Plums vs. blueberries

So we all know how blueberries have long been the reigning king queen of the superfoods, right? One of those rare foods that is not only incredibly good for you because of its high levels of antioxidants - but delicious, too!

Well it seems the blueberry’s throne might be wobbling a little bit. New studies have shown that plums match or even exceed the blueberry in terms of antioxidants and phytonutrients.

What makes the plum an even better option is that while people rarely eat more than a few blueberries at a time – in cereal or a fruit salad – they will always eat a full plum. Or two. Or three. (But maybe that’s just me…..)

I love me some plums. I think they are my second favorite fruit – after the banana – so this was really good news for me. Plus they’re usually cheaper than blueberries. Or they were. I’m sure when word gets out about how plums have knocked blueberries off their high horse, the prices will start to go up. Funny how that works.

Oh, and don’t peel your plum….the skin is where all the good stuff is.

They had me at "donut"

It’s rare that I come across a piece of fruit that I think is cute. So cute that I have to buy it. But that’s really the only reason I bought a couple of donut peaches the other day. Because they were cute. So cute that I bought them even though they weren’t organic – despite the fact that peaches are reportedly one of the worst fruits to buy conventional. Guess I felt the need for a little dangerous living.

Have you seen these? They’re nothing like your standard fuzzy, drippy peach. They’re kind of flat-ish and low-fuzz and the flesh is white. Because of the shape, they easily break in half and you can pop the pit right out. Kind of like an avocado.

To me, the consistency was like that of a soft pear and it kind of tasted more like a plum than a peach. Having never had them before, I couldn’t tell you where these were on the ripeness scale. Under ripe? Over ripe? Just right? Don’t know, but they were at least fun to eat.

I have this long-standing fantasy in which I buy a large box of donuts and, while sexily dressed in pink pajama pants and one of Mr. Jelly Belly’s oversized t-shirts, I lounge on the couch all day eating donuts and watching trash television - until I can no longer stand the ecstasy of it all and fall into a happy sugar coma. But, like all good fantasies, this one will never see the light of day. But maybe I can improvise with a dozen donut peaches and a Golden Girls marathon.

Somehow, I just don’t think it will be the same.

Tuesday Tidbits: Do not fear the avocado

Sure, the avocado is higher in calories than most fruits, but we should know by now that low calorie does not necessarily equal healthy. And, yeah, it has a high fat content, but it’s a monounsaturated fat, the fat we should all be trying to get more of in our diets. We need it – for our hearts, our brain, our joints, and even for healthier hair and skin.

The oleic acid in the monounsaturated fats helps to lower cholesterol and has recently been shown to provide significant protection against breast cancer, oral cancer and prostate cancer.

In addition to their healthy fat content, avocados are also an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin K, folate and copper. The potassium content of an avocado is higher than that of a medium banana – and potassium helps in regulating blood pressure.

And I found this interesting: Adding just a few slices of avocado to your salad will increase your body’s ability to absorb the healthy carotenoids of the other vegetables. Adding it to salsa increases the body’s lycopene and beta-carotene absorption.

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, here’s a salad that’s about as healthy as they get – loaded with vitamins A, C and K (more than 100% of the RDA for each), 22 grams of protein and 16 grams of fiber. (I’m having this for lunch today, but I’m mixing the salsa with a little sour cream because I’m bad and prefer a creamier dressing.)

Mexican Cheese Salad
Makes 2 servings

1 head romaine lettuce
1 15-oz can black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium avocado, cubed
1 medium tomato, diced
2 oz low-fat cheddar cheese, grated
salsa
lime wedges

Chop lettuce and place on salad plate. Sprinkle beans, avocado and tomato over lettuce. Top with cheddar cheese, your favorite salsa and the juice of lime wedges.

Please share your favorite way to eat avocados. I need ideas!

ETA: I just this minute read that you can make a creamy avocado ranch dressing (I guess this is something you can get at Chili's) by mashing an avocado into ranch dressing. Sounds good to me!

The healing powers of pineapple

Now I knew pineapple was good for you, being a fruit and all – but I had no idea HOW good. Most of its health benefits come from an enzyme called bromelain and its high vitamin C content.

Bromelain helps to break down the amino acids in proteins, making it a great aid to digestion – and it is said to be helpful in preventing nausea caused by morning sickness or motion sickness.

But what I find most interesting about bromelain are the claims that it is a natural anti-inflammatory, helpful in reducing swelling of the thyroid gland (goiter) and relieving symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Additionally, bromelain is effective in treating bruises and sprains by reducing swelling, tenderness and pain – and preventing blood clot formation. The article I read wasn’t clear, but I still think you actually EAT IT and don’t apply it topically. But it would make a much more pleasant poultice than something made of garlic, no?

(Note: The bromelain content of pineapple is destroyed by the canning process – so eat your pineapple fresh for the most benefit. And taste, really.)

So all of those things by themselves make me want to run out and eat a pineapple, but we haven’t even touched on the vitamin C.

It’s pretty widely know that vitamin C is an antioxidant and, as such, it protects the body from free radical damage and boosts the immune system. Vitamin C helps build and repair bodily tissue and promotes wound healing. Nice double whammy for wound healing, along with the bromelain, right?

And here’s something I did not know about vitamin C: The body uses vitamin C to help metabolize fats and cholesterol, absorb iron, and synthesize amino acids and collagen. (Collagen is one of the primary building blocks of skin, cartilage and bones.)

And I think we all know that vitamin C is helpful in fighting off colds and infections – or at least in decreasing their severity. No word yet on its effect on the Swine Flu.

And why oh why did I not know sooner that, because of all that vitamin C, pineapples are good for your oral health as well. Vitamin C increases the ability of connective tissue to repair itself, and also increases the body's ability to fight invading bacteria and other toxins that contribute to gum disease. Periodontal disease, which destroys gum tissue and underlying jaw bones, has been linked to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Now I know all of this is making you want to run right out and buy a pineapple or two. It just so happens that pineapples are at their peak right now (March through July) so it’s not such a bad idea.

And you can go to all the trouble of learning how to cut a pineapple (cut off both ends, cut out the core, scrape off the thorny stuff) or, seriously, you can just go the Mrs. Jelly Belly QVC-addicted route and buy yourself a stainless steel pineapple slicer. Or the plastic one, even.

Now that you bought all that fresh pineapple - and it's all cut up and ready to eat - how about a smoothie? Or a lovely Pina Colada (which doesn’t contain fresh pineapple but, really, why not?).

Tropical Fruit Smoothie

1 frozen banana

1 cup fresh pineapple

3/4 cup soymilk

1 tablespoon honey or sugar (optional)

Blend all of the above ingredients in a food processor or blender for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Makes 2 servings.

Pina Colada

4 oz. fresh pineapple juice
3 oz. rum
2 oz. coconut cream
2 cups crushed ice

Pour all of the ingredients into a blender. Blend briefly at high speed. Strain into a glass and serve. Garnish with a slice of fresh pineapple and a cherry.