Anson pointed out that fruit contains the water-soluble vitamins B and C, which are easily lost or damaged when they are exposed to water, air, light or heat. Therefore, all fruits should be consumed as soon as possible after they are peeled or cut up. Fruits are also used in many western and Chinese recipes. Examples are stir-fried beef fillet with pineapple dices and stir-fried chicken fillet with strawberries. When cooking with fruits, they should be added at the very end to reduce the loss of nutrients.

Many people like to make soup with fruits, believing that this will make the soup more nutritious. While the water-soluble vitamins in fruits will dissolve into the soup, they may be damaged by heat during the boiling process, resulting in a lower nutritional value. Due to the leaching of fructose into the soup, we should be aware of the serving size so as to avoid an excessive intake of fructose. Fruits that have been boiled in a soup still have a lot of minerals and fibres. To boost our nutrient intake, we can eat the soup along with its fruit ingredients.

While fruits are frequently used as ingredients for desserts, Anson added that eating mango pudding or durian pancake is not the same as eating fresh fruits. These desserts are usually added with a lot of sugar, coconut milk, cream or whole milk, thus having a much higher sugar and fat content. For our health’s sake, it is better to opt for fresh fruits.

Tips on Eating Fruit

Beware of high-fat fruits – Fruits like coconuts and avocados are high in fat and should not be consumed too often.

Choose fresh fruits over foods with added sugar – Fruit desserts and canned fruits may contain added sugar. Eating fresh fruits is healthier.

Cook fast to retain nutrients – Fruits contain vitamins B and C, which are vulnerable to high temperature. The shorter the cooking time, the more nutrients are retained.