Feed Them Fruit

The food you put in your mouth as a child could have one of the greatest influences on your risk of disease as an adult. According to a new British study, people least likely to develop cancer were the ones who ate the most fruit as children.
It’s well known that fruit and vegetables protect against cancer—more than 200 studies have testified to this—all types of cancer.

While fruit is protective at all stages of life, what is unique about this latest study is the suggestion of long-range benefits by including fruit in early life.

Scientists tracked the eating patterns of just under 5000 people for a period of 60 years! Those who munched the most fruit as kids slashed their risk of cancer in adulthood by about 40 per cent!

Get protected
How much fruit should you eat?

For adults: at least two pieces per day, but more is better.
For children (4-11 years): a minimum of one piece, but preferably two or more per day.
Adolescents (12-18 years): a minimum of three pieces, but preferably four or more per day.

Fresh seasonal fruit is always best and makes the ideal snack. Dried fruit is also excellent, especially if you’re a sweet tooth. Kids will enjoy a small portion pack (40-60 grams) of sultanas or other dried fruits, such as apricots or raisins, in their lunch box. These are readily available and attractively packaged in supermarkets.

But for something exotic, try stuffing pitted dates with almonds, or give dried figs a kick by inserting pistachios or walnuts, a delicious idea from the Middle East!

For canned fruits, choose those in natural juice rather than syrup.

But be wary of fruit juices, which are concentrated in sugar and don’t provide the goodness of whole fruit. Drinking more than about one glass per day promotes weight gain.

Click here for a healthful, tasty fruit recipe.

Extract from Signs of the Times, June 2003.

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