Lifestyle tips

Related to raspberry, blackberry also belongs to the family of Rosaceae in botanical classification. It is often mistaken for mulberry, which is the fruit of the mulberry tree. Juice of the blackberry fruit is rich in tannins or tannoids. Due to its astringent effects, tannins support the capillaries. Tannin is also anti-bactericidal. Blackberries, like many berries containing antioxidants such as anthocyanins and quercetin, so with consuming blackberries one can prevent cardiovascular diseases, tumors as well as dementia, a brain disease involving cognitive decline.

Toddlers under 18 months are not advised to consume blackberry to prevent allergic reactions. Blackberry can be consumed raw, as a jam, preserve, jelly, syrup, shakes or fruit-yoghurt, but it is also a great topping for yoghurt, muesli or a fruit salad.

 

Plum is also a fruit from the botanical family of Rosaceae. The fruit is rich in potassium, the molecule with active role in neurotransmission, supporting nerve and muscle function, and other transmitting activities, as well as maintaining the acid-base balance, also the upkeep of the osmotic pressure. Due to the later, plum consuming should be restricted for patients with kidney illnesses. Plum contains phytonutrients such as catechin, epicatechin and lutein.

These phytonutrients (nutrients deriving from plants) have antioxidant effects, so they can help preventing circulatory diseases and tumors, also can prevent or relieve inflammation. For the above reasons it is advisable to build plum into ones diet. Due to its high fibre content it is an excellent support to digestion with its light laxative effect one can prevent or adjust constipation. Dried plums or prunes are highly recommended for the above issues. It can be mixed into muesli, oatmeal shakes and yoghurts.

During the drying process, the plum looses most of its moisture, hence the energy- and nutrient content gets more concentrated, i.e. triples up, which needs to be taken into consideration when consuming. Plum is a very versatile fruit, can be consumed raw, as a soup, jam, sauce, pie, dumpling, ice cream, and preserve as well.

Apple is also a fruit from the botanical family of Rosaceae, living in the temperate zone for over 5000 years. It is one of the most well-known and most versatile fruit. It offers a range of bioactive elements:

Pectin is a soluble fibre, helping curing constipation as well as diarrhoea. It is said its skin contains the most nutrients, in fact it’s the pulp right under the skin.

The natural sweetness of the fruit makes it ideal to be consumed as soup, sauce, shake, juice, pie, strudel, pancake and puddings, but can as well accompany meat dishes.

Upon starting the complementary feeding of a baby, apple is one of the first foods introduced in grated, pureed or juiced forms.

Pear, similarly to the above fruits, it is a member of the botanical family of Rosaceae. It has been known to man for over three thousand years.

Pear is the second most consumed fruit in the European Union right after apple. The most popular varieties are William’s pear, Alexander (Bosc kobak) and Packhams Triumph. Apart from Vitamin A, C and B, pears are also rich in Vitamin A and E, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, cobalt, chromium, manganese, nickel, copper, selenium and iron.

Its fibre content helps regulating digestion, making our diet rich in fibre. This succulent juicy fruit can be consumed raw, in a fruit salad, compote, soup or juice, but can be ingredient to many desserts or meaty dish, or even as a speciality accompanying a cheese platter.

Dates are one of the most ancient fruits. It was first documented before Christ in Mesopotamia. Dates are normally imported dried to Hungary from warmer climates.

The most dominant nutrients of dates are Vitamin B6-, B2-, B1, furthermore it is great source of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and sodium. Its sugar content is relatively high, and although the fibre content is high too, consumption of the fruit should be limited for patients with diabetes.

It is suitable for sweetening instead of honey or sugar for fruity snacks, and desserts, or creams. It can accompany poultry and fish, fillings of meaty dishes, can be ingredient to fruit salads, cakes, but can be consumed along with almonds, walnuts as well.

The juicy pulp of the apricot is extremely high in β-carotene, Vitamin A-, C-, B1-, B2-, niacin and folic acid.

Furthermore the fruit is rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and sulphur.

Its seed is used in cosmetics, the pulp can be used for soup, fruit salads, shakes and smoothies, fruit yoghurts, and ingredient to many desserts.

When dried, it can be added to muesli, muesli bars, muffins and fruit breads and bundt cakes.

Orange belongs to citric fruits. It is a well-known source of Vitamin C, but it also contains Vitamin A and B. It is rich in antioxidants (flavones, carotenoids, anthocyanin and limonene).

These elements react with free radicals, which fight successfully against inflammations. It also has a favourable effect on the capillaries, making the vessels less fragile. Orange can be consumed raw, as a juice, soup, fruit salad, preserve and jam.

It is great ingredient to many desserts, chocolates, liquors, cakes and creams too.

Dark chocolate is made of sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa solution and sometimes vanilla. Apart from the conventional nutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrate) it also contains many useful active ingredients, having favorable effects to our emotions. So our attraction to chocolate has a scientific explanation… Although it does not quite contain the “happiness hormone”, it does contain tiramin and pheniletilamine. Pheniletilamine is similar to amphetamine, raising one’s pulse, increasing blood pressure and blood sugar level, in its absence, depressive symptoms might show.

Our brain generates pheniletilamine when we are in love (but not in such volumes as in chocolate, so we won’t get high on it). Amongst these ingredients, chocolate also contains caffeine and theobromine, both boosting the central nervous system, although if eating in smaller volumes, it won’t cause insomnia. The fats in chocolate are cannabinoid types, causing euphoric happiness. But just before freaking out, we have to declare the concentrates in chocolate are not high enough to call chocolate a drug.

It can be concluded that good quality dark chocolate has a wide variety of antioxidants, which in healthy volumes can support a healthy, balanced diet. .