Fruit Nutritional Value of Fruit - PowerPoint Presentation

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Fruit

Nutritional Value of Fruit

According to the My-Plate Food Guide, you should eat two to four servings of fruit a day.One serving = one medium

sized piece of raw fruit

½

cup chopped or canned¾ cup of fruit juice

Most fruits are

high in vitamins and low in fat! (Avocados are a high-fat exception.)Fruits provide a good source of fiber.

Citrus

fruits, cantaloupes and

strawberries are one of the best sources of vitamin C.Oranges, strawberries, cantaloupes

and dried fruits are

sources of calcium.

Deep yellow fruits (

cantaloupes, apricots and others) are good sources of vitamin A because they contain large amounts of carotene.

Selecting Fresh Fruit

Ripeness will help you judge the quality of fresh fruits.Ripe fruits are

those

that have reached

top eating quality.Test fruit for ripeness by pressing

it gently to see if it gives

slightly.Under ripe fruits are fruits that are full-sized but have not yet reached peak

eating quality. You can buy some fruits, such as pears and bananas under ripe because they will ripen at room temperature at home.

Ripeness

Color and Fragrance

Color and fragrance are guides to ripeness. Most fruits

lose

their

green color as they ripen. Some fruits have a characteristic fragrance when they ripen (pineapples and melons).

Maturity

Immature fruits have not reached their full size. (Under ripe and immature are not

the same). Immature fruits are

small

and have poor color, flavor and texture. They will not improve in quality when left at

room

temperature

Buying Tips

Buy just what you can use for a short time.Look for signs of freshness

and ripeness

.

Avoid bruised, soft, damaged or immature fruits.

Consider your

needs: can use smaller, imperfect fruits for baking etc, while might want beautiful fruits for a fruit tray, when appearance is important.

Storing Tips

Handle gently, fruits bruise easily.Let under ripe fruits

ripen

at room temperature

.Refrigerate ripe fruits.

Store strong

smelling fruits in plastic bags or airtight containers.

Store other fruits

uncovered in a crisper.Use berries, melons, grapes and fruits with pits as soon as possible

.

Pears, apples and

citrus fruits will last a bit longer

but will lose quality after

prolonged storage.You can refrigerate bananas for a short time

after

they have

ripened

.

It

may

darken

the skins but the

flavor

and texture should be

unharmed

.

Choosing Canned, Frozen, and Dried Fruit

Canned fruits come packed in juices (lower in calories), light or heavy syrups.

Canned fruits are usually less

expensive

than frozen or fresh.Choose cans that are free from dents

, bulges and

leaks.

Choose jars that are

free from cracks and chips.Frozen fruits are available sweetened and unsweetened.

Most frozen fruits are in

plastic bags or cartons.When fresh fruits are out of season, frozen fruits are often less expensive.

Dried fruits include

raisins

, dried plums and apricots. Less common

dried

fruits include peaches, pears, figs,

pineapples, bananas, etc.

Dried

fruits come in boxes or plastic bags.May want to store opened dried fruits in the refrigerator.

Some fruits darken when

exposed to the air (bananas, peaches, etc.), enzymatic browning, To prevent this, dip these fruits in lemon, orange, grapefruit or pineapple juice

.

Fruit Classifications

BerriesDrupesPomesCitrus FruitsMelonsTropical FruitsGrapes

Fruit Classifications

BerriesSmall juicy fruits with thin skins

: blackberries, cranberries, blueberries, red & black raspberries, gooseberries and strawberries.

Drupes

Outer

skin

covering a softy, fleshy fruit that surrounds a single hard seed called a

stone or pit: cherries, apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums

Fruit Classifications

PomesCentral, seed-containing core surrounded by thick layer of flesh: apples and pears

Citrus Fruits

Thick outer

rind

and think membrane separating the flesh into segments: oranges, tangerines, tangelos, grapefruits, kumquats, lemons & limes.

Fruit Classifications

Melons Large, juicy fruits with thick

rinds and many seeds, in the

gourd

family: cantaloupe, casaba, honeydew, Crenshaw, Persian & watermelon.

Tropical Fruits

Grown in warm

climates and considered somewhat exotic: avocadoes, bananas, figs, dates, guavas, mangoes, papayas, persimmons, pineapples, pomegranates & kiwifruit.

Fruit Classifications

GrapesLargest crop in the world due to wine production. The white powdery-looking surface on grapes indicates they’ve been

recently

harvested and are fresh.