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Why fresh fruit makes the perfect breakfast on-the-go

Many of us lead incredibly busy lives. While this is no excuse for poor eating, sometimes we’re prone to skipping breakfast, having a spoonful here and there between morning meetings, or eating it on-the-go in a hurried manner.

5+ A Day is urging New Zealanders to eat a healthy breakfast during their morning rush and to do some simple prep the night before to make sure they don’t miss out on a healthy start to their day. Point taken!

5+ A Day Charitable Trust General Manager Paula Dudley says “we’d love to see more Kiwis starting their day with fresh fruit no matter how busy they are. It might be as simple as throwing a kiwifruit in your bag or peeling an orange and keeping it in the fridge overnight.”

And this recommendation comes backed by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation, who encourage people to eat at least two servings of fruit every day. But recent Ministry of Health data shows only 51.5 per cent of New Zealanders are consuming enough fruit.

Eating fruit has its benefits beyond its delicious taste – Dudley reminds us of the health benefits, especially at this time of the year when winter coughs and colds surround us.
Some 5+A Day recommendations for seasonal and delicious fruit for breakfast are:

Kiwifruit, which are portable and packed with vitamin C. Gold kiwifruit contain more vitamin C (450 per cent Recommended Daily Intake) than their green counterpart (315 per cent RDI). Still, either variety will give your immune system a big boost. Kiwifruit are also a good source of folate and dietary fibre.

Tamarillos, which are in season right now and will add a vibrant splash of colour to any breakfast bowl. There are two varieties – red is a good source of vitamin A which is essential for good vision, growth and helps us to fight off infection, while yellow contains lots of vitamin B6 for healthy brain development. Tamarillos also contain potassium and are a source of vitamin E, which is an important antioxidant.

Citrus fruit such as Navel oranges and lemons are in plentiful supply during winter. Their juice and flesh can be used any number of ways, and like kiwifruit, they’ll provide a decent hit of vitamin C to fight off winter bugs. Navel oranges are also a source of folate, niacin (vitamin B3) and thiamine (vitamin B1) which help the body break down carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy.

“Eating in season is always best from both an economic and nutritional point of view,” Dudley says. “All of these fruit are inherently portable and can easily be prepared in advance so there really is no reason not to include fruit for breakfast this winter.”

So, what’s your excuse?

The 5+ A Day Charitable Trust was established in 2007 for the benefit of all Kiwis, especially children. The Trust is committed to increasing the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables for better health in all New Zealanders. They encourage all Kiwis to eat five or more servings of colourful, fresh fruit and vegetables every day for good health. Their key messages are in line with New Zealand Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation’s recommendations. The 5+ A Day Charitable Trust is funded by voluntary contributions from New Zealand’s pan produce industry.

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