Why You Should Slice Fruit Yourself
Presliced fruit sure saves time. But here's what you miss out on when you buy it: vitamin C.
Research shows that presliced fruit may have less vitamin C by the time you eat it than if you'd bought whole fruit and sliced it yourself.
The Whole Picture
Kiwifruit, pineapple, and cantaloupe seem particularly prone to vitamin C loss, according to John La Puma, MD, author of ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine. (Browse the book online.)
See how high in vitamin C your favorite fruits rank with this online tool.
More Ways to Make a Good Thing Better
Why stop with whole fruit when you want to make the most of good foods. Here are more top choices for making a good thing even better.
- Heat your olive oil this way so you don't kill the health benefits.
- Cook broccoli to this temp to help preserve the cancer-fighting sulforaphane.
- Use this green veggie within 4 days of purchase.
- Let this fruit sit on the counter a while before you slice it.
- Think stinky when it comes to picking out this bulb.
Read this article for tips on fresh vs. frozen veggies and how microwaving affects nutrition.
RealAge Benefit:
Eating 5 servings of fruit a day can make your RealAge 1.4 years younger.
ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine. La Puma, J., New York: Crown Publishers, 2008.
