CookSmart (16th Issue) Page30

Dietitian Guide

Tasty and Healthy Fruit Cuisine

Fruit is often used in Chinese cuisine to give food a sweet taste and crunchy texture. Cooked fruit may sometimes allow easier absorption of nutrients, for example, fat-soluble vitamins inside fruit like vitamins A and E can be more efficiently absorbed once the fruit was cooked with a few drops of oil.

Vitamin C, on the contrary, can be easily destroyed by heating. That’s why fruit should not be overcooked.

Fruit Benefits People of All Ages

Rhoda says, “Older adults who suffer from dental or digestive problems may try fruit juices or cooked fruit as they require not much chewing and can be easily digested. Children can gradually develop a fruit-eating habit if parents can often use fruits for cooking.”

"Both papayas and pineapples contain enzymes that break down meat protein. When cooking with meat, they not only make the meat tenderer but also facilitate digestion.”