INTERNATIONAL FRUIT DAY

This important day of observance started on 1st July, 2007 by a group of social work students who studied at the University of Applied Science Alice Salomon in Berlin, Germany. The day was first celebrated in Mauerpark, Berlin when the students came together to share a meal of fruits and vegetables.

The main aim of this commemoration is to highlight the benefits of fruits. Moreover, to increase awareness of the nutritional and health gains by consuming more fruits in our daily diet and the importance of decreasing wastage and loss in the food system worldwide.

Fortunately, for those of us living in the tropics, we are privileged to have all the wonderful tasty tropical fruits and those imported from temperate zones like America. We have a very wide variety of local fruits available such as mango, guava, red plum, local cherry, soursop, banana, pineapple, orange, tomato, avocado, cucumber, watermelon, cantaloupe, raspberry, sugar apple, star fruit and quite recently dragon fruit.

Additionally, we import and enjoy fruits such as apples, pears, peaches, grapes, and berries. Fruits are a very important food in our daily diets for like vegetables they contain lots of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Fruits and vegetables can help to protect us against critical illnesses like cancer, diabetes and heart diseases.

There are many ways that they can be consumed but it is suggested that the best way to optimize these benefits Fruits and veggies should be eaten raw rather than cooked.

Be a “Fruitti-Trutti” today and forever!