Apples and oranges are not the only fruits in the planet

     Come new year and every Filipino home had a big bowl of fruits on their table for good luck. For some, it might be the only time of the year that they had fruits on their house at all. Not for me. I love fruits, and as much as I can I try to make sure that there should always be fruits on the table, be it the staple lakatan bananas or the seasonal guyabano or langka.


      Most of us live in the suburbs now, and we don't get much access to fresh fruits. We find it easier to buy them from the supermarket, handpicked for us, packed and ready to go. Some are even already peeled and sliced. Others prefer it in cans, juiced or in a milkshake. But I believe those varieties have already been treated with chemicals and the processed ones contain tons of preservatives. So for me, nothing beats fresh organic fruits from the local market.

     Our Filipino culture refer to fruits as dessert, so most likely a lot of us eat them after a meal. However, fruits are best absorbed by the body on an empty stomach, so it's best to have them for breakfast or before every meal. Having them before a meal will make you feel full as well, so you would tend to eat less.

     Here are my top fave fruits:

     1. Calamansi (Philippine lemon) - my early morning habit. I drink hot and fresh calamansi juice every morning without sugar. I got this tip from Bo Sanchez on his 52 Healing Habits. He claims that he never had a sick day for 25 years from drinking pure calamansi juice every morning from 28 calamansi which he considered as his 'power drink'. Now that may sound really bitter and acidic, but I can say from experience that it doesn't upset the stomach at all. However after drinking it pure a few months ago, I settled with just 8 calamansi in a glass of hot water because I personally find it more relaxing for the stomach in a cold early morning. Just like lemon water, it's great for digestion, for the skin and gives the liver an early morning flush as well.

     2. Bananas - a staple in every Filipino table. It's rich in potassium which is great for the muscles and nerves. It's a bulk-forming food that helps with digestion. Personally, it's my to-go food whenever I'm hungry coz it's just always there.

     3. Papaya - I mentioned before that papaya is my superfood and my ultimate fave fruit. It has a lot of enzymes which is great for digestion because it helps break down food more easily. It's also very good for the skin. Most people, especially those living in the suburbs, find it hard to consume papayas in their fresh form because they are big and bulky. So for me, what I do is I buy a semi-ripe papaya (ripe already but not yet soft) and cut it in half. I'll keep the first half and the other half I'll peel and chop into little pieces. What's great about it being semi-ripe is that it's sweet and juicy in the inside but crunchy on the outside so it won't easily spoil. You can just pop it in a small Tupperware and have it in your bag to eat throughout the day. They're great, I love em.

We had papayas today

     4. Guava - again, one of my superfoods. Guava is very rich in Vitamin C, more than oranges or lemons. Vitamin C is essential in the synthesis of collagen, which aids in the formation and restoration of muscles, tendons and of the skin. More Vitamin C means youthful skin and delays the aging process. Research also suggests that Vitamin C boosts weight loss.

     5. Pineapple - I have one word in mind whenever I think of pineapple - fiber. Yes it's sweet and juicy, but what I love about them is what most people don't even eat - the core. Have you ever wondered whenever you buy a can of pineapple, why it's a ring? What is it in the center? It's the pineapple core. It's edible, but it's tougher than the pineapple meat itself, and contains a lot of fiber. I find that it tastes the same like pineapple, despite what other people say.

     6. Apples - as the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, apple is a kid's favorite fruit. For me it's the most accessible fruit as it's sold almost everywhere. But what I love about apples is when I cook them, my family loves apple pie :). Also, whenever I try to cook fat free, I use applesauce.

     7. Coconut - the tree of life, as we call them. Young coconut meat may be high in saturated fat, but what I love most about coconut is the coconut water. It contains a lot of essential electrolytes which is a great after-workout drink. It's also helps in flushing out toxins and kidney stones. 

add some milk, sugar and ice, yummmmmm!

     8. Watermelon - I like to refer to watermelon as juice in a solid form. It's very juicy and contains a lot of electrolytes. It's a great refreshment on a hot summer day. And again, most suburbs people don't like buying it as it's bulky, and eating it is even messy. My mama had a solution. She would buy a big juicy watermelon, remove the seeds, chop them into little pieces and put it in a large Tupperware. Then she would pour fresh calamansi juice over them, pop them in the fridge and viola! Watermelon punch. Yummy and very refreshing. My version I would add some pineapple and apple bits.

     So that's all I can think about right now. Cheers! :)