Who can resist a perfectly ripe piece of fruit? Tender, blushing peaches; rosy slices of watermelon; mahogany plums dripping with garnet-colored juice; crisp, crunchy apples; luscious, sunny oranges; sweet, mellow bananas; succulent berries in a rainbow of hues.
Few things are more pleasurable than eating really good fruit. So why don’t we eat more, and why do we so often fall short of the recommended absolute minimum of two servings of fruit per day? Why do Americans seem to prefer a box of store-bought cookies or cake from a mix for dessert?
In the traditional Mediterranean diet, fruit is a meal’s crowning glory, the ultimate finish to a delicious dinner. The Mediterranean climate is perfect for growing a wide variety of fruits, and whatever is freshest, juiciest, loveliest, and in season provides the final flourish to meals already rich in color, texture, flavor, vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytonutrients, and good old-fashioned pleasure.
Fruits are full of great nutrition. Most fruits are high in that ever-helpful and healthful antioxidant vitamin C (for more on the antioxidant powers of vitamin C ). All fruits are full of essential vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber (more on fiber in Chapter Six).
Many contain high doses of carotenoids and other phytochemicals such as caffeic acid and coumarins, which help the body to rid itself of carcinogens; ferulic acid, which may help to shuttle potentially carcinogenic nitrates out of the body; cryptoxanthin, a carotenoid associated with decreased cervical cancer risk; and flavonoids.
Additionally, many studies have linked high fruit consumption (in conjunction with high vegetable consumption or on its own) with lower rates of certain cancers. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the specific effect of fruit consumption on cancer, and found “strong protective effects . . . for cancers of the upper digestive and respiratory tracts,” as well as a lesser effect “on cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, and larynx.” The study also found that the farther a tumor was from the digestive tract, the weaker the protective effect of fruit.
Nonetheless, the study also found “significant protective effects of fruit . . . for cancers of the liver, pancreas, prostate, and urinary tract.”
Yet, despite fruit’s demonstrated healthfulness and great taste, in America, eating desserts higher in both refined sugar and fat than a simple piece of fruit seems to be the norm. A fancy pastry, a chocolate sundae, or a candy bar are weekly, even daily treats for many.
Such high-sugar, highfat fare is only an occasional treat in the traditional Mediterranean diet, never a daily or even a weekly indulgence.
While people in some parts of the Mediterranean enjoy a small bite of something sweet during the late afternoon, rich desserts never follow a meal, and portions are relatively tiny. Fruit appropriately follows a heavily plant-based meal, offering both the fulfillment of that desire for something sweet, fiber to provide a feeling of satiety, and one last dose of nutrients and phytochemicals to send the diner on his or her way.
While a ripe, juicy piece of raw fruit is the ultimate treat, fruit can also be delicious cooked, stewed, or added to recipes.
APPLES
Apples are a part of the cuisines of many countries, and have existed in the Mediterranean as early as the third century b.c.e., when Cato, a Roman writer, mentioned seven different varieties of apples. The Roman Pliny, writing in the first century c.e., names thirty-six varieties of apples in his writings. Caesar’s invading Roman legions are credited with introducing apples to Britain, and the first American settlers brought apple seeds to the New World.
One medium apple has about 80 calories and supplies 5 grams of fiber, more than a serving of oatmeal and about one-fourth the daily fiber recommended by the American Dietetic Association. Most of the fiber in apples is soluble fiber, a substance demonstrated to lower cholesterol levels.
But the benefits don’t stop there. A daily apple may indeed keep the doctor away, especially if that daily apple remains unpeeled. Recent research out of Cornell University has uncovered a host of phytochemicals in apple skins, including the flavonoids known as quercetin glycoside, phloretin glycoside, chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin, most heavily con centrated in the skin.
Apples have been shown to exhibit higher antioxidant activity than oranges, grapefruits, carrots, spinach, onions, and green peppers, according to the Cornell study. (Wash and rinse apples well with vinegar and water if they aren’t organically grown.)
Yet Americans only eat, on average, an apple every three days. Apples are one of the hardier fruits that keep well and ship well, and compared to many fruits, they are amazingly long-lived. This durability adds to apples’ convenience. You can buy them in bulk and eat them, as long as they are stored in a cool, dry place, for months.
Some apples can keep for six months or more (such as the popular Red Delicious) under the right conditions. What food could be more convenient than an apple?
Look for apples with firm flesh and without bruises, soft spots, depressions, cuts and nicks, or little holes. If the inside flesh is showing and has been exposed to the air, vitamins and minerals may have been destroyed. Apples grown locally or regionally are great if you can get them.
Big or small, apples can be surprisingly sweet and juicy. Color varies among apple varieties. Red Delicious, for example, are a bright or deep red, while Gala apples are yellow overlaid with a rosier red.
Avoid apples with a brilliant shine. Lots of shine probably means lots of wax, which traps pesticides. If you can find only waxed apples, peel them before eating. Whether you peel or not, wash all apples with vinegar and water, and scrub with a brush. Cut out any bruises or nicks.
Apples last longer in the refrigerator and ripen faster at room temperature (as is the case with many fruits). Some of the more widely available apple types, all great for eating out of hand, are Braeburn, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith (also perfect for pies), Jonagold,
Jonathan, McIntosh, Red Delicious, Rome Beauty (also ideal for baking), and Winesap. Many other types exist, too. Check your local market, produce stand, or grocery store.
Apples are widely available all year round in the United States, and the many types, flavors, colors, and uses make them irresistible. Shouldn’t you be eating more?