Cheryl Forberg, RD. Biggest Loser Nutritionist

It’s not just for breakfast.

Enjoy your servings of fruit all day long, from a sprinkling of fresh berries on your oatmeal to a wedge of melon with a dollop of yogurt for an evening snack.  Not only does this allow you to savor fruit’s pleasures throughout the day, it helps to regulate your blood sugar. Fresh fruits are also excellent sources of vitamins and antioxidants.  Many of these vitamins are water-soluble meaning they stay in our bloodstream for a matter of hours.  Keep your antioxidant supply constant by spreading your fruit servings throughout the day.   

Energy

Carbs are our best energy source, so keep that in mind when planning your menus.  No one wants to crash and burn after breakfast. Pace yourself, and your fruit servings by enjoying it more than once during the day. This means not having a whole melon for breakfast. Rule of thumb is that most whole fruit servings sizes are one half cup.  Melons, such as cantaloupe or watermelon are a whole cup. 

Variety is Key

Take advantage of summer’s bounty and choose fruits from the different color groups: light green, dark green , orange, red, purple and yellow. This keeps it interesting while infusing a variety of different nutrients in your diet.

Focus on fresh:   - Dried fruits are often treated with additives; they’re also very concentrated in calories and sugar.  Case in point:  2 tablespoons dried blueberries have more calories than 3/4 cup fresh blueberries. The fresh blueberries have more volume and thus, they’re more filling. And when the season’s passed and we don’t have summer’s abundant choices at our fingertips, frozen fruit is an excellent option for smoothies and such, as long as they’re not packed with sugar. 

Eat your fruit  Choose whole fruits over fruit juices. Fruit juice contains little fiber so it’s less filling and a more concentrated form of sugar.  Whole fruit is loaded with fiber, which increases satiety while slowing the release of blood sugars.  Keeping your blood sugar on an even keel is key, plus it helps control your appetite.

This summer fruit recipe is easy and can be enjoyed for dessert or as a snack.

Melon Compote with Raspberry Ginger Sauce

Makes 6 servings 

For sauce:

2 cups fresh raspberries

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups diced cantaloupe

1 cup diced honeydew

1 cup diced watermelon

Garnish:

1 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt

Fresh mint

Instructions:

In the jar of a blender or bowl of a food processor, place sauce ingredients.  Puree or process, just until blended. Pass puree through food mill into a mixing bowl; discard seeds. 

Arrange melon in serving bowls. Spoon sauce over melon. Garnish with dollop of yogurt and fresh mint.