APPLE. Contains a lot of vitamin C, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. Apples should be stored cool, preferably in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, since they do not keep long at room temperature. They give off ethylene gas, which accelerates their ripening. Freshly picked apples are by far the most delicious. Freshly pressed juice freezes well as ice cubes.
APRICOT. Looks like a plum but is yellowish orange and the skin is slightly downy. Apricots contain beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. There is also a lot of dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B6 in apricots. The fruit can be kept at room temperature for one to two days, but is best kept in the refrigerator.
AVOCADO. Contains vitamin E among other things. An avocado is ripe when the flesh feels a little springy and gives a little when you press the top slightly. To find a perfect avocado you should buy it hard and keep it at room temperature for three to four days. It will ripen and become softer. Ripening can be accelerated if you place the avocado in a paper or plastic bag with apples, pears, or bananas. A ripe avocado can be kept for about three days in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. If you keep it too cold it will not ripen and the flesh will turn brown.
BANANA. These are green and unripe when they are imported and then ripen with the help of ethylene gas (see here). Bananas contain a lot of potassium, vitamin B6, and magnesium. They should be kept at room temperature or in a cool place—preferably in a separate bowl slightly apart from other fruit. Keeping them too cold can make bananas go black. Bananas are sensitive to impact; if they are squeezed they go brown quickly and the flesh is damaged. Bananas are particularly good for freezing and give a lot of smoothies a creamy sweet flavor. Choose ripe bananas, peel them, and cut them into smaller pieces. Freeze the pieces on a tray first and then transfer them to a freezer bag which can be sealed. I usually cut a banana into five pieces.
BEETS. Contain large quantities of potassium, iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and vitamin C. In addition the leaves contain the antioxidant beta-carotene. There are yellow beets and attractive-looking spotted beets, which look like beets on the outside but are stripy on the inside. For the best shelf-life, store beets in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. At 40 °F / 4 °C they will last about six months but at room temperature only ten days. Freshly pressed juice works well if frozen as ice cubes.
BLACKBERRIES. A good source of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium, manganese, magnesium, iron, and fiber. To find tasty, wild blackberries it is important to wait until the berries are really ripe. Cultivated blackberries can be picked earlier. Blackberries keep for one day at room temperature, but they freeze well. The berries are sensitive, so one tip is to pick them directly into a plastic bag and freeze them immediately.
BLUEBERRIES. Contain high levels of vitamin C and vitamin B, and a lot of antioxidants. If you pick them in the woods, remember to pick only the blue berries, not the black ones. If you buy them in a shop, try to find even size, plump fruit that is not wrinkly. The shelf-life of blueberries in the refrigerator is 24–48 hours, but they freeze well. In shops you can buy blueberries from different countries. Some are a little bigger than others. These have a fruitier flavor and keep very well in a cool place. However they do not contain such large quantities of antioxidants as the smaller ones.
BROCCOLI. For vegans and others who do not eat dairy products, broccoli is a valuable source of calcium. There is plenty of vitamin C in broccoli, but it also contains other important vitamins, including vitamins A, B9 (folic acid), and K, and also fiber. Broccoli also contains some vitamin E, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6. Broccoli is best stored in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.
BUCKTHORN. The yellow berries of the buckthorn contain large quantities of vitamin C and also B12, which is rare in the plant world and particularly important for vegetarians. They also contain vitamins B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6, B9 (folic acid), pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Buckthorn berries keep in the refrigerator for a week. Whole buckthorn berries can be frozen, as can buckthorn juice, which can be frozen as cubes.
CAPE GOOSEBERRY / PHYSALIS. Contains a lot of vitamins A and C. The fruit is enclosed in a brown, papery case which is not edible. However you can eat the whole of the yellowish orange fruit—skin and all. It is not related to the gooseberry but belongs to the same family as the potato. If you keep them in their papery cases physalis will last a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. The fruit can also be frozen, if so remove the case.
CARROT. Arrived in Europe from Central Asia in the twelfth century, but at that time it was bright red in color. Carrots contain beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. It is carotene that gives carrots their orange color. Carrots are best stored without their leaves in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or a cool place. The leaves of carrots should be cut off since they steal nourishment and make the carrots go soft. Freshly pressed juice freezes well as ice cubes.
CELERY. Celery has high levels of potassium and is an excellent source of vitamins C and A, calcium, and protein. The green leaves should be used within two days, otherwise they may shrivel and the levels of vitamin C, calcium, and potassium will drop. When you buy celery, look for straight, firm stalks that snap if you bend them and leaves that have not begun to turn yellow or wilt. Store the celery in the refrigerator in a sealed container or wrapped in a plastic bag or damp cloth. Celery should not be stored at room temperature for long as its high water content means that it wilts quickly. If it starts to droop, splash it with water and put it in the refrigerator to restore its crispness.
CHERRIES including BIGARREAU. There are sweet cherries and sour cherries. Bigarreau cherries are sweet cherries rich in vitamin C. Cherries contain potassium and dietary fiber and some research has suggested that they have anti-inflammatory effects. Look for plump, firm fruit that have no blemishes, are shiny, and have good stalks. Cherries keep for two days at room temperature and up to a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. They are sensitive to pressure and do not do well if they are packed in a bag. Cherries freeze well, but take the pits out first.
CITRUS FRUIT. This is the collective name for a large number of fruit rich in vitamin C, among others oranges, clementines, lemons, grapefruit, limes, mandarins, and satsumas. All citrus fruit can be stored at room temperature and in the refrigerator. Citrus fruit with thin peel are juicier if they are kept at room temperature, while the thicker skinned ones produce more fruit juice if they are kept cold. Freshly pressed citrus juice can be frozen like ice cubes.
CLEMENTINES, SATSUMAS, and MANDARINS. All three are small citrus fruit. Mandarins have a lot of pits and that is why they are not imported much. Clementines and satsumas are easy to peel and almost always seedless. Satsuma peel may be somewhat green even though, like all other citrus fruit, it is harvested ripe.
CRANBERRIES. Grown on marshland, and have also been called marsh berries. Cranberries contain a lot of vitamin C and antioxidants and are good for infections of the urinary tract and caries, among other things. When cranberries have felt the first frost the flavor is somewhat sweeter but they can also be picked earlier in the year, in which case they need to be frozen before they are used.
CUCUMBER. Contains some vitamin C and vitamin K. Our most water-rich vegetable should be firm and not bend at all, if it does it is beginning to go off. Cucumbers keep best in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or at 45–55 °F / 7–14 °C. At room temperature cucumbers soon curl but they are also sensitive to cold. Plastic-wrapped cucumber should be kept in the plastic to protect it against drying out, getting bruised, and exposure to ethylene gas from other vegetables that can accelerate ripening.
DATES. These are so-called drupes. Dates grow to about 1½ inches / 4 cm long and contain a lot of dietary fiber, together with potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin D. Dates do not suffer from drying out and can keep for up to two months if they are stored at freezing point. They can also be thawed and refrozen.
GRAPEFRUIT. If you eat half a grapefruit daily you obtain more vitamin C than you need each day. The taste is aromatic and fresh but also a little bitter owing to the small quantities of quinine it contains. Choose a fruit that is firm and undamaged. Its shelf-life varies depending on what country it has come from. Grapefruit keep best if they are stored in a cool place at 50–75 °F / 10–15 °C. People with cardiovascular problems should be careful with grapefruit because it can alter the effects of some medicines. Freshly pressed juice can be frozen as ice cubes.
GRAPES. Contain vitamin C, potassium, and a lot of dietary fiber. Grapes are always harvested ripe and have a short shelf-life. They should be eaten immediately or stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, where they can keep for a week. They taste best if they are allowed to stand for 20 minutes at room temperature before they are used.
KIWIFRUIT. Rich in vitamin C and potassium. Kiwifruit can be eaten with or without the skin. Green flesh is commonest but kiwifruit with yellow flesh also exist, and have a slightly sweeter flavor. Kiwifruit ripen in a few days at room temperature. Ripening can be accelerated if you place the fruit in a plastic bag together with an apple. Unripe kiwifruit keep for up to three weeks in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Throw away fruit that is wrinkled or mushy. The national symbol of New Zealand, the kiwi bird, gives the fruit its name.
LIME. Rich in vitamin C. A relative of lemons and used in the same way, but they have a somewhat more rounded and aromatic flavor. It is a good idea to keep limes in the chiller section of the refrigerator since they are not frost resistant. Freshly pressed juice can be frozen as ice cubes.
LINGON BERRIES. Contain moderate quantities of potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Lingon berries are fine in the refrigerator, in a plastic box lined with kitchen paper. They will keep for a couple of weeks like that, sometimes even up to a month. Lingon berries contain benzoic acid that extends their shelf-life and means that uncooked lingon jam with small quantities of sugar in it can be kept without preservatives. The fresh fruit also freezes well.
MANGO. Mangos are particularly rich in beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body and also contain plenty of vitamin C and potassium. Mangos, like cashew nuts, contain the substance urushiol and those with allergies should be careful, at least when handling the skin.
Squeeze the fruit to choose one that is ripe. It should give a little under pressure but should not be too soft. You can also sniff it and notice how it smells. On the other hand, you cannot tell from the skin color whether it is ripe, since there are over a thousand known varieties of mango in various colors. Mangos keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. At room temperature they ripen quickly in a bag with apples or bananas. When they have ripened mangos can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days, but no cooler than 50 °F / 10 °C. If they are peeled and diced they keep well in freezer bags, but cut out the pit first.
MELON. Related to pumpkins and cucumbers. There is a difference between sweet melon and watermelon. The seeds of the sweet melon are bunched together in the middle, while those of the watermelon are in the flesh of the melon (read more under watermelon). Sniff the melon when you are buying one. If you can smell it at the flowering end (opposite where the stalk was) it is ripe. Store the melon at room temperature if it is whole. If you have started cutting into it, it should be kept in the refrigerator. Melons give off ethylene gas, which accelerates ripening.
NECTARINE. Contains vitamins A, B, and C. It is a kind of peach with a smooth skin. It often has a more intense flavor than the peach. Unripe nectarines ripen at room temperature, ripe ones can be kept in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. At room temperature the shelf-life of ripe nectarines is one to two days. Nectarines give off a lot of ethylene gas and have a short shelf-life.
ORANGE. All citrus fruit are rich in vitamin C. Be careful with the big specimens. They often have a rather insipid flavor. Instead look for oranges that are heavy for their size and especially those that have a smooth, thin skin. Oranges are best stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, but they can last for one to two weeks at room temperature. Freshly pressed orange juice can be frozen like ice cubes and then transferred to sealable freezer bags so that they do not come into contact with the air or with other flavors.
PAPAYA. Papaya is rich in vitamins A, C, E, and B, plus antioxidants such as carotene, zeaxanthin, and flavonoids. Several important minerals, such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron, are also found in papaya, together with the enzyme papain, which is used as a remedy for digestive problems. Papaya keeps up to three weeks in the refrigerator. An unripe fruit ripens in a couple of days at room temperature. Papaya has an inedible yellowish green skin and orange flesh that is sweet and delicious. When the fruit is ripe it should have an even color. To enhance the flavor you can squeeze a little lime juice over the flesh. People do not usually eat the seeds of the papaya even though they are edible. They taste a little peppery and are not suitable for mixing into smoothies or juices. Papayas freeze well if you peel them first, remove the seeds, and cut them into pieces.
PASSION FRUIT. Contains vitamin C, carotene, potassium, and dietary fiber. The commonest passion fruit is the reddish-mauve variety, but there are also slightly larger reddish-yellow and yellow varieties. Passion fruit contains potassium and beta-carotene among other things. When you buy passion fruit it should be firm and a little wrinkled—but not too wrinkled, which would mean it is old. It should not be too light either because then it might be dry inside. In the refrigerator it keeps for three to four weeks. The flesh of the passion fruit freezes well as ice cubes, stored in sealable freezer bags. The cubes keep for two to three months in the freezer.
PEACH. Contains vitamins A, B, and C. It ripens quickly at room temperature and can only be left out for one or two days. In the refrigerator it can be kept for up to two weeks. It is best to store it in a plastic bag to prevent its drying out. Nectarines are a kind of peach with a smooth skin. They often have a more intense flavor than peaches.
PEAR. Has been grown for several thousand years. In addition to dietary fiber pears are rich in potassium, riboflavin, and vitamins A and C. Pears have a short shelf-life and are best stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, but they should be left out at room temperature for four to six days before being eaten so they develop as much flavor as possible. Pears give off ethylene gas, which accelerates ripening when with other fruit in the fruit bowl.
PEAS. Green peas are rich in vitamin B9 (folic acid), and also contain vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, and B6, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and a lot of dietary fiber. Peas are easiest to buy frozen.
PINEAPPLE. Contains a lot of vitamin C and dietary fiber. To check whether a pineapple is ripe, you can try pulling off one of the outer leaves. If it comes off easily the fruit is ripe. The safest way is to buy an unripe pineapple and let it ripen at home. In the refrigerator a ripe pineapple will keep for up to a week, at room temperature for up to about three days. Pineapple works well if you freeze it in pieces—cut it through the middle, take out the hard center, and then cut up the flesh.
PLUM. Rich in vitamins A, C, E, B2, B3, and B6, and in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and dietary fiber. Plums are drupes and they come in various colors and sizes. Dried plums are called prunes and are also very nutritious. Unripe plums ripen in a few days at room temperature. Ripe plums are best stored cool in the refrigerator.
POMEGRANATE. Contains a lot of folic acid and antioxidants, together with vitamin C, carotene, gallocatechins, and anthocyanins (which give the pomegranate its pink color). People eat the sweet–sour seeds and the jelly-like flesh round them. The strong color of the seeds is sometimes used to color drinks and is then called grenadine. Ripe pomegranates are brownish-red, but since they do not keep very well it is better to choose a red one that has not had time to ripen fully. If the skin is hard and dry the fruit has been stored for too long. In the refrigerator a pomegranate will keep for about two weeks. Press and freeze the pomegranate juice as ice cubes and store them in a sealable freezer bag. The cubes can be stored for two to three months in the freezer and used in any smoothie you like. Pomegranate seeds also freeze well.
RASPBERRIES. Most raspberries are red, but black and yellow varieties also exist. Raspberries contain vitamin C and dietary fiber among other things. The berries should be evenly colored and should not be kept for more than two days. Raspberries freeze well and will then keep for two to three months.
REDCURRANTS and BLACKCURRANTS. There are black, red, yellow, and white currants. Regardless of their color they contain plenty of vitamins A, C, and K, potassium, and masses of dietary fiber. The seeds of the blackcurrant also contain gamma-linolenic acid, vitamin E, and important polyunsaturated fatty acids which have been shown to have a cholesterol-reducing effect, among other things. The optimum health-giving effect from blackcurrants is obtained when the seeds are crushed, as in blackcurrant powder. At room temperature currants keep for two to three days, in the refrigerator for about a week. Currants freeze very well.
RHUBARB. Rich in vitamin C and iron. Rhubarb freezes well. At room temperature rhubarb quickly becomes limp but the stalks can be stored for a week in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic film.
SPINACH. A super food with a lot of antioxidants. Spinach is incredibly nutritious and contains vitamins A, B9 (folic acid), C, E, and K among others, copper, iron, magnesium, calcium, chlorophyll, and fiber. Fresh spinach keeps for about a week in the refrigerator in an air-filled plastic bag.
STRAWBERRIES. They contain more vitamin C than oranges and they are also fairly rich in iron. Be careful when choosing strawberries and make sure they are not overripe or mushy. Strawberries are very sensitive to handling and go off if they are too tightly packed. They can be kept in the refrigerator for a little while but are definitely at their best on the day of purchase. If you are freezing them either cut them up or freeze them whole, but take the stalks off first. In the freezer they keep for two to three months, like most soft fruit.
WATERMELON. Contains vitamins A, B, and C. The commonest watermelon has a green skin but there are also varieties with spotted green and yellow skins. Watermelon works very well in smoothies because it contains a lot of water. Choose a firm melon and tap it. If it sounds hollow it is ripe. Whole watermelons keep for up to 12 days at room temperature, depending on the variety and degree of ripeness, and even longer in the refrigerator.
Nowadays you can buy frozen fruit all year round. At the freezer counter you can also find frozen packs with individual portions of smoothie mixes that are ready for blending. Provided the fruit has been frozen immediately after harvesting this is an excellent alternative if there is no fresh produce in the shop.
It is a good idea to freeze fruit yourself when it is in season, then you know where it has come from and that it is of good quality. What is more, it is usually both tastier and more economical to buy fruit when it is in season. Read more about how to freeze fruit here.
A lot of fruit can be bought dried. Like frozen produce, this is a good alternative when the fruit is not in season. Make sure that it does not contain sugar, oil, flavorings, colorants, or preservatives. If possible choose organic fruit because that is guaranteed to be free from toxic pesticides. You can tell good produce by the fact that the list of ingredients does not include anything except the fruit itself.
Soak the dried fruit for a little while before you use it. The bigger the fruit, the longer it takes to soften. Just remember not to pour hot or, even worse, boiling water on it since if you do a lot of the nutrients will disappear. I always recommend washing dried fruit before you use it if it does not expressly state that it has been washed before drying.
I prefer not to use preserved fruit in my smoothies but, if you do, remember to choose fruit that is not preserved in syrup and does not contain colorants, flavorings, or additives. It should preferably be in its own juice.
If you cannot get hold of fresh berry fruit, berry powder is a good alternative. It is made of whole, freeze-dried fruit that have been ground to a powder, including the fruit flesh, peel, and seeds. Among others acai, lucuma, maqui berries, buckthorn, blueberries, pomegranate, raspberry, strawberry, rose hip, and cranberry powders are available. Berry powder is very practical since it lasts for up to 18 months. You can add the powder directly to the smoothie, but don’t forget that berry powders are quite concentrated. There are a lot of different kinds on sale in health food shops. If possible choose organic ones.
