Fake Fruit

Have you chosen fruit filled cereals to increase your fruit intake? Or how about a boxed meal with added fruits? And I hope you don't think the blueberry Danish is contributing to your fruit intake.

I question this because most boxed fruits are not actually fruits at all. They are a mix of cornstarch, flavorings and colors. These ingredients aren't healthy. In fact, you are prohibited from buying some flavorings and colors because they are toxic.

Let's examine most cereals. The front boasts of the blueberry taste, or the strawberry flavor. Yet, look closely and you will find small print stating it doesn't contain any fruit at all.

And the ingredients list confirms this. You will find all sorts of chemicals, colors and preservatives, but no fruit. If you are lucky, you may find the fruit juice: somewhere close to the bottom of the list.

Fruit, even dehydrated or freeze-dried fruit, does not keep well in a box. Nor does it taste the same or have a similar texture as the fresh fruit. Yet, manufacturers know they need to provide the fresh fruit flavor people expect in order to sell the cereal.

If those blue balls in the box aren't fruit, what are they? Well, most of the time, they are carefully constructed balls of sugar or cornstarch that have been glued together with chemicals and flavors. This type of food product has no nutritional value, so it will sit on a store shelf for a long time.

It's worse when the flavor is actually in the cereal pieces themselves. The manufacturers don't have to worry making little balls that look like fruit, they can just add the flavor chemicals right to the flakes.

But perhaps the worst offender of the fake fruit is the bakery section. Those blueberry, apple and cherry pastries and filled donuts don't actually have any blueberries, apples or cherries at all (The higher end stores and small bakeries may, ask first). They use the same sugar and chemical trick the cereal manufacturers do.

Take a look at the healthy cereals on the top shelf. Do any of them have fruit? I can guarantee you none have fresh fruit. Few will have freeze-dried fruits.

If you do want fruit in your meals, try this: get the fruit and add it yourself. Blueberries and raspberries are terrific on all types of cereals and desserts. They are packed with nutrients and anti-oxidants, which have been shown to decrease disease. Use frozen berries in times when fresh fruit is more rare and fresh berries when they are in season. They are better for you and more satisfying.

Christina Major is the Naturopathic Doctor and Holistic Nutritionist of Crystal Holistic Health Consulting. Crystal Holistic Health helps people, especially women, who have Type II Diabetes, High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure lower their numbers, get off medication and increase their energy so they can save money, take back control of their lives and improve the health and happiness of their families. You can get a free report on health at http://www.crystalholistichealth.com/

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