The Infrequent Five: Fruit Edition (Part 1 of 2)

I recently focused on vegetables that you don’t see every day, or what I like to call my “Infrequent Five.”  So it’s only fitting that I complement my article on vegetables with – what else? – an article on infrequent fruit.

I call them “infrequent” for a couple of reasons:  One, I don’t eat them nearly as often as I should (in fact, several of them I’ve never even tried) and two, I very rarely see them gracing supermarket shelves.

But by hook or by crook, the fruits I’m about to talk about—compiled by Prevention magazine—are fruits I’m going to make every attempt to eat more of this summer, as many of them are in-season between June and September.  And with any luck, the information you’re about to read will prompt you to join me in a summer switch-up from the typical watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberry offerings.

Figs

For many of us, the only time figs make their way into our mouths is when they’re inside a Fig Newton.  And while these figgy cake concoctions may have a dollop’s worth of nutritional value, it’s nothing compared to the nutrition found in fresh fig, which can be hard to find.  It’s too bad, too, because figs are one of the world’s richest sources for potassium, a key mineral for blood pressure regulation.

Of course when we think of potassium, bananas almost immediately spring to mind.  And while bananas are similar to figs in potassium content, figs may be a better option, particularly for women, because they’re extremely rich in calcium.  In fact, six figs have the same calcium content as a half-cup of skim milk!

Another difference:  How they ripen.  Bananas ripen after they’re picked from the vine.  Not figs.  If they’re picked from the fig tree before they’re fully ripe, you might as well throw them away because they won’t ripen any further.

Because of that, make sure your figs are ripe before buying.  A fully ripened fig should be somewhat soft to the touch, sweet to the scent, void of green, and have some cracks.  The cracks mean that they’re bursting with juice.

Eat figs as-is (peel first, of course), or add some quartered figs to a garden salad or homemade yogurt.  And be generous with your fig fillings:  One fig has a mere 21 calories.

Lychee

If you only eat one infrequent fruit this summer, make it the lychee.  Dubbed “the King of Fruits,” the lychee is among the league leaders in polyphenol content, with 15 percent more polyphenol content per serving than grapes.

Speaking of grapes, lychees are quite similar to grapes:  they’re both round, around the same size, and similar in taste (lychees have a certain cherry-like tang, though).  Yet unlike grapes, lychees have a tough outer shell that’s a deep shade of red.  Underneath the shell is the good stuff (once you shell it, don’t bite too hard into the flesh, as it contains an inedible pit).

When you crack it open, shell out the inside, remove the pit, then add to savory dishes like chicken or crab (lychees are often added to crabmeat salads).  Some of the lychee’s fellow fruit affinities (i.e. other fruits that it tastes good with) include pineapple, mangoes and oranges.

Want the rest?  Click here.

Part: 1 | 2

Sources
whfoods.com
highbloodpressureinfo.org
prevention.com
Green, Aliza. “Field Guide to Produce.” 2004. Quirk Books: Philadelphia.
lycheesonline.com