Fresh fruit all year round

Fresh fruit all year round from your own backyard really can be enjoyed by those living in a temperate climate.

One of the great joys of a green home is without a doubt daily access to fresh fruit that costs nothing, ripens on the bush and has not been sprayed with toxic chemicals.

I find it fascinating that folk would eschew an apple or pawpaw that has been pecked by a bird but have no qualms about munching perfect-looking fruit despite the unseen pesticides.

It’s a terrifying thought to me, most are completely unaware of it that none of the food that we eat in South Africa is tested for pesticide-residues. Is it any wonder there are tens of thousands suffering from tumours and autoimmune diseases?

• Pesticides increase the risk of cancer

Midsummer

Every morning for the last two-months as I wandered around our garden, forest bathing and picking food for Eggs Hilton, I have enjoyed ten or more blueberries; followed by at least six granadillas with half a teaspoon of natural honey and a slosh of cream at breakfast.

• Passionfruit possets
  

The citrus is coming to an end but there is still a lemon every day to have in a glass of water and in our hummus. A few drops improve the bread-dough too.

Cherry tomatoes are in abundance, growing like weeds and bringing colour to our salads; and well-being too.

There’s strong research that a tomato a day keeps the urologist at bay. The lycopene is the wonder phytonutrient that helps prevent tumours in the prostate-gland; and I am sure others too.

So too the Catawba pop-grapes and Cape gooseberries that we enjoy for more than six months; and as jams for the rest of the year.

Winter

The cherry-guavas are swelling fast and it won’t be long before I am enjoying half a dozen of them every morning, straight from the bushes on my little jaunt. They make the most divine jelly and mead too.

The avocados are bursting and by May, and for the next nine-months, we will be enjoying at least one, and sometimes more, every day for lunch; we never seem to tire of them. Often we will use it instead of butter on our bread.

Having plenty of the nutritious fats improves the absorption of many nutrients in the gut, and provides satiety. Constant gnawing hunger is not the lot of those enjoying avos daily.

A recent report in the press told how a shipment to Europe was returned to SA because our farmers do not test for chemical residues  but they do; and spurned them. So instead they were sent home and sold on the local market.

Often it’s said with good reason that if you have an avocado and loaf of sourdough-bread, you have a splendid meal.

There is much argument in the literature about good and bad oils but everyone agrees that avocado fat, along with that from olives is the best.

Spring

August is a bit of a lean time until the strawberries start bearing, covered by netting to keep said toppies at bay; they know what’s good food.

In Holland they used to sneer and call strawberries coloured-water until researchers found out just how important they are for the eyes.

Oranges, limes and lemons of course are marvellous. I have to be careful as they give me gout if not properly ripe. Freshly-squeezed OJ raises my blood glucose alarmingly too but it is totally ameliorated by a short walk; instead of being stored in adipose tissue, the sugars are turned into glycogen for use by our muscles.

A starchy-meal should always be followed by a little exercise.

Early summer

Plums, peaches and mulberries are the order of the day. Much will be eaten raw, often straight from the tree with stale-jokes about half a worm; but one can also stew them and make jam^[2].

Retraining the tongue to enjoy tart-fruits is a part of the exercise. We eat almost no sugar now; but a couple teaspoons of raw honey each day does take the edge off the sourness.

Do you know about the remarkable research of Dr George Campbell? After two decades of having 20 teaspoons of sugar per day (about 30kg per year), you will most likely be diabetic. One cola has about 10tsp. Add to that other refined starches daily like maize-meal and white rice; you’re a gonna.

South Africans, particularly the women are now more obese than Americans. Is it any wonder that diabetes and C-19 are taking such a toll?

Some of this comes with a little controversy for the greenie. Several of these fruits are invasive; but only mildly so in the Midlands where we live. Life is full of compromises. There are virtually no indigenous fruits in South Africa. And so too if you are banting; in my book it’s the refined carbs that are the killers.

Lest I make this seem overly simple, there is a cost involved; time to plant, fertilise with compost and worm-wee. Then you must reap, wash and sometimes peel this abundant harvest of food. Alas it’s so much easier to pick up punnets of delicious looking strawberries and grapes at the supermarket; the real expense may not be at the till but years later consulting the oncologist. Some accuse me of being an alarmist; perhaps so.

Your own fresh fruit makes wonderful nutritious berry smoothies^[3].

Fruits and vegetables

Obesity worldwide is increasingly a problem. It is not only those who are starving who are malnourished; many are to be found in well to do homes. Researchers following a very large group of Americans over a period of 24 years came up with the following results concerning weight loss^[4].

1. Fruit is strongly associated with weight loss; especially berries, apples and pears.
   
2. So were vegetables but to about half the rate with the following provisos.

• Those like cauliflower, crucifers such as cabbage and dark-green leafy vegetables with plenty of fibre were very effective.
• But starchy vegetables like corn, peas and potatoes were associated with weight gain.
  

As we have said repeatedly everything depends on how the food is prepared. These would have been corn and peas either frozen or from a can; and potatoes from cold storage.

There is strong research that whole grains, legumes and new potatoes are not fattening. Freshly-picked corn on the cob and that from a can are two very different beasts. Still it is a reminder that after any starchy meal we should take a short walk. The glucose is turned to glycogen instead.

• Feeling of fullness after eating
  

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Fresh fruit all year round

Fresh fruit all year round is to be had and enjoyed by those with large gardens; the only cost is the sweat from your brow.

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