The Red Strawberry Pear

(source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Starr_030702-0020_Hylocereus_undatus.jpg)

Health Benefits

Today, I would like to discuss a fruit seen and grown in commercial parts of heavily concentrated Asian markets. This unique-looking, bright rose red fruit flesh, green spike-like, and cone shaped fruit was originated in South America[1]. It is grown on an extension of a long spiny vine-like cactus. This fruit is called hylocereus undatus or pitaya, but I call them dragon fruits[2]. Every year, this plant bears about 4-6 of these exotic fruits that is known for its antioxidant properties, high in vitamins A, C, and E, known for its diabetic friendly aliments, and good source of high fiber content[3]. In addition to this, the fruit is given a big round of applause to help lower high blood pressure and boosts metabolism[4].

Fun fact: By the way, if you have dogs or cats, this fruit is non-toxic to them. If your dog or cat experiences some stomach discomforts, feed them a small amount of the dragon fruit. Feed them like a treat, but in moderation[5]. Yes, you can feed them the seeds too.

See the Picture

I usually see this fruit come in a pale pink to red-purple color and sometimes, the fruit comes in yellow or white, but it’s uncommon. Inside of the fruit, the rind is white with black seeds, like a kiwi fruit. The taste and texture is combination of a pear, kiwi, and watermelon. I got these dragon fruits from my grandpa’s miniature farm in San Diego. Since he does not use any commercial pesticides or any other chemicals, these fruits grow once every two years instead of every year. These fruits are like succulents where they are drought-friendly plants and need little maintenance. Unfortunately, they are delicate plants when it comes to peak of harvest in the middle of the year. If you yank them off the cactus, you will bruise the plant itself. Thus, this will result with a dead plant or off-season growth. My grandpa tends to use pliers to snip off the dragon fruits from their “vines”.

Preparation

To know when your dragon fruit is ready to eat, you can tell by softly squeezing the fruit. If it’s too firm, it needs a few days to ripen, if it’s too squishy, it’s over ripe. You can have it under ripe and simply, put it in the fridge.

I usually cut it vertically from the long end of the fruit; from there I cut it like an orange, and sliced them into cubes. You can enjoy these chilled, make dragon fruit sorbet or in smoothies. I recently learn from my Mexican roommates that you can squeeze a bit of lime or lemon over the fruit, add a hot chili sauce, and a bit of paprika for color. My roommates said, “It’s like eating soft jicama”.

 

If you have any dragon fruit recipes you like to share, please let me know. Thank you.

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[1] http://www.examiner.com/article/why-you-should-eat-dragonfruit

[2] http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/content/dragon-fruit.htm

[3] http://www.antioxidant-fruits.com/health-benefits-of-the-dragon-fruit.html

[4] http://www.naturalnews.com/034163_dragon_fruit_health_benefits.html#

[5] http://www.petloverscentre.com/forum/index.php?topic=5332.0

Feeling flat? So-duh! (Part 2)

First and far most, I do apologize for the overdue posts. I have been busy with birthdays and an overload of paperwork. Enough with my excuses, I have some continuation with my blog to finish up and exciting posts for all of you.

In part 1 of “Feeling flat? So-duh!” I discussed about a carbonated water fad which I presented some pros and cons. This week, I will talk about the second part of choosing alternative carbonated drinks.

Nowadays, the non-alcoholic beverage market, soda, has been the number one choice for mainly children (as opposed to milk and water). Nevertheless, companies have been rolling out with soda alternatives to replace a common sugar ingredient called “high fructose corn syrup” or “HFCS” such as sugar free, made with cane sugar, and vegan. What are the differences with these sugar alternative sodas? Does it matter? Isn’t sugar is sugar?

Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

             You often hear how soda is bad for you, but how? For a long time, HFCS has been widely used as a sugar substitute, specifically can sugar since it costs more. I have extracted an excerpt from registered dietitian, Jennifer Nelson (http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/high-fructose-corn-syrup/faq-20058201). She says, even though HFCS has not proven to be “any less healthy than other sweeteners”, but there has been a large amount of trace of added sugar from HFCS. On the contrary, she notes that, “[HFCS] can contribute to unwanted calories which are linked to health problems, such as weight gain, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and high triglyceride levels. All of these boost your risk of heart disease”. Like many young children, the number one concern is diabetes. Many years ago, diabetes was relatively rare in children. Now, with loaded sugar like HFCS in sodas and other sweetened foods; it is common to have diabetes at an earlier age and faster rate, for anyone. On a closing note with Nelson, she reminds all of us, “If you're concerned about your health, the smart play is to cut back on added sugar, regardless of the type”.

Sugar-Free vs Natural Sugar/Vegan

 

(Source: http://www.zevia.com/sites/all/themes/zevia/images/canada-cans.png)

            What makes soda vegan? As long as the ingredients do not derive from animals this includes honey, lactic acid (a.k.a. caramel color in cola), ester gum (glycerol found commonly in orange soda http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/5-surprising-drinks-arent-vegan/slide/3), and sugar, yes, sugar.

I found an interesting article by Jo Stepaniak , http://www.vegsource.com/jo/qa/qasugar.htm , she does a Q&A with her followers where one of her readers asked if sugar is vegan. You think sugar is vegan, but not all sugar is created the same. Based on her findings, “half of the sugar refineries contain bone charcoal which is mixed into sugar that we use in our foods”. Hence, she suggests sticking with certified vegan sugar like organically grown and unbleached or fruit sweeteners.

            You must be thinking, I should stick with sugar free or diet soda. Even that is not safe for you. I do agree that the word, “diet soda” is commonly referenced to weight loss and fewer calories. Regardless, nutritionist and registered dietitian, Cynthia Sass found a study by co-author, Dr. Jim Hill of the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Health and Wellness Center, whether diet soda has a correlation with weight loss 
(http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/diet-soda-weight-loss/story?id=24089121&singlePage=true). Dr. Hill states that, “artificial sweetener sodas do not fuel our activity, help our cells perform their vital functions, or provide the building blocks for healing, repair, and cell maintenance. He has concerns regarding other studies about their potential unwanted effects, including a study out last year linking diet soda to depression, and one from 2011 about diet soda and stroke risk.” Sass’s suggestion for people, who are seeking weight loss remedies, “should stick with water; and if you have a sweet tooth, manage it in savvy ways that involve enjoying real, natural foods”.

Product in Review

(Source: http://images.costco.com/image/media/500-835484-847__1.jpg)

            A feature product I want to share with you is Kirkland’s sparkling water. I am guessing they negotiated with Talking Rain sparkling water brand to have Costco sell sparkling water with their private label for a better price. Kirkland’s sparkling water is calorie and sugar free. It contains 3% juice with added vitamins and minerals. It doesn’t mean you should substitute your meals with a sparkling beverage. Besides, it only contains 10% each of: vitamin D, niacin, vitamin B6 & B12, biotin, and pantothenic acid.

            In terms of taste, natural flavors is listed as the second ingredient (carbonated purified water is the first listed ingredient) and followed by 3% juice. I do enjoy the flavors in this sparkling water product. Kiwi strawberry would be my most favorite and the black raspberry would be my least favorite since I am not a big fan of blackberries. Nevertheless, I will have it anyway.

            Despite the usage of sucralose in Kirkland’s sparkling water, it is not an obnoxious or obvious taste compared to artificial sweeteners like aspartame. In the next post, I will discuss the use of natural sweeteners like cane sugar and stevia as the new trend in food and beverages.

            My final issue with artificial food colorings is red #4 commonly known as carmine. I’m fine with other food colorings, but would like them to be more natural. Anything more natural cost more, evidently. Red #4 is derived from red beetles that are boiled and crushed; therefore, the food you are consuming has meat (good source of protein, ha ha). Luckily, Kirkland’s uses Red #40, which is more synthetic. Keep note that the side effects of red #40 and other artificial colors are not clinically proven.

            In the end, if you do like to try Kirkland’s sparkling water, you can go further and try Talking Rain sparkling water which is also available at Costco. It will cost a bit more and comes in 18 bottles instead of 24 bottles with Costco’s private label. In my opinion, the Talking Rain sparkling water tastes slightly better. My suggestion is if you or a friend has a Costco membership card get the Talking Rain brand when it’s on sale. If it’s not on sale, get Kirkland’s.

Who’s the Winner?

            Overall, sparkling water is actually good for you. It makes an excellent substitute for soda, which is if you are looking that fizzy carbonation substitute, extra flavor or caffeine substitution like green tea extract compared to chemically forms of caffeine featured in most soft drinks. Conversely, like everything else, please keep in mind to keep drinking these alternative carbonated drinks in moderation. Livestrong.com featured nutritionists Gans and King say “sparkling water can cause excessive burping, flatulence and abdominal distention, which could cause a lot of discomfort” to those who have sensitive stomach. They also noted to keep track of sodium, sugar, and caloric content since all sparkling water are not made the same. With their Miller’s helpful tip, she suggested, “Try flavoring your still or sparkling water with mint leaves, cucumber, lemon and lime slices, or fresh fruit. Pretend you are at a fancy spa.”

            Vegan soda may be expensive but it eliminates all the hardcore hidden consumer secrets such as animal ingredients, refined sugars, and maintaining a mediocre healthy lifestyle.

            To finalize this topic, I’ll come back to Cynthia Sass about a healthier lifestyle, “Finding balance and eating in ways that make you feel nourished, energized, and well are the real keys to a healthy body and a healthy weight”.