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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Citrus leads a sweet path to wellness

BY PAT FISHER

Eating citrus fruit is definitely a path to wellness.

Citrus fruits are high in antioxidants, including vitamin C, which can strengthen many parts of the body, protect cells from damage and ward off a variety of illnesses.

They contain potassium, folate, pectin and phytochemicals that protect the heart, fight infections, lower blood pressure and drop cholesterol levels.

And best of all, they taste fabulous. Citrus fruits are at their peak of flavor right now. The variety available to us has never been greater. Stick with the tried and true or branch out to discover a new favorite.

A fun eating experience is to host a "tasting." Purchase different fruits, cut and sample together so it is easy to compare and contrast flavors.

In the orange family, try the following:

* Blood orange: This small orange has ruby red flesh, with juice that does resemble blood. Kids love the appearance of this fruit.

* Cara cara: This is a pink navel orange. The flavor is great and a little different from a standard navel.

* Tangelo mineola: This fruit is a cross between a tangerine and pomelo or grapefruit. They are very juicy and when purchased from an orchard, they send a bib along.

* Temple: This happens to be my favorite. It appears in the stores in late January. It is sweetly tart and I just love the smell from the oil that permeates my hands when I peel one. They peel easily, like a tangerine. Beware, it does have lots of seeds.

* Clementine: This is the baby of the mandarin orange clan. It peels easily and tends to be seedless and sweet.

* Run of the mill navels and tangerines: Not exotic but taste great. Dress up a navel by peeling, slice 1/4-inch thick across the segments to create wheels, arrange on a plate and sprinkle with grated coconut and you have a fast and fun dessert.

In the grapefruit family, try these:

* Ruby red: These are sweeter than ever, with red flesh. No need for additional sugar.

* Cocktail: These are new on the market in our area. They are not a true grapefruit but a cross between a mandarin and a pomelo. They taste similar to a grapefruit but are sweeter and less acidic. They have a yellow and greenish rind but are sold ripe and ready to eat, even when green on the outside.

* Pomelo: This fruit looks like an oversized grapefruit but has a green rind, which is very thick. It is pale green to yellow when ripe. It has a sweet, mild grapefruit flavor.

* Ugli fruit: This big, wrinkly green-skinned tangelo is from Jamaica. It tastes like an orange with a hint of grapefruit and lime. Watch for ugli fruit to be available by the end of the month.

In the lemon and lime family there are two seasonal fruits on the shelf.

* Key limes: These are usually green but turn yellow as they ripen and become less tart. This fruit is much smaller than a standard lime and is ideal for making limeade or Key lime pie.

* Meyer lemons: These are available now. They are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. They are smaller than regular lemons and have a thin skin with very little bitter white pith. Because of that, the entire fruit can be eaten, skin and all.

Fisher is a registered dietitian at the Locust Street Hy-Vee. She can be reached at pfisher@hy-vee.com.