NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

September 3, 1998

Prairie Fare: My Favorite Spice Is Variety

We're becoming a region that is populated by more than descendants of northern and eastern European immigrants, and that's a good thing. If your tastes in food are anything like mine, then variety probably is your favorite spice, and ethnic diversity is something you enjoy by the mouthful.

Vietnamese, Thai and Indian cuisines are growing in popularity here, just like Italian- and Mexican-style foods did in decades past. And how about all the different varieties of fruits and vegetables that are available now in this region's supermarkets? You can easily spend more than a month of Sundays—and Saturdays—enjoying the tastes, textures and aromas these foods impart.

Speaking of fruits and vegetables, tear off a plastic bag at the grocery store and what are you likely to see these days? That's right, a logo bearing these words: "5 A Day for Better Health." By now you probably know that 5 A Day means we all should be eating five servings of fruits and vegetables—every day. The reason we know this is because the 5 A Day program is working. Begun in 1991, the 5 A Day campaign is the largest public-private nutrition education program ever launched. It's being run by the National Cancer Institute and the nonprofit Produce for Better Health Foundation.

After reading that plug for 5 A Day, some of you are probably thinking, "Hey, this is supposed to be a column about making food." Bear with me, I'm making a point: September 13 through 19 is National 5 A Day Week 1998. This year's theme is "Take the 5 A Day Challenge: Taste a World of Variety!"

It seems to me that September would be a good time for all of us to try some new foods. Both adults and kids could benefit by putting something different on their plates or in their glasses because the world likely will never be your oyster unless you try one. OK, mollusks make some people squeamish so try oyster mushrooms instead. Or start off with what follows, an official 5 A Day recipe that includes a mango. It just might get finicky fruit eaters asking if they can have one for the road.

Tropical Eye-Openers

This recipe comes from Prevention Magazine's Quick and Healthy Low-Fat Cooking Cookbook. It provides each person served with one serving of fruit.

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:

1 large, ripe mango
1 large banana
1 cup 100-percent grapefruit juice
½ cup non-fat vanilla frozen yogurt
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1½ cups ice
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar or the equivalent in artificial sweetener (optional)

Procedure:
Peel the mango over a bowl to catch the juice. Then, use a paring knife to slice the flesh away from the stone. Discard peel and stone. Add mango flesh, its juice and other ingredients to blender and puree. Sweeten to taste, if desired. Serve in frosted glasses. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired.

What's Your Take on This, Julie?

Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day has proven health benefits—and they taste great, especially when served in unusual ways, as in the Tropical Eye-Openers. When you're sizing up your servings, remember that three-fourths of a cup of fruit or vegetable juice or a half-cup of raw or cooked fruit or vegetables counts as a serving.

It's estimated that 35 percent of all cancer-related deaths in the United States may be related to diet. More research is reported virtually every day regarding the role fruits and vegetables play in reducing the risk of cancer and other diseases.

Phytochemicals (plant chemicals) are responsible for the protective effects. Some of the pigments in fruits and vegetables act to neutralize free radicals that can damage cells. For example, the luteins in green vegetables may reduce the risk of macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness. Lycopenes in tomato products may reduce risk of prostate cancer. It's best to get these phytochemicals from fruits and vegetables instead of dietary supplements because scientists have not been able to identify and isolate all these beneficial chemicals.

Our selection of fruits and vegetables has greatly expanded due to the changing demographics of the United States. Just as Norwegians, Germans and Italians brought their culinary favorites with them, immigrants from Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe are introducing new preparation methods and recipes.

At home, try Caribbean fruits like mangoes, star fruit and papayas for dessert. Add raisins or dried apricots to rice or couscous for an Indian influence.

Mangoes are featured in this week's recipe. Of East Indian origin, mangoes are about the size of a large pear and are orange-yellow when ripe Mangoes may be eaten fresh or can be made into jams, jellies or desserts.

A serving of Tropical Eye-Openers, which makes a great breakfast beverage or snack, provides about 118 calories, zero fat and 2 grams of fiber. It also provides about 60 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin C and 40 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin A. If mangoes aren't available, substitute another fruit, like fresh or frozen strawberries.

About 40 percent of Americans are aware of the benefits of eating 5 A Day. Now let's put the awareness into practice. If you're trying to entice a child (or spouse) to eat fruits and vegetables, remember to set a good example yourself. Taste a world of variety. Take the 5 A Day challenge during National 5 A Day week.

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Sources: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136 and Julie Garden-Robinson (701) 231-7187

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