Fruit2day

Back in May of this year, a new product was released in the US by the international company Hero/WhiteWave.  Called Fruit2day, this fruit drink is intended to help busy people everywhere increase their consumption of fruit.

What is Fruit2day?

Here is the introduction on the Fruit2day website:

No doubt about it, fruit does wonders for your health.

Can’t argue with that one.  Let’s keep going:

But it’s tough to get your fill with an on-the-go lifestyle.

Hmm.  Apparently whoever wrote this has never heard of bananas.

Now there’s a new way to eat fruit.

As opposed to chewing and swallowing, I suppose.

It’s not that we changed fruit.  We just discovered that dicing-up real fruit into little bits and adding them to rich blends of all-natural juice and puree tastes really, really good.

Yes, we know.  It’s called a smoothie.  Or, if you want to get all fancy on me, a fruit soup.

So drink it, sip it, chew it and enjoy two servings of fruit like you never have before.

Oh boy…I can’t wait…

Alright…Enough With The Sarcasm

The stuff can’t really be all that bad.  I mean it is real fruit, right?  And, as the label says, “No added sugars.”

And I’m all for increasing consumer awareness and encouraging people to eat more fruit.

But does Fruit2day really rival the nutrient quality, taste, cost, or portability of fresh fruit?

Juicing

If you take a look at what’s actually in any one of the four Fruit2day flavors, you will notice that the majority of the ingredients are fruit juices.

Here’s the ingredient list for Strawberry Orange:

• strawberry pieces
• apple juice from concentrate
• white grape juice from concentrate
• orange juice with pulp from concentrate
• banana puree
• pineapple pieces and puree
• aronia berry juice from concentrate
• acerola cherry juice from concentrate
• natural flavor

9 ingredients, 5 of which are juices.

The problem with juicing fruit is that vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals are lost in the process.  This includes vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and fiber.

And why do we need fiber?  Quite simply:

Because of fiber, and because precious food components haven’t been lost through processing, natural plant foods fill you up and do not cause abnormal physiological cravings or hormonal imbalances.

Eating fruits and vegetables with the fiber intact also slows down the rate of glucose absorption, which will prevent blood sugar spikes.

SIDE NOTE: The above quote is from Eat To Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman.  Even though it’s advertised as a diet book, Eat To Live is actually more of a collection of scientific studies pointing to the positive effects of eating a diet devoid of animal products.  And while Dr. Fuhrman does advocate eating cooked grains, legumes, and veggies, he also encourages unlimited amounts of raw fruit and vegetables in the diet.

Pasteurization

In order for Fruit2day to have any sort of a shelf life without preservatives, the majority of the ingredients must be pasteurized.

So, all of the fruit juices are heat-treated.

And as we already know, heat = nutrient loss.

From Concentrate

And speaking of nutrient loss, what about the fact that the fruit juices included are from concentrate?

A juice “not from concentrate” is first squeezed, then pasteurized, and finally packaged.  A juice “from concentrate” has an extra step.  The water is removed from the juice and then added back in before pasteurization and packaging.

More steps, more oxidization, more nutrient loss, AND an overall cheaper quality product.

Natural Flavor?

All four flavors have “natural flavor” listed last on the ingredient list.  While I’m sure this is something relatively innocent, it would still be nice to know what exactly this flavoring is.

I better be careful…my “raw foodist” is showing.

Cost

The price of 2 bottles (4 servings worth) of Fruit2day is $3.75.  That’s about $.94 per one half cup of fruit.

I’ve bought organic bananas for $.65 per pound, local cantaloupe for $1.50 per pound, organic Valencia oranges for $1.15 per pound…

I’ve even purchased locally grown, pesticide-free, absolutely delicious peaches for $.75 per pound.

Need I say more?

Portability

As mentioned above, the big selling point here is that Fruit2day is extremely portable.  You just grab a bottle and go!

But I ask you, can you not just grab a banana and go, or grab an apple and go, or grab an orange and go?

Heck, even melon is pretty portable!  Just cut one up in advance, store in pre-portioned plastic containers in the fridge, and carry it along with you.

Taste

I haven’t actually tasted this stuff myself.  I just can’t bring myself to spend almost $4 on four measly servings of fruit.

And heat-treated fruit juice isn’t exactly raw, now is it?

The Final Verdict

Fruit2day just doesn’t measure up.  Sure, it’s fruit.  But it isn’t whole, nor is it fresh or even raw.

And as far as Fruit2day’s ability to convince the masses to eat more fruit, I am skeptical.  I’m not a penny pincher, but I just can’t see the average Joe Shmoe shelling out $3.75 for two small bottles of chunky fruit smoothie.

Not when you can get a Milky Way bar for under 2 bucks.

But what do you think?  Is Fruit2day a worthy competitor of fresh fruit or merely the sad remains of its nutrient-packed opponent?  Leave your comments below!

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

* What’s New: Shout Out To My Raw Peeps

* Feature Article: Top 4 Reasons To Go Local

Shout Out To My Raw Peeps

You don’t have to say it.  I know I’m a total dork.

In all seriousness, though, I really want to thank everyone who reads this blog and subscribes to my mailing list.  Fit On Raw has been live for just over 3 months now and the amount of positive, constructive, and inspiring feedback I receive on a daily basis is truly amazing.

Here are some of the encouraging comments I have received over the last few days:

Rebeca writes:

Many adults believe it is too late to start this new way of eating especially since I have been eating a SAD diet, why stop now, the damage is done. Well there is a way of reversing all the damage and I am convinced that Swayze’s way is the best way. I began my 100% raw food diet this past Labor Day. Three days ago. I am stunned with how satisfied I am at every meal. I failed before because I wasn’t eatingt enough fruits. Every Fool Proof Transition To Raw Food tip that Sawyze shares is absolutely your tool for sucess. I have lost 5 pounds in three days, I’m 25 pounds away from my pre-baby weight.

Kathrin writes:

I love how you encourage people to keep it simple and do not tell your visitors that you have to buy this, use that and basically spend a fortune on gadgets and super”food” to do this diet. You are so right about it. People start being raw, because they say that’s what people used to eat and then at the same time they want you to add some pulverized plant extracts to your dehydrated bread. How crazy is that??

I wish there were more people like you who prove that keeping it simple and natural is the best way to go.

Heather writes:

I so appreciate your no-nonsense approach in responding to other raw ‘gurus’ in the field. I HATE the wishy-washy. A few months ago I was at a raw food retreat center working in the kitchen. I was mortified by some of the information given to guests…I realize that we don’t want to scare people away, but at the same time, telling them that sea salt is better than table salt and fine in moderation is STILL garbage.

A big “thank you” to you guys and all of my subscribers, visitors, etc.  It’s hard to convey the feeling in writing, but I really do appreciate all of you.

*muah*

Swayze

Top 4 Reasons To Go Local

The aptly named “Jollie” organic heirloom tomatoes

Alas, summer will be gone in a week and that means I will soon be saying “farewell” to my local farmer’s markets.  No more cheap, delicious food to satisfy my tummy, taste buds, and wallet.

But I can’t complain too much, as this year has presented quite a bounty.  I’ve been up to my eyeballs in awesome stone fruits, tasty and juicy melons, and the most delicious heirloom tomatoes ever (pictured above)!

And all of it has been locally grown and most of it organic as well.

So if you haven’t yet visited your farmer’s market, here are 4 reasons why you should go local and make the most of these last few weeks of summer produce.

#1: Taste and Freshness

Plain and simple, local produce tastes better and is ten times fresher than anything you will find in your neighborhood grocery store.  And there’s a good reason for this.

Local farmers do not have to worry about shipping their foods long distances or ensuring a long shelf life.  They only have to focus on great taste and freshness.

Fruits and vegetables from a supermarket have typically been picked about 4-7 days before they actually reach the store.  In addition, these foods have traveled an average of 1500 miles just to get to the warehouse!

#2: Knowing Where Your Food Comes From

What’s better than knowing exactly where your food comes from?  You get to ask the farmer himself (or herself) important questions like where his farm is located, what is the quality of his soil, does he use pesticides, etc.

Make a trip to your local farmer’s market a regular part of your week and you will begin to form long-lasting relationships with your food growers.

This is great for us raw foodists because it often means good deals on bulk buys.

By the way, to find a farmer’s market in your area, go to www.localharvest.org.

#3: Less Waste

Local produce does not have to travel as far, resulting in a substantial reduction in gasoline and packing materials used.

‘Nough said.

#4: Promote and Encourage Healthful Living

You vote with your dollar.

Whenever you pay for a product, you are encouraging the further creation and promotion of that product.  So when you choose to buy locally, you are helping to ensure the continued sale of local goods.  You are providing the local farmers with much-needed resources (i.e. moolah) so that they can continue to run their farms and provide you with delicious local food.

The more people buy locally, the greater chance local farms have of succeeding and the more high-quality produce in your bellies.

So make a pit stop to your local farmer’s market (or go straight to the source) and enjoy these last couple weeks of summer and its fruity goodness!

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

* Feature Article: 5 Know How Tips for the Raw Food Beginner

* Your Questions Answered: How Do You Get Enough Calcium on a Raw Food Diet?

5 Know How Tips for the Raw Food Beginner

Are you new to the raw food diet and finding it hard to maintain? Do you feel like a raw food newbie, surrounded by thriving veteran raw foodists?

Fear not, dear reader!  These 5 know how tips will give any raw food beginner the confidence and the know-how to succeed on a low fat, raw vegan diet.  You’ll be a thriving raw foodist in no time.

#1: Know How to Pick Good Quality Fruit

This is #1 on the list for a reason.  Knowing how to choose fresh, ripe, and delicious raw produce – as well as knowing how much food you need for the day and what fruits you enjoy – is a huge factor in your raw success.

My original decision to give low fat, high fruit raw vegan a chance was rather impulsive.  I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired and didn’t know where to turn.  I had been on what I thought at the time was the healthiest diet in the world: cooked vegan.  The anemia, excess weight, and joint pains that plagued me screamed that the diet wasn’t working and so raw foods seemed like the next logical step.

Unlike most of the decisions in my life, I just kind of went for it!  I started by eating about 75% raw and saw results immediately.  I had much more energy, experienced immediate weight loss, had more focus, etc.  This got me so excited that I felt I had to go 100% raw right away!

Because I was still a new player in the raw food game, I had to go through a lot of trial and error.  It became shockingly clear how little I knew about produce and what a newbie I was at choosing anything close to edible.  I can’t tell you the number of times I threw away wads of cash on rock hard, never to ripen, out of season, tasteless fruits and turned to cooked foods for sustenance!

My best advice to you is to take it slow.  Gradually adding in raw, sweet fruit to your diet will allow you to learn as you go along without worrying about “slipping up” on cooked foods.  For more on transitioning, I suggest you check out my free mini-course The Fool Proof Transition to Raw.  A new lesson will be sent to your inbox each week and all you have to do is subscribe in the box on the right or visit www.fitonraw.com and subscribe there.

Did I mention it’s free?

#2: Know How to Make Simple (Yet Tasty) Raw Recipes

Many raw food beginners feel that a low fat raw vegan diet is completely tasteless and way too boring.  I understand that eating foods in their whole states can seem a little bland at first.  Okay, maybe REALLY bland!

Well, that’s where raw recipes come in!

To get started, I recommend that you experiment with fruit salads, fruit smoothies and green smoothies.  A fruit salad is just a few different varieties of fruits mixed together.  For instance, I love equal parts of chopped papaya, orange, and pineapple mixed together in a big bowl.  So juicy and refreshing!

A fruit smoothie is a few different fruits blended together.  In most cases, the base is a denser fruit like bananas, mangoes, or papayas.  Smaller portions of other fruits are then added to the base.  My favorite smoothie is 3 bananas, 2 oranges, and 1 cup of wild blueberries.  How much water you add to your drink will depend on how thick you like it.  I usually start with 1 cup.

A green smoothie is just a fruit smoothie with greens added to it.  These are great to help cut the sweetness in your meal and help you get in your greens for the day.  An always popular green smoothie is 5 bananas, 1 cup of blueberries, and 2 handfuls of romaine.  When adding greens, start with small handfuls.  Trust me, a grassy smoothie is not very appetizing.

I also recommend that you have at least one savory recipe that you really, really enjoy.  Salsas with lots of tomatoes and celery are great and you can use them as a dressing over greens to give a heartier feel to the dish.  You can also make lots of delicious raw soups or blended salads using saltier veggies as your base.

#3: Know How to Eat Enough

Yes, I know I harp on calorie consumption A LOT.  That’s because it’s important!  The best quality fruit and the tastiest raw recipes will do NOTHING for your success if you don’t eat enough.  It becomes all to easy to slip back into cooked food eating habits when you’re running on empty.

So how do you make sure you are consuming the right amount of food?  First, multiply your ideal weight by 10.  This is your basal metabolic rate (BMR), or the calories you would need if you remained in bed all day. Second, add any calories that you burn during the day to your BMR.  This is dependent upon your lifestyle.  For instance, someone who works in construction will use many more calories than someone working a desk job. Lastly, add any calories you burn from exercise.  Voila!  Now you have a rough estimate of how much food you need per day.

It’s important to remember that this is just an estimate.  If you don’t feel satisfied eating this amount, just gradually increase how much sweet fruit you eat during a meal.  The general rule is that satiation should last between 3-5 hours after you have eaten.

#4: Know How to Move Your Body

Exercise can be a lifesaver if you are new to raw foods and struggling with cooked food cravings.  As I stated in my How to Earn Your Raw Food article, breaking a sweat can create true hunger and actually have you craving simple raw foods.  I’ve never enjoyed my simple fruit meals as much as I do after an intense workout!

If you’re new to exercise, don’t sweat it (pun intended)!  A simple jog around the neighborhood or a game of badminton or a dip in the pool can do wonders for your eating efforts.  A little exercise goes a long way!

#5: Know How to Have Fun

Just this past month, I had a lot of fun produce shopping.  Not only did I visit my favorite farmers market, but I also learned about a Hispanic market a few minutes from my house.  I had actually known about this place for quite some time, but was hesitant to go there because it was in a not-so-nice part of town.

Anyway, I headed over there with my Dad and was amazed by the variety and quality of produce available.  There were at least 10 different types of greens that I had never heard of!

But the really spectacular part was the produce.  Not only did the store have sapodilla, mamey, guava, and my favorite mangoes, they carried JACKFRUIT!  I could not believe it.

It really is so much fun to come across foods that you have never seen in person or never even heard of.  I am constantly surprised and amused by all the different varieties of produce out there.

And even “normal” produce is exciting!  Just look at some of the foods you will be dining on: bananas, oranges, grapes, apples, peaches, strawberries, cantaloupe, pears, kiwi, papaya, pineapple, tangerines, mangoes, nectarines, apricots, blueberries, watermelon, romaine, boston lettuce, bok choy, celery, tomatoes, bell pepper…all of which can be found at your local grocery store!

And don’t forget all the fun you can have making (and eating) simple raw recipes with these ingredients.  The combinations and taste sensations are endless.

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

How Do You Get Enough Calcium on a Raw Food Diet?

I am new to the raw diet and am very interested in the mono meal and all of that but how do you get enough calcium as I have Osteoporosis, so where do you get your calcium from to keep your bones strong? ~ Donna

Osteoporosis is not a calcium deficiency problem.  It is a calcium absorption problem.  Americans have among the highest rates for osteoporosis in the world AND we consume more calcium than almost any other country.  This calcium comes in the form of milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc.

And so, the better question becomes “How do you keep from losing calcium?”

First, eat enough calories from a low fat raw vegan diet.  That means lots of sweet fruit, moderate greens and non-sweet fruits, and limited fats.  This will provide all the usable calcium you need, along with all the other micronutrients necessary to ensure proper calcium absorption.

Second, refrain from harmful practices such as drinking, smoking, drug use, and the consumption of processed foods, as these all interfere with absorption and assimilation of nutrients.

And get plenty of sunlight!

For more indepth information on the correlation between calcium absorption and Osteoporosis, be sure to check out Dr. Campbell’s The China Study.

Here is a comment that was recently left on a former post about mono-fruit meals.

I am lazy and started doing fruit meals from the beginning! I have never been into cooking recipes. So I got into raw foods and eating mostly fruit instinctively. ~ Annalise

I can certainly relate to this.  When I ate a cooked vegan diet, I always HATED spending hours in the kitchen preparing meals.  Or making a second trip to the supermarket because I forgot some essential ingredient for a dish the first time around.  Or having to plan my “healthy” meals days in advance.  Or…the list goes on and on.

That’s why I was so excited about the raw food diet. “Eating foods in their raw states,” I thought. “What could be more simple than that?”

Little did I know that the world of “gourmet raw” wasn’t any better than cooked vegan!  I still spent hours in the kitchen, only now I was just chopping vegetables.  I still had to make numerous trips to various health food stores in the hopes of finding “necessary” special ingredients.  And I still had to plan everything well in advance, so as not to waste anything or end up without enough food.

And at least my cooked meals actually tasted good!  Raw meatloaf and “sun” burgers…no thanks.

A Diet for the Lazy Man

Luckily, I quickly came across a raw food diet that truly satisfies the couch potato inside of me.  And as crazy as it sounds, this is the absolute *healthiest* and most *nutritious* diet you can find!

And which diet is this?  Why, the low fat raw vegan diet, of course!  That means all the sweet fruit you can eat, moderate greens and non-sweet fruits, and limited fats.  That’s it!

When I found out that I could literally grab a bunch of bananas and chow down, I couldn’t believe it.  And what if I wanted something a little more fancy?  No problem!  A simple yet satisfying fruit salad, green smoothie, savory salsa or raw pasta could be prepared in just minutes!

This meant no more extra time in the kitchen and no more desperate searches at the supermarket!  While I still plan my meals, and recommend that you do the same, it’s extremely simple.  Since I know how much food I need in a given day and the ripening times of the various foods that I eat, all that is required is to make sure that I buy enough when I go shopping.  That’s all there is to it!

And best of all?  I have more energy on this super simple lazy man’s raw diet than on any other program I’ve ever tried!  And because I’m not slaving away in front of a hot stove (or tepid dehydrator, for that matter), I can use that new-found energy for things that I truly enjoy.

What’s That, You Say?

A raw diet of mostly fruit is just *too* simple, right?  There is just *no way* a person can survive long term on such a diet, huh?

WRONG!  Not only are people surviving on a high fruit, low fat raw vegan diet, they are thriving (myself included)!  If you don’t believe me, take a gander at 30 Bananas a Day.  It’s a forum specifically for low fat raw vegans and boasts over 1000 members!

If you are *still* skeptical, try it out for yourself!  You have nothing to lose from giving a healthy raw vegan diet a go.  Cooked foods will still be there if you wish to return to them.

So what’s stopping you?  Grab some bananas and give the low fat fruity raw way a try!

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

* What’s New?: Protein Issue Responses

* Feature Article: Is a Raw Food Diet Boring?

Since Thursday’s post on Where Do You Get Your Protein, I have received a whole bunch of positive emails and comments.  As I suspected, many of you have been bombarded by others with the protein issue and this article has given you some ammo to fire back with.

I just wanted to say “Thanks guys” and keep the comments coming!

Swayze

Is a Raw Food Diet Boring?

I have to be honest.  This is one question that REALLY gets my goat.  Whenever I hear someone attacking the raw diet because it’s too “boring,” I go crazy!

Really, I hulk out!

I’ve been following a low-fat raw vegan diet for almost 2 years now.  I can honestly say, without any reservations, that there is absolutely NOTHING boring about a raw food diet!

*Deep Breath*  Okay, I’m calm now.

Let me explain why a raw food diet is totally NOT boring.

Variety

The variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that exist is astounding.  You have apples, grapes, oranges, bananas, peaches, pears, cantaloupe, romaine, celery, cucumber, avocado…and I’m just alluding to what is available in your local grocery store!

In fact, I can almost guarantee you that raw foodists eat *more* variety than ANYONE on a standard American diet…or any other diet for that matter.

This is because most people tend to eat just a handful of dishes that become their staples.  And these dishes are usually very similar.

If you eat meat, your meals will generally center around a protein, with some starchy vegetable and maybe greens along side.  If you’re from the Southern States, your greens are cooked to death in butter and everything gets a nice heapin’ helping of beef gravy smothered on top.

If you are vegetarian or vegan, the focus is usually on whole grains or legumes with vegetables.  And of course, everyone has his or her favorite dessert.

But when you live on a fruit-based diet, you have to adapt what you are eating to what you can find in your area.  Just because you have a few favorite fruits does not mean that they will always be available.

I would gladly eat nothing but mangoes for the rest of my life, but I can’t because they are not always in season!

Where’s the Proof?

Still skeptical that a raw diet is really that varied?  Here’s a list of several of the different varieties of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that I eat in a given year:

o    Apples
o    Apricots
o    Avocado
o    Bananas
o    Basil
o    Bell Pepper
o    Blackberries
o    Blueberries
o    Boston Lettuce
o    Cantaloupe
o    Celery
o    Cherries
o    Cilantro
o    Clementines
o    Cucumber
o    Currants
o    Dates
o    Dill
o    Grapefruit
o    Grapes
o    Honeydew
o    Iceberg Lettuce
o    Kiwi
o    Lemon
o    Lime
o    Mangoes
o    Mint
o    Nectarines
o    Oranges
o    Papaya
o    Peaches
o    Pears
o    Pineapple
o    Pistachios
o    Raspberries
o    Romaine Lettuce
o    Star Fruit
o    Strawberries
o    Sunflower Seeds
o    Tangerines
o    Tomatoes
o    Watermelon
o    Zucchini

AND I didn’t even include the different varieties of fruit within each species.  For instance, there are Navel and Valencia oranges, red and green grapes, the Fuji apples and the Gala apples, Red Haven and White Nectar peaches, etc.

All of this is found conventionally at my local supermarkets in Tennessee.  Of course, if you live somewhere tropical or have access to exotic markets, you have a whole different spectrum of fruits to choose from:

o    Chocolate Sapote
o    Custard Apple
o    Durian
o    Jackfruit
o    Litchi
o    Longan
o    Mamey Sapote
o    Mangosteen
o    Rambutan
o    Sapodilla
o    Soursop

There’s even a peanut butter fruit that has the taste AND texture of peanut butter!

How can a diet that’s full of so many different smells, tastes, and textures be boring?

Quite simply, it cannot.

Raw Recipes

If you *still* aren’t convinced that a raw diet isn’t boring, you probably haven’t considered all the different raw vegan recipes that you can make.

And I’m not talking about fatty dehydrated conglomerations that are made to mimic the flavor and textures of cooked dishes.  I’m referring to simple, delicious, healthy meals that contain few ingredients and take literally minutes to put together.

There are fruit smoothies, green smoothies, fruit soups, vegetable soups, fruit salads, savory salads, fruit puddings, dips, salsas, and even fruit ice creams!

You could literally take just a few different healthy raw ingredients and have a completely different dish for every meal for a whole week!

Now how in the world can a diet like *this* be boring?

Quite simply, it cannot.

Don’t Take My Word For It!

If you are still debating going raw, there is no better time than now to get out there and go for it.  See for yourself just how varied this diet can be.  Buy all the fruits you can and go crazy in the kitchen!

Just be sure to send me the recipes to all of your awesome raw creations.

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze