Serve your tropical fruit salsa on chicken or fish or with tortilla chips.

Tropical Fruit Salad

Tropical fruit also makes a great fruit salad. Just clean and chop the tropical fruit of your juice into bite sized pieces. An example of a good tropical fruit salad combination includes one cup each of pineapple, mango, and papaya, and kiwi fruit chopped. Toss with ½ cup coconut shavings. Make a dressing out of ½ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup orange juice, and 1 tablespoon honey. Pour over salad and toss.

Tropical fruit on the grill

You can also pierce skewers through various combinations of tropical fruit and warm the grill for a few minutes on each side. This is a good accompaniment to grilled meats and fish. For example, you can serve skewered pineapples with chicken that was marinated in a teriyaki sauce made with pineapple juice. Grilled papayas go well when combined with grilled swordfish or halibut. Grilled mangos are especially tasty when paired with salmon or shrimp.

Tropical Fruit in your Diet

When trying to include tropical fruit in your diet, you aren't restricted to eating it raw. Incorporating it into your meals can give your taste buds some variety while enhancing your overall health.

It is recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that we consume between 5 and 9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. It is typically very difficult for the average person to fulfill those recommendations, either because of an aversion to fruits and vegetables or poor food choices in general. By drinking fresh fruit juices, though, you can fill your daily requirements quicker, even all at once!

Drinking your fruits can help you to meet your daily requirements and get all of the beneficial nutrients out of the food. Squeezing your fruit is the efficient way to insure you are getting the vitamins and minerals from the fruit. Besides the health benefits, it is quick, and it is convenient!

While eating the whole fruit is generally considered the ideal way to consume it, squeezing it can have just as many benefits. For example, if you are not much of a fruit or vegetable eater, it might be easier to incorporate those foods into your diet by drinking them. You will still meet the recommended daily requirement of 5-9 fruits or vegetables per day, and you can meet that requirement faster.

You might think that you will lose a lot of nutrients by squeezing only the fruit juice and drinking it, as opposed to eating the whole fruit. The truth is, fruit juice contains nearly as much of the vital fiber as the whole fruit, and all of the vitamins come along in the juice!

When you freshly squeeze juice, you have a whole world of options open to you. In addition to the many fruits and vegetables out there that can be squeezed and sipped on their own, there are countless combinations that can be made to create delicious and nutritious cocktails and smoothies. It doesn't have to be as tedious as simply peeling a banana and eating it anymore!

When it comes to fruit juices, freshly squeezed juices are definitely the best nutritionally. When fruit juices are bottled or packaged, they are often heated or pasteurized in order to kill germs. In this process, many of the vital enzymes of the fruits are lost as well, which eliminates the nutrients you need.

Making your own fruit juices and cocktails is easy. You can buy one of the many juicers available on the market, or you can just use a blender to create a multitude of healthy and delicious juice drinks for your and your family. They will taste great, and your picky kids won't even know that they are getting something that's good for them!

One of the most rewarding aspects of home gardening is to succeed in growing fruit trees right there in your own backyard. It is possible even in the suburbs to create a miniature orchard of your favorite ones, growing fresh, ripe fruit for all to share.

The hard work begins in earnest from the start of winter until the end of winter. This includes, planting new trees, pruning and shaping existing ones, or any moving and transplanting should be done during this time.

Towards the end of winter and close to early spring, as the weather warms and the days extend, most trees are beginning to grow tender, new roots. Any movement such as planting or transplanting can damage these roots. In the least it may lose one year of valuable growth and at worst - well, I think you know.

Choosing the right type of fruit to grow is entirely a personal choice. In Melbourne, Australia you can choose from several varieties of, peaches, apples, cherries, apples, and pears, pomegranates and persimmons, plums, apricots, almonds walnuts, and chestnuts. This is just to name a few, not including berry or grape types which are also suited to Melbourne's temperate climate.

A key thing to remember when buying any fruit producing trees is that some types call for a cross-pollinator. This is important for trees like cherries, some almond types, pears, apples, and plums. Even trees which are self-fertile can benefit from having a different variety of the same fruit as a cross pollinator, but still often manage to produce enough seasonal fruit to keep their owners happy.

Several dwarf varieties of fruit trees are now becoming available, but at a premium price. The process involved in grafting fruit scions onto rootstocks which will keep them miniature is more tedious and costly. However, the benefits of dwarfed fruit trees are fantastic.

- They can easily be grown in pots

- Are readily transportable should you need to change address

- Are much easier to prune and otherwise maintain

- Small backyards can support several fruit tree types

Some fruit trees can prove high maintenance, particularly around the Melbourne area and similar temperate climate locations. While fruit trees such as, plums, prunes, almonds, chestnuts, walnuts, quinces, persimmons, and walnuts grow with very little to no maintenance, other trees do need attention.

Fruit trees such as peaches and nectarines can suffer from curly leaf, a disease which ultimately causes leaf loss. The tree does need to be sprayed just before spring with a curly leaf spray. These and other fruit trees can be affected by fungal disease, white fly, aphids, caterpillars, slugs and snails. There are remedial chemicals available on the market and a plethora of bio-organic and natural, homemade remedies. A check on the net can eventually set you in the right direction.

Other items to consider when planting fruit trees are:

Good Soil with Plenty of Composted Material

If you live on clay soil or otherwise have unsuitable soil, you can easily convert this into a suitable growing medium. Regular incorporation of Gypsum aids clay soils. Nutrient deficient soils can have a trailer load of well rotted manure dug in with the existing soil. Keep hard soil soft and loosened and give fruit trees a good dose of fertiliser just on spring.

A Sunny Position

Without sun fruit can rarely become sweet. Sugar comes from one place - the sun. If you want sweet fruit, the more sun the better.

Regular Water and Fertiliser

Through the growing season, you need to ensure regular watering and sufficient fertiliser. While the tree itself will benefit from manures, manure I not enough. A fruit tree while fruiting, also needs potassium to aid in the production of healthy fruit. Potassium sulphate is readily available in garden centers and can be used on fruit trees.

As for watering, set a regular pattern. Irregular or sporadic watering can cause fruit to split. While the tree is dry, the skin around the fruit calcifies or hardens. When you next water the tree, as it tries to swell it splits because the skin has lost its elasticity.

Prune And Trim Tree Correctly

When you first buy a two to three-year old fruit tree, you don't need a tall tree or a tree with too many branches. Prune it right back to about 30cms. From the trunk. You will be living with this tree for years and most fruit trees are vigorous in growth. Prune back each winter and be sure to remove inner growth. Keep to a vase shape as best as possible, aiming always to outward growth.

Following these simple rules for growing fruit trees is the best way to ensure a bountiful crop of your very own, delicious fruit.

Admit it, you know that you should be eating a diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables in order to be healthy. Of all the things you can do to help your overall health, eating more fruits and vegetables would probably be number one - and yet most people still fail to do this! No doubt many think of these as boring, but they don't need to be! Fruits and vegetables are very tasty, very nutritious, affordable, and easy to incorporate into your daily diet.

Fruits and vegetables are also very high in antioxidants, elements which play a vital role in good health. They are thought to help prevent cancer, heart disease, and premature aging. There are also many important trace elements that are important for health that are found in fruits and vegetables. These elements cannot be had by a supplement or vitamin pill; you can only get them from what you eat!

How to Choose the Best

Here are some tips for choosing the best fruits and vegetables for optimum health:

Choose fresh whenever possible. While frozen fruits and vegetables contain many nutrients, there are even more in fresh items. Canned and frozen vegetables and fruits are good when you're buying items that are out of season. They are not as good as fresh but are still very healthy. For canned fruits, avoid those that are packed in syrup and instead opt for those packed in water instead. Different colors of fruits and vegetables signify different nutrients. So, opt for a variety of colors with your items. Yellow and orange items typically are high in beta-carotene and dark, leafy vegetables are high in Vitamin C. Cooking vegetables also typically drains them of their nutrients. Opt for a quick steam with just a slight bit of water rather than boiling. Remember that it doesn't matter how healthy your items are if you drown them in butter or oil! Use just a bit if you must or instead, try seasoning blends.

Serving Sizes Are Important

When you hear that you're supposed to eat five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables every day, just how much is that? Many people are confused by this and often think it's more or less than it really is. Here are a few things to consider when it comes to serving sizes; a serving may mean:

- One medium whole fruit, such as one apple, orange, banana or pear.
- A large slice of watermelon, cantaloupe, or other melon.
- Two whole small fruits, such as kiwi fruit or plums.
- A cup of very small fruits such as grapes, raspberries and other berries.
- A half cup of fruit salad that consists of any variety of items.
- A half cup of canned fruit.
- A quarter cup of any dried fruit.
- A half cup of pure fruit juice of any variety.
- A half cup of any cooked, frozen, or canned vegetables.
- A side salad.

Remember too that you really can't overeat fruits and vegetables, unlike other foods. Rather than trying to limit yourself the way you would with other foods, you can try to incorporate these items into as many meals and dishes as possible. A good way to do this is to plan your meals ahead of time and shop accordingly.

Healthy Living With Fruits and Vegetables

Here are some tips for incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet overall:

- Make sure the refrigerator is always full of healthy vegetables you can eat like celery and carrots.
- Keep a bowl of fruit out on the kitchen or dining room table so it's easily accessible.
- Have pure fruit juice every morning with breakfast.
- Vegetable soup is perfect on a cold winter's day!
- Have a salad every day. If this sounds boring, try different elements such as different types of lettuce as well as items to add in like sprouts, peppers, broccoli, and so on.
- Remember that fresh and even dried fruits make a perfect quick snack.
- When you make a sandwich, add in lettuce, tomato, sprouts, peppers, and any other fruit or vegetable.
- Carrots are great for a garnish if you shred them over a dish.
- Try to include two servings of vegetables at dinnertime no matter what you have to eat.
- A vegetable stir fry can include just about any item, so use your imagination!
- During summer months, make fruit or vegetable kabobs for the grill.
- Bake an apple and sprinkle it with cinnamon for a low-calorie, delicious dessert.
- Bulk up your soups with carrots, onions, peas, cabbage, and anything else you enjoy.

Whether you love the taste of fruits during the winter, or you simply love to learn new and interesting ways to prepare food, you may be wondering about how to dry fruit. Drying fruit is one way to preserve its delicious flavors for the winter. If you have some fruit that you would love to preserve, here are a few things that can get you started.

Start with fruit that is ripe, but not soft or squishy. They should not have any soft spots or bad spots. When you have your fruit selected, start by washing them, pitting them, and then slicing them. The smaller the pieces, the faster your fruit will dry. If you keep the pieces uniform in size, you will be able to dry them more evenly.

When the fruit has been cut up, you will need to pre-treat it. One way to pre-treat apricots or apples is to blanch them. Blanching involves steaming the fruit for five minutes and then plunging them into ice water. Alternatively, instead of blanching, you can pre-treat the fruit by dipping it in a solution made of 1 quart of water and 2 tablespoons of ascorbic acid for 5 minutes. There are also other ways to pre-treat the fruit prior to the drying process.

After you have pre-treated the fruit, it is ready to be dried. The most simple method of drying fruit involves sun drying, but do keep in mind that you are going to need three days of sunny heat that hovers around 100 degrees. You can spread the fruit out on a screen for three days, turning them over halfway through. Make sure that you bring them inside at night to avoid insects, but this is a very simple way to dry fruit.

If you live in a climate that is not suitable for drying fruit outside, consider using oven drying. Spread cheesecloth over your oven racks and then place the fruit on top of them. Preheat your oven to 145 degrees, while keeping the door slightly open to allow steam to escape. Most fruits should be dried from 4 hours onwards up to half a day, depending on the fruit concerned. Check the fruit periodically by tasting a piece of fruit to see if it is ready.

Better still, you can also use a food dehydrator to dry the fruit. There are many inexpensive food dehydrators designed to be used at home. Commonly the dehydrator consists of trays stacked upon one another. All you need to do is to place the fruit slices evenly on the trays and switch on the machine. Many models have adjustable thermostat for you to choose the appropriate temperature for drying. As usual, check the fruit periodically to see if it is dried.

Once it is dried, it is done! It is ready to be enjoyed. One last thing is that if you are planning to store your fruit for long time, you may also want to pasteurize it. When your fruit is perfectly dry, you can either freeze it in a deep freezer for a few days, or heat it up to 175 degrees in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. This can help you preserve the fruit for longer.

So take some time and learn more about drying out your fruit. This is a safe and easy food experiment to try at home!

One of the most delicious desserts is actually the fruit bowl or the so called fruit salad. It is very much similar to the fruit platter, except for the fact that the fruit salad has a dressing, while a platter of fruits are just an assortment of cut fruits arranged on a plate. All over the world, the fruit salad can be considered as a favorite dessert, not only because of the sweet taste it provides, but also because of the many health benefits one gets from eating it.

The fruity bowl is not merely a dessert, but may also be eaten as an appetizer. The fruits may either be covered in a sweet syrup or may be lathered with the own juices of the fruits. Not all restaurants have a fruit salad, fruit platter, etc. as desserts, so if you are craving for fruits, the best way is t learn how to make a fruit salad yourself.

Making a fruit salad is not really difficult. You just have to make sure that you have all the necessary ingredients prepared. If you have fruit trees planted in your backyard, it will be truly easy for you to make the salad. You may also check out the nearest grocery store for fruits that may be hard to find in the backyard.

Most fruit salads have the following fruits as ingredients: grapes, apples, peaches, pineapples, and the likes. Berries such as strawberries and blueberries may also be added. Some people also utilize chopped mint and a little amount of sour cream, and of course, a little bit of honey for sweetness. More often than not, two cups filled with assorted fresh fruits are enough to make a fruit salad that can serve 3-4 people. Be reminded that all you have to do once you have the ingredients is to mix them well, and voila, you'll have your very own fruit bowl.

Making the salad is actually similar to the way you prepare your fruity platter - the only difference is that you have to create a dressing for the salad. Dressings, of course, differ from one continent to another. In Europe, for instance, mayonnaise is used as the main ingredient for the dressing, while condensed milk is used as the main dressing ingredient for fruit salads in Asia. Those salads, no matter what kind of dressing, have one common taste: they are definitely meant to be sweet.

Both a fruity bowl and a fruity platter can promote healthy eating for as long as you make use of the right fruit and the right ingredients. It is best to select the fruits' pureed syrup as one of your ingredients than to use canned syrup if being healthy is on the top of your list. Aside from berries, tangerines, cantaloupes, watermelons, and the likes are the recommended fruits to add into your fruity desserts for maximum health benefits as those fruits are richer in vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and have lower calorie content compared to other fruits.

Although all fruits are generally healthy, they could also create a bit of discomfort in some cases. If you have a sensitive digestive system for instance, fruits that can be acidic may not be recommended for you.

Even if there is no such thing as a harmful fruit, you should still take note of your health condition before eating your desired fruit. Some fruits can contain acid and this acid may not only affect your digestive tract when consumed on a large amount, but can also affect your dental health. Too much acid can be harmful to the surface of your teeth.

To minimize the discomfort brought on by too much consumption of acid and sugar from certain fruits, fruits have been classified into different categories so that people may know if they can freely enjoy their preferred healthy snack or if they need to limit or totally avoid it.

Fruits can be sweet. They contain fructose, or the sugar on fruits, which when eaten very often can affect your teeth. Pears are a good example of sweet fruits. Just for an added fruit nutrition fact, these fruits are best eaten on an empty stomach. Apples, strawberries and mangoes on the other hand are examples of sub-acid fruits.

Sub-acid fruits are less acidic compared to the acidic fruits. These can go with either acidic or sweet fruits. It is still best not to consume too much of them if you are already full. Acid fruits such as oranges and other citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C and are also a good source of calcium. However, other people may experience stomach ache because of the sour effect of these fruits.

Now that you are aware of some facts about fruits, let us look at some benefits and vitamin and mineral contents of some popular fruits.

o Mangoes can help to relieve bowel movement discomfort. They can also lower down the body temperature when you have fever, and can unclog your skin pores, too. Their major benefit could rely on their ability to reduce the risk of cancer and alleviate the excess acids in the stomach.

o Lemons are good for fighting infection. With the right amount, lemons can also treat tooth ache and skin problems such as acne and blackheads.

o Apricot can be a good treatment for colon cleansing. They can get rid of gall stones and can even kill worms that live in your stomach. They can also combat anemia and other pulmonary illness.

o Dates is also a good fruit that treats anemia, constipation, ulcers, and even sexual problems.

In addition to each of these nutritional facts, all of the fruits also contain Vitamins A, B, and C as well as other minerals such as phosphorus and proteins. If you think one of these fruits can help you with your existing health discomfort, it is best to also consider first if you have other health conditions that could also be affected before grabbing the fruit of your choice.

A lot of people may prefer eating meat over fruits and vegetables. When choosing a dessert, it is very common for most individuals to select that tempting chocolate cake rather than the fruit bowl. For a healthier lifestyle, however, it is necessary for you to munch on fruit platters on a more regular basis.

Fruits are really of great importance to persons of any age. For those of you who always go on diets to be healthier or skinnier, you will more often than not notice that the intake of fruits regularly is always indicated in dietary plans.

Why are fruits placed on a pedestal whenever one's health is concerned? First and foremost, the contents of a fruit bowl are sure to be rich in vitamins as well as minerals. When devouring fruit platters, your body also gets more fiber that helps the body in detoxification since it promotes daily bowel movement. Eating fruits also gives you more water, which may make you feel fuller, thus, pigging out is lessened.

If you have a need for larger amounts of a specific vitamin, you can always select fruits that are rich in that vitamin. For example, if vitamin A is what you want, eat fruits that are either orange or yellow in color. Fruits like peaches and bananas are good examples of those that are rich in vitamin A which makes your eyes, bones, and skin better. If vitamin B1 is something you are interested in, make sure that your fruit bowl has brown or white fruits like pears as well as apples which give extra protection to your nervous system. For Vitamin C lovers, red and orange fruits are recommended, so eat more strawberries and oranges found in fruit platters.

If you really want to get the most out of a fruit's vitamin content, eat it raw and avoid cooking fruit as that will reduce the total amount of vitamins in it. When picking out which fruits to buy, remember too that the best kinds are the ones that have been newly picked as compared to fruits that have been picked a few days ago.

If weight loss is on your mind, fruit platters are also the way to go. Some people may not be aware, but eating fresh fruit everyday can really help a person lose weight. This is because fruits contain only small amounts of calories compared to other kinds of food. A fruit bowl with grapes and dates, however, may not be a good idea for those who want to lose weight because those fruits have higher amounts of sugar, thus, intake of those should be lessened. It is also best to have fruits as snacks and avoid eating processed snacks in order to achieve your weight loss goals.

Having regular intake of fruit platters or a fruit bowl can give you a lot of benefits. It not only provides you with the minerals and vitamins needed by the body, but also aids in the digestive process. Fruits are truly beneficial so it is a must that you take them regularly.

We can't say enough about the benefits of fruits to our health. Compared to all the information out there, fruits don't seem to get the credit they deserve.

We often eat fruits because we like them and don't give a second thought to the food value they give us. This is part of the reason why we do not eat enough fruits or enough of a variation. Fruit values differ in the concentration of vitamins, type, as well as minerals and other nutritional sources. For this reason we need to know the fruit nutrition facts in the fruit we eat. Since there are so many choices, we can add others to our diet so that we can have a more complete selection. For additional information on nutritional value in fruits, check other links below.

In addition to vitamins and minerals, fruits contain large amount of fibers. Fibers are an essential part of our daily diets and most of us simply don't get enough of it. Researchers have linked many health issues to lack of dietary fibers, such as colon cancer. Some fruits are better sources of fibers than others so check the fruits you eat to make sure you are getting a good supply of it.

The nutritional value in processed foods has to be clearly labeled in its container, but not for fruits. We need to look for fruit nutrition facts elsewhere to learn this information.

Another source of these wonderful nutrients is found in fruit juices and fruit bars that have been processed to retain the vitamins and minerals. Some of these, like orange juice, are commonly available in our supermarkets, but not all. There are many other less common fruits that are not as easy to find yet contain important nutrients as well. Read the fruit nutrition facts to get a better understanding of these fruit values.

Fruits are also a good source of water. Water is an important nutrient for our body. Many people do not drink enough water and suffer from health issues related to lack of water intake. Some people simply do not like to drink plain water. Many fruits contain a high level of water that adds to our daily water requirements. This is included in the fruit nutrition facts list.

Eating fruits has many other benefits. It serves to curve hunger and keep us away from junk food. When we are hungry and we are far from our regular meal, the urge for eating something may takes us to unhealthy choices. Instead of waiting for this to happen, plan by taking a fruit or two with you. When you start to feel hungry, eat an apple and it may hold you until dinner time. In addition to curing the hunger problem, you are also making a wise decision that will help supply your body with valuable nutrients.

The fruit nutrition fats found in the links provided below can help you understand better the amounts of nutritional value in the fruit of your choice.

Super fruits have caught the attention of the general public within the last several years. Although these same fruits have been around since the beginning time, many are turning to them to ease gout pain, improve eyesight and even enjoy a healthier heart naturally.

The super fruit fascination started back in 2004 when a book was published explaining the natural health benefits of the fruits categorized under this term. The term of super fruit refers to the antioxidant capacity of the underlying fruit. In addition to the antioxidant value, the fruits on this list also offer natural health benefits and taste good.

So for a fruit to be included on this list it must meet three criteria:

o High in antioxidants
o Offering natural health benefits
o An appealing taste

One area of importance to many seeking natural health remedies is the fruit's ability to offer a natural health benefit. (reduce joint pain, improve eye sight, etc.). Also, since many fruits offer similar compounds (vitamins and minerals) the health benefits of the underlying super fruit may not be attributed to just one compound. So it may be the synergistic benefits of all of the compounds naturally present in the underlying fruit that gives it natural health benefits.

For example, the tart cherry helps to reduce joint pain and inflammation in the body. Although the tart cherry is a natural source of Anthocyanins, research suggests it may be all of the compounds in the cherry working together in a synergistic relationship rather than the sole responsibility of the Anthocyanins.

According to emerging research there is actually two lists. First is the list of actual super fruits, while the second is a list of emerging super fruits. The biggest difference between the two lists is the fruits on the emerging list are not officially classified as super fruits. However, they do offer medical research evidence they offer significant antioxidant properties and/or harmful disease fighting properties.

I have included to two list for your review. The first is the current super fruit list, while the second is an example of emerging super fruits:

o Acai
o Blueberry
o Cranberry
o Grape
o Guarana
o Mangosteen
o Noni
o Pomegranate
o Seabuck Thorn
o Wolfberry (Goji)

Here is a list of some of the up-and-coming super fruits:

o Cherry
o Black Raspberry
o Black Currant
o Elderberry
o Kiwi Fruit

The world of the super fruit is broad and to learn more about the natural health benefits of the super fruit you can download a free book entitled Super Fruit Handbook. This is a complete book explaining the natural health benefits of select super fruit and select emerging super fruits.

Are you one of those people who say "I love fruits, but it does not love me?" Or "I love fruits, but I just can't eat it". a lot of people think that they are allergic to fruits because of the gas, bloating, and flatulence they experience after eating fruits. However, is this really an allergy to fruits or is it something else?

Most people I meet love fruits, both young and old we all love fruits. The reason why we instinctively crave fruits is because it is the one who by the human body is perfectly, biologically adopted to. Most fresh fruits are extremely high in water content with some fruits having up to 90% cleansing, life-giving, and new trade Pack water. This water is perfect for cleansing and ridding the body of dangerous toxic waste matter. Roots contains all the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, amino acids, fatty Acids that the body requires each day

The body uses more energy indigestion than for any other process vital energy is redirected from other processes that the body must perform in order to digest our food. Fruits on the other hand requires less energy to digest than any other food group.

Fruits are not digested in the stomach, all fruits, with the exception of bananas, dates, and dried fruit, stays in the stomach only for a very short time. This is very important to remember because if fruits are not intended to stay in the stomach for very long, incorrect consumption means that fruits should never be the immediately before or immediately after anything else. It is vital that when you eat fruits is eaten on them to stomach. Let's just say you had a medium-size lunch burgers and fries, and then you eat a fruit salad.

The fruits are ready to go straight to the summa into the contest aims but it is being prevented by the burger you ate just before. In the meantime the entire meal that is the burgers, fries and the fruit salad stays in your stock and for many this. The very action of fermentation produces gas, and lots of it. This is the main reason why most people think they are allergic to fruits.

So you at the fruit salad immediately after you at your lunch, you get gas, our ability, or indigestion, or flatulence, and you blame it on the fruits. If the fruits were eaten first in about 30 minutes were allowed to pass before eating your meal the fruits would have left to stumble and moved on to the intestinal tract and no problem would've resulted.

So if you have been constantly blaming fruits for your gastric disturbances, try eating fruits at least 30 minutes before consuming your meal, or wait at least two hours after you have consumed your meal. The point is to eat fruits once your stomach is empty. This way you would enjoy all the benefits of fruits and at the same time prevent any discomfort that you may have had in the past.

The intestines are where all the nutrients are absorbed, because fruits reached in testing this within minutes of eating, it's nutrients are immediately absorbed and euthanized by the body. By eating only fruits in the morning between 7 and 12 PM you will make your entire day more productive and you will have more energy.

If you're choosing, would you rather have raisins, or fresh grapes? It may be surprising for you to learn that there are differences between dried fruits and fresh fruits.

Produce departments in most areas are filling up with berries and cherries, and they generally look more appealing than dried fruit. But some people, nutritionists say, prefer dried fruits.

One registered dietitian has said that dried fruit doesn't have to be washed or prepared or peeled, which makes it easier to serve, especially to children.

Dried food is easier to handle and pack, and it's non-perishable and portable, but it can contain more calories when you compare it with fresh fruit. Nutrition values also can change, depending on how the dried fruit is prepared.

Nutritional experts say that because of the water used in keeping fresh produce fresh, they can help to fill up your stomach more, and you'll get more fruit nutrition with fewer calories consumed.

Fresh fruits are naturally rich in fiber, potassium, folate and vitamins C and A. Dried fruits have health benefits as well, but the process of drying the fruit can leach some of the nutrients from it.

Nevertheless, dietitians will tell you that dried and fresh fruits can each play a role in helping to satisfy your sweet tooth. This helps you to combat obesity, and the dried varieties make it easier to get your four fruit nutrition servings each day.

Researchers have discovered that when you dry blueberries, they actually become richer in antioxidants by four times over fresh blueberries. But drying processes can cause nutrients to be lost, and sometimes there will be sugar added as well. So most nutritional experts believe that fresh fruit is better for you, nutritionally.

Pretreatments that take place before the drying process, which include adding sulfur dioxide, can help to protect some of the nutrients, while at the same time degrading others. The sulfur dioxide preserves vitamins C and A, but destroys thiamine. Oftentimes, vegetables or fruits are steamed, or boiled briefly before they are dried, to help speed the drying process up and to kill microorganisms. This preserves thiamine and carotene but it causes a loss of vitamin C. Exposure to oxygen and light during the drying process can also degrade nutrients even further.

Drying with high heat can reduce the effective level of protein that your body gets from the food you eat. The protein is still there, but not as easily absorbed by your body. Fruit nutrition changes with the drying process, while it helps some nutrients and degrades others. The intensity of the drying process, depending on the fruit involved, will have various effects on the fruit you will eventually eat. Some of the effects are good, some not so good, and some parts of the dietary nutrition in fruits does not change appreciably when dried.

On the positive side, dried fruit has other benefits besides increased antioxidants. It is high in fiber, so it can be helpful in controlling diabetes, lowering blood cholesterol and helping to relieve constipation. Dried fruit is also a lot healthier than sugary snacks. And it's a quick energy source for athletes.

So... dried fruit is better in some ways and worse in others, as far as fruit nutrition statistics go. Eat dried fruits for snacks, but remember to include four servings of fresh fruit in your diet a day.

If youre looking for a different way to eat fruit, why not grill it?

We all know that fruit is part of a healthy diet, but sometimes we don't eat enough of it. Fresh fruit reposes in a bowl on our kitchen counter and goes bad before we eat it. Cans of fruit set in our kitchen cupboards or pantry untouched. We know we should eat fruit, but we don't always do it.

Grilling fruit changes up the flavors and textures, giving you a new way to enjoy a tasty, healthy food. In warmer months you can use an outdoors grill, and in cold weather you can use an outdoor grill. Yes, I know, some people use an outdoor grill even when the snow is flying, but for those of us who prefer to stay warm, try something like using a George Foreman grill in your kitchen.

Naturally, the fruit will have different flavors depending on how you grill it. For instance, charcoal or wood briquettes impart a smoky flavor of their own to the fruit.

Uses For Grilled Fruit

You can eat grilled fruit by itself as a snack, a side dish or dessert. It makes a nice addition to any meal. It goes great cut up and added to salads. Grilled fruits are nice in rice pudding and custards. They pair well with ice cream, and can be included in a fruit sauce to pour over cakes or pancakes.

There are all kinds of ways to use grilled fruit. Just about anyway you would use canned fruit will work with grilled fruit, and many ways you would use fresh fruit work too.

Ways Of Grilling Fruit

Most any kind of fruit can be grilled, such as apples, bananas, figs, papaya, peaches, pineapple and plums. Choose fruit that is ripe but still rather firm. This helps keep it from falling apart while being grilled.

Fruit can be split in half for grilling, or for more even cooking, cut the fruit into slices of fairly equal thickness. Sometimes it works better to cut the fruit in slices from top to bottom, such as when grilling pears.

Fruit should be brushed with melted butter or oil before being placed on the grill to prevent it from sticking. Some flavored oils pair well with fruit and produce a unique taste treat.

Once you've placed the fruit on a clean grill, don't wander off. Most fruit has a high sugar content that will cause it to char quickly. It only takes 2 to 5 minutes to cook fruit, depending on the heat of the grill and the thickness of the fruit.

Try This Simple Recipe for Grilled Apples

Cut an apples into slices about 1/4 to 1/2" inch thick, cutting cross-wise.

Brush the apple with butter on both sides.

Sprinkle the slices with a little cinnamon and sugar, then grill the apple until tender.

Savor The Flavor Year Round!

However you decide to try grilling fruit, whether indoors or outdoors, it's a good way to enjoy the healthy benefits of fruit year round.

The Mediterranean diet has long been considered to be the optimum diet for the human heart given it includes plenty of fresh fruit. WHO guidelines recommend that each of us should aim to eat at least five portions of different fruit or vegetables on a daily basis. A portion of fruit constitutes a single fruit such as an Apple, a small cup of fruit such as grapes or raspberries, or a glass of pure fruit juice. It is okay to include dried, tinned and frozen fruit as part of your five a day but be careful with tinned fruits given they are frequently sweetened with syrups and in many cases contains less vitamin C. Wherever possible purchase fruit that has been canned in its own juices without the addition of extra sugars.

Fruit itself is an excellent source of antioxidants examples which are bioflavonoid and vitamin C all helping to protect us against degenerative diseases, heart disease and cancer are good examples. Fruit is also low in calories and is therefore an exceptional foodstuff for anybody attempting to lose weight.

Fresh fruit and fruit juices provide most of our regular intake of vitamins C, with citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and tangerines being the most important sources. Other providers of vitamins C in our diets include kiwifruit, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, mangoes and papayas. Fruits with a deep yellow or orange flash good examples are apricots, mangoes and cantaloupe melons, obtain their colour from an yellow orange pigment known as beta carotene, otherwise known as the plant form of vitamin A.

This, it is understood, helps to protect us against free radicals and some have suggested even cancer. The majority of fruits are also rich in potassium which is especially true of bananas and dried fruits. Potassium works to regulate our blood pressures and it also works in tandem with sodium to regulate the body's fluid balance. Other reasons why fruit is so valuable in our diets is because it contains both soluble and insoluble fibres. Insoluble fibres help to prevent constipation and are also connected with a reduced risk of colon cancer whereas soluble fibres have been shown to help lower blood cholesterol levels.

Citrus fruits and indeed dried fruits such as dates, figs, raisins and apricots are also particularly good sources of fibre in our diets. There are many benefits to including the proportions of fruit in your diet including vitamins C, antioxidants and potassium with the only notable drawback is that fruit juices can contribute towards tooth decay. That said, this is a small price to pay for a healthy body utilising a balanced diet of fruit.

Everyone wants to make the best buying decision when sending a fruit basket on both quality and price. So if you are going to buy a fruit gift basket, take a few minutes and get some free insider information before you go surfing online. If you don't, you will be basing your edible arrangement purchasing decision solely on price and the fruit basket picture you see.

Fruit Gift Basket Manufacturers of Edible Arrangements

First and foremost, you need to know that there are very few companies in the United States that actually manufacturer fresh fruit baskets. These companies are usually started by families that have been orchardists for many generations. These orchardists grow the apples, pears, and oranges, prepare the gourmet gift baskets, and then ship the gifts to your recipient. Orchardists who make fruit and gift baskets also "cherry pick" the highest quality grades and largest fruit for their own edible fruit gift baskets while selling the remaining fruit to grocery stores. To get gourmet fruit baskets with the best fruit at the lowest prices, you will want to buy your fruit gift baskets directly from these orchardists.

Online Gift Basket Websites and Fruit Basket Drop Shipping

Secondly, many gifting websites will also offer fruit baskets online, but they will have the manufacturer ship it directly to your recipient. This business arrangement between gifting websites and fruit basket manufacturers is called Drop Shipping. Gift basket website owners like this arrangement because they can offer a fresh fruit basket selection to their clientele without having to make the gifts themselves. The manufacturers will give the gift basket company a significant discount off all the gifts they purchase on behalf of their customers. These volume discounts usually range from 25%-50% off the manufacturers retail price.

These gifting websites will markup the price of the fruit gift baskets they resell to usually double their cost. Doubling the wholesale price of a gift is a common industry practice called "keystone pricing", meaning you could be paying 25%-50% more than the manufacturer's retail price. Purchasing directly from the fruit basket manufacturer will help you avoid overpaying for your gourmet fruit baskets.

Florist Delivered Fruit Baskets

Another fruit gift delivery method we have seen in the fruit basket industry is when an edible arrangement is delivered through the florist network. Gifting websites simply post pictures of attractive fruit baskets and when one is purchased, that order is sent to the closest florist of the recipient for same-day delivery. The florist, who receives the order, is given a picture of the gourmet fruit basket that was sold online and told how much they are going to receive for preparing and delivering the gift. So the less money the florist puts in to preparing your fruit gift, the more money they'll get to keep. The preparation of the fruit baskets usually includes a trip to the grocery store and selecting from the available grocery store quality fruit, the smallest and lowest quality fruit available. The extra items, like the basket, candies, wines, and cheeses, are also picked out by the florist. Unless you absolutely must have the fruit basket delivered on the same day you should avoid this delivery method because the items in the delivered fruit gift will never match the picture upon which you originally based your purchasing decision.

What does a fruit cleanse do for you? It gives your body a change of pace from the heavy foods that are normally eaten. This allows your digestive system to get rid of toxins and wastes. With this type of dietary plan you are able to detoxify and restore harmony and balance to your entire body.

What Fruit Really Contains

Fruits are naturally good for you and they can be easily digested. They supply energy, antioxidants, essential vitamins and are low in calories. Papayas, mangoes, berries and citrus fruits are packed with Vitamin C, phytonutrients and high levels of antioxidants. All of these are needed by the body and can give you optimum levels of health and vitality.

Why a Fruit Cleanse is Healthy

When you participate in a fruit cleanse regimen you are clearing your internal system of chemicals and food additives. The cleansing process is gentle but thorough and the fruit that you eat is able to supply all of the cells in your body with the kinds of naturally good nutrition that they can use. An influx of antioxidants and phytonutrients can give damaged cells the strength they need to make necessary repairs. Fruit also improves your overall immunity and helps you fight off infections and illness.

Raw Fruit is Best

Because the fruit that you are using is raw and natural a fruit cleanse regimen provides you with a healthier diet. Cooked fruit loses many of the vital nutrients and this lessens the positive impact that it can have on the body. Processed juices are certainly delicious but these have high sugar concentrations and contain little pulp and fiber. When you eat whole fruit you are enjoying the simple, healthy nutrition of nature that can not be duplicated by any other means. Your body is able to digest fruit and extract everything it needs without absorbing any added sugars or chemicals.

Add Variety for a Filling Change

While participating on a fruit based cleansing regimen you should always try to vary the selection so that it does not become boring. You need to drink plenty of water so that your body stays well hydrated. Water will also help the digestive process of the fruits. You want to eat raw fruit but dried, or dehydrated fruits, can also be used for a change of pace.

Dehydrated fruit is an excellent choice for this diet because the fruit is not cooked and it still contains all of the fiber and nutrients. Because much of the natural moisture is removed the taste is rich, filling and very sweet. This type of treat can keep you on track and help you stick with the diet plan.

There are some enzymes that are found in fruit that handle most of the processing during the digestive phase. Instead of flooding your system with high levels of refined sugars the natural sweeteners in fruit are also being released at a much slower level. Both of these steps allow your pancreas to have a bit of a break. Your body can use almost every component that fruit contains. Even the fibers and pulp are helpful because they gently clean the wastes and residues from the intestinal tract and the colon.

Benefits of a Fruit Cleanse

Most people that try a fruit cleansing diet for even a few days are surprised at how much better they feel. Thoughts seem to be clearer and more focused and they enjoy a sensation of happiness and well being. Fruit is pure and natural and it does not create surges in blood sugar levels like so many other foods can do. Raw fruit will never result in addictive cravings that are seen when people use salt, caffeine or processed foods. Even the skin is rejuvenated by the addition of natural fruit to the diet. Many skin conditions are improved or eliminated once the fruit cleanse has gotten rid of the toxins from your body.

A healthy regimen like this is going to restore the energy and strength that has been missing from your life. In addition it will make you feel more refreshed and relaxed. Occasionally there may be a few fasting symptoms that you will experience as you progress with your fruit cleanse diet. Some people that have overloaded their bodies with unhealthy foods and additives in the past might notice headaches, mild nausea, diarrhea or even dizziness when they first begin. These symptoms are generally of very short duration and will disappear as soon as your body gets rids of the internal toxins that it is being forced to dump while you are following the fruit cleanse plan.

"Ouch! Arghh! Finally you heave a sign of relief! However, you felt a sharp pain while you were trying to release your stool. The next thing you noticed, there were tiny traces of reddish substance believed to be blood, that could be seen in the feces you had excreted. Recalling the food you ate for the day, you couldn't seem to remember any that provides clues to the existence of the substance. However, you could feel the burning sensation and acute pain when cleaning yourself. You suspected tears around your anus. Those were the details you gave to your doctor during your visit to the clinic. One of the most common questions normally asked by the doctor would be, "do you consume fruits?" The model answer given by most people would be "yes" since everyone of us know that fruits are healthy and known for their rich anti-oxidants in fighting against deadly diseases such as cancer, preventing cell damage and anti-aging properties. But again some people may think that drinking fruit juice everyday is the same as consuming fruits. This assumption has caused misinformation and many people are confused between facts and myths. Are you one of them?

Let's briefly describe the above scenario first. This scenario is one of the more common conditions that happen when one does not consume enough fiber. Constipation will definitely happen and your body will complain about the lack of fiber in your digestive system by using pain as a warning signal when you are doing your business in the toilet.

*3 Myths and Facts

Myth #1

I drink fruit juice daily. I think I am getting enough nutrients and anti-oxidants from the juices I drink everyday. I think there is no difference between consuming fruits and drinking fruit juices.

Fact

Drinking fruit juice is definitely not the same as consuming fruits. Why? This is because most of the fruit juices on the shelves of supermarkets, if not all, are pasteurised. This will mean that they possess lesser nutrients. Any fresh product, no matter how healthy it is that gets canned or packed, will lose vitamin b and potassium. When the product is exposed to air, it will start to lose its anti-oxidant qualities after about 20 minutes. You be better off eating the physical fruit instead.

Myth #2

I heard that fruit juices are high in carbohydrates and bad for health.

Fact

This is definitely misleading. Drinking fruit juice have beneficial qualities for your health. It will depend on when you drink the juices and whether the juices contains any added sugar. For example, drinking fruit juice after your workout will aid in replenishing body fluids and blood sugar, and also providing nutrients for your body. However, be careful of when you consume them as fruits contain high levels of sugar known as fructose, fruit juices contain even higher sugar due to the addition of sugar by manufacturers. This will quickly add up the calories and also causes insulin spikes detrimental to your health and weight management due to the high sugar content present. It is a sure fire way to put on weight if you consume fruit juice before bed time.

Myth #3

Since fruits are healthy, I can take medication with fruit juices instead of water.

Fact

Taking medication with any other fluids other than water is disastrous! Fruits are healthy, so are fruit juices depending on the sugar level. However, consuming medication with fruit juices is a totally different story. Certain fruit juices such as grapefruit juice can cause normal doses of medication to become toxic overdose as it causes the rate of absorption of specific medication to be absorbed quickly, while fruit juices such as orange juice may result in decreasing the effects of certain medication wiping out the beneficial effects from them.

*What you need to know when choosing fruit juices.

After clarifying some of the myths and facts about the difference between eating fruits and drinking"juices that appeared to be healthy", the following are what you need to know when choosing fruit juices. Look out for any added sugar. Choose 100% pasturised juices without any added sugar only as they are healthier. Juice concentrates contain a lot of sugar and it will definitely contribute to a higher probability of diabetes and obesity. A easy way to know how much sugar is present in the product is to look at the amount of sugar per serving. Compare the serving with this measurement, one teaspoon of sugar or one sugar cube is roughly 4 grams. You should now have a rough idea of how much sugar you will be consuming per serving.

You have the GOOD and BAD in everything. Many people are having one major doubt whether there are bad and good fruits for diabetics. Many of the diabetic patients are not convinced by any answer to this question because they have a mythical belief that the diabetics should never eat fruits at all. This belief is based on the fact that most of the fruits have sugar content. But it is baseless and not admitted by the dietitians because the fruits have nutritional value in themselves. Besides, some fruits are indeed good and needed for the diabetics.

Recent researches on diabetes declare that the diabetics should eat fruits as well as root vegetables with other foods. If the diabetics eat fruits with nuts, the fat in the nuts helps to keep the other foods consumed to stay long in the digestive system. Since the foods that contain fat or protein are slowly digested, eating fruits with nuts and unpeeled skin can control blood glucose levels. So, it is emphasized that the diabetics are benefited when they eat fruits with other foods, not alone as snacks. Fortunately, you have many fruits good for diabetics.

Good fruits for diabetics:

Foods rich in fiber are in general safe for diabetics to eat. Since they have a lower glycemic index, they don't allow the blood sugar levels to spike as those foods with high glycemic index do. This is because of the characteristics of the fiber to slash down the absorption of sugar into the blood stream. So, the fruits rich in fiber with edible skins and seeds are good fruits for the diabetes.

Fortunately, you have some healthy fruits rich in fiber content that can help controlling blood sugar. The fruits with high fiber content are apple, blueberry, and pomegranate whereas the fruits like apricot, kiwifruit and pear are comparatively low in fiber content.

Fruits with high fructose are also helping to the diabetics in the sense that fructose does not require insulin and can act independently in the human metabolism of the insulin resistant diabetics. The fruits that are high in fructose include apple, guava, pear and mango.

Raw fruits like apples are rich in pectin which is needed to improve controlling glycemic condition of the diabetics. It is also potent enough to metabolize effectively even when there is poor secretion of insulin.

Red grape is another fruit that can give all benefits to the diabetics. Grapes are good fruits for weight loss which is needed to reduce insulin resistance. You have increased benefits of fruits fiber if grapefruits are consumed just after the meal.

Bad fruits for diabetics:

Fruits with high sugar should be consumed in small servings to help controlling blood glucose. They can still be relished as part of a healthy diet meal plan. Fruits with high glucose include banana, watermelon and orange.

Fruit Jam, dried fruits and canned fruits also tend to increase blood sugar whereas consuming fresh fruits can help control blood sugar. The syrup in the canned fruits contains saturated sugar. It is safe that you eat such fruits after draining the syrup with sugar.

There are many wines considered to be 'fruit wines'. These wines are received the name as they have ingredients of different types of fruits contained in them, rather than by the use of grapes. They usually will have a name referring to the type of fruit used to make the wine. Apple wine and plum wine are good examples.

However, fruit wines will not be called 'wine' as the term wine is designated specifically as a drink made with grapes. The name of the fruit must be in front of the word wine. This is to eliminate confusion. This also includes country wine which is the Great Britain version of fruit wine and a good indication that the wine is not made from grapes.

Many people make their own fruit wine. It can be made from any type of food that is sufficiently sweet. You might have to add a little table sugar or honey for the proper amount of sucrose.

Fruit wine is not always made from fruits. It can be produced from different plant sources that are not considered to be fruits. These types of fruit wines are often made from things like rice, dandelion, flowers, and more.

Apple wine is a German fruit wine which is made from apples. This wine is called Apfelwein in Germany. This is a form of cider that has an alcoholic content of 5.5% to 7%. Some say the taste of this wine is tart and sour. Some North Americans consume a drink in the winter months called apple cider. This most often is the very same thing but does not contain the alcoholic content. Apfelwein is often sold by the jug rather than in bottles like other wines around the world.

Wine can be produced with most fruits and berries around the world in cooler climates. It depends on the types and the amount of fermentable sugars contained inside of the fruits. Some fruits that have excessive levels of citric and malic acid can be fermented also.

Fruit wines usually need to be consumed at least a year after they are produced. These are not wines that get better as they age because of the fermentation issues. Because fruits most often need added sugars to make fruit wines these are not the natural sugars grapes have. They do not ferment the same and often need things like phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium added, which only allow the flavor to last for approximately one year.

There are many different fruits used to make fruit wines. The fruits that make the best fruit wines are elderberries, plums, peaches, blackberries, huckleberries, blackcurrants, and pomegranates. These fruit wines resemble grape wines and taste very similar.

Fruit wines are made from other fruits such as apricot, bananas, cherries, pineapple guava, and blueberries. Wines can also be made from flowers such as hibiscus, elderberry, and dandelions. Vegetables such as potatoes, rhubarb, and parsnip are also used to make fruit wines.