Course 1

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THE AMAZING WORLD OF FRUIT - PART ONE
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Excerpt from, God's Banquet Table, which can be read for free online here!

Welcome to the world of fruit. There are literally thousands
of different types. The best fruit from all over the world is
available in our grocery stores. Supermarkets have become a
display of international colors and flavors.

We would like to equip you with information on individual
fruits, their unique nutritional value and how to choose them
at their peak of tastiness.

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APPLES.
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There are more than 1,400 different types of apples.
The most popular are Delicious (which is easy to digest),
Golden Delicious, MacIntosh, Pippin, Granny Smith and
Rome Beauties.

All of these types are wonderful for making juice no matter
what time of year it is. Apples are high in pectin which turns
to a gel in the intestine, helping to remove toxins and
stimulating bowel activity. Potassium and phosphorous help
flush the kidneys and calm the stomach. Apples have a
natural sugar that develop acids which encourage saliva-flow
and digestion.

If at all possible, try to eat wax-free apples. Wax increases
shelf life but toughens the skin and tastes unpleasant.

Apples should be crisp and firm. Soft, mushy apples do not
juice well. Always store apples loosely in the refrigerator
which will increase shelf life six-fold. In a refrigerator,
less tardy apples can store up to 2 months.

Apple juice is a powerful cleanser and a general tonic for the
entire system. They have an abundance of vitamins A and C.
The juice is strong-tasting and may be diluted with water or
mixed with other fruit or vegetable juices such as carrots,
cucumbers or melons.

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APPLE CIDER VINEGAR.
=====================

It contributes to healthy veins, blood vessels and arteries.
Apple cider vinegar has extraordinary potassium content and
beneficial malic acid. When purchasing cider vinegar, it
should have a fuzzy sediment (mother), on the bottom,
proving that the vinegar is still in the live fermentation stage.

Cider vinegar is used in salad dressings and to spice up veggie juice mixtures. A tablespoon of cider vinegar and honey in hot water is a tasty health drink.

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APRICOTS.
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Excellent for potassium and magnesium which
supplies stamina. Also a good source of iron. Only
cantaloupes can rival apricots for the amount of beta carotene.
Apricots should be fairly firm, but not rock hard. Coloration
should be orange with a brush of pink revealing the sweet
flesh below.

They will store for two to three days at room temperature and
slightly longer in the refrigerator. Always remove pit before
juicing.

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AVOCADOS.
=====================

The avocado, or alligator pear, is a common evergreen found
in Mexico and Central and South America. There are over
400 varieties. The Mexican variety is grown in the San
Joaquin Valley of California, the Guatemalan in Southern
California and the West Indian in Florida. Pear-shaped or
oval fruit are borne 2 to 3 years after planting.

Avocados are the highest in producing fruit oil, consisting of
almost 30% oil. Filled with enzymes, avocado is a source of
fat that is easy to digest. Because of its ability to easily
combine with starches, it makes a great dip for raw
vegetables.

Blended with fruit, it produces a highly-nutritious baby food.
We consider this precious fruit so important that we have
given it its own section amongst the fruit recipes.

Purchasing perfect avocados can take some practice; it is a
delicate fruit. Avocados can go from being perfectly ripe to
over-ripe in a matter of a day. This will result in the oil
becoming rancid and mushy, discoloring to an unsightly
brown. So we suggest that you buy them unripe and allow
them to ripen on the counter. Unripe avocados will be dark
green and hard. As they begin to ripen, they turn a dark
greenish brown and become slightly soft to thumb
pressure.

The inner flesh of a ripened avocado will be a
gorgeous lime green without any brown spots. The easiest
way to remove the flesh is to cut the fruit in half,
lengthwise, and twist open. The pit will remain in one
side. Remove by imbedding knife into the pit
and twisting.

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BANANAS.
=====================

Bananas are filled with potassium which contribute to
strong heart and muscles. In the class of soft fruits, they
are the second-highest in mineral content only to be
rivaled by strawberries.

They are almost impossible to juice, but are versatile in
making rich banana shakes, ice cream or smoothies.

A TIP:
It is easy to buy too many bananas because they are so
cheap and ripen quickly. Take the excess bananas,
peel and seal in freezer bags, storing them in the
freezer. Frozen bananas can be sliced over salads
or blended with fresh fruit.

Have some fun and experiment.

Dehydrated banana slices are like chewy candy for the kids.
Bananas are always picked green from the plantation for
easier transportation. Try to buy bananas green, which will
ensure that they have not been gassed in transit. Do not eat
them unripe because they are difficult to digest. Bananas will
ripen at room temperature in two to three days. To maximize
the nutritional value within a banana, allow them to ripen with
an apple in a paper bag.

The apple in the bag will create ethylene, a natural gas
produced by fruit specifically for ripening. The chemical
reaction between the gasses being formed allows the banana
to produce a high amount of potassium similar to bananas that have ripened on the tree.

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CANTALOUPES.
=====================

Cantaloupes are considered the most nutritious of all fruit.
The Center for Science in Public Interest compiled a list of
fruits by their nutritional value. Cantaloupes came in first
place, followed closely by watermelon, which were just in
front of oranges. Next came strawberries, grapefruit,
pineapples, tangerines and peaches. Sauntering in last place
came the lowly plum.

Cantaloupes are packed with vitamins A and C. Per pound,
this fruit has 15,000 I.U. of vitamin A and three times the
vitamin C content of apples. It also contains myoinositol, a
lipid which helps with anxiety, insomnia and in battling
hardening of the arteries.

Cantaloupes contain the greatest amount of digestive
enzymes.

Melons are recommended by the American Cancer Society as
powerful agents in the fight against intestinal cancer and the
all-too-common skin cancer, melanoma. One average-sized
cantaloupe contains approximately 100 calories, yet is dense
in nutrients. This makes melons a perfect food for
weightloss. Delicious, filling and low in calories.

If you do not have the luxury of living near Tom's place
(co-author of God's Banquet Table), melons should be
purchased firm, sweet-smelling with a soft navel.

During the summer, cantaloupes are cheap. To check
for ripeness press firmly against the fruit with
your thumb. They should give a little but not be soft.

Melons can look decrepit, but produce excellent juice. A
major part of the cantaloupe's nutritional value is in the
rind. Therefore, scrub the skin well with water and an
organic cleaner. Slice and juice, seeds and all. When
juice-fasting, melons are the most convenient source
for large volumes of cheap nutritious, delicious,
refreshing, colorful, revitalizing, energizing juice.

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CHERRIES.
=====================

They are God's candies with enzymes, vitamins and minerals.
Once the pits are removed, cherries make a brain-numbing
juice, fit for angels. The darker the cherries the higher in
nutrition. Unfortunately, they have only a short season,
available in early summer. The best cherries for juicing are
Bings or Royal Anns.

Cherries will not continue to ripen after picked. Look for
heavy, firm cherries with a shiny skin and fresh stem.
They ill store in the refrigerator for two to three days.
Cherry juice sweetened with honey makes
awesome Popsicles.

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CRANBERRIES.
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Fresh cranberry juice is a powerful healing tonic filled with
quinine which changes to hippuric acid in the liver.
Hippuric acid is able to assist in the removal of
purines, uric acid, urea and toxic build-up in the
prostate, testicles, kidneys and bladder.

An excellent preventative juice for North American men who
are battling the increased risk of prostate cancer. It is a
wonderful defense against yeast infections for women.

Cranberries are a complex little fruit, being tested by
scientists for their abilities in virus-fighting. Many
people find that the juice can overcome flu symptoms
overnight. If you are susceptible to colds, fill up on
your cranberry juice in the winter time.

Cranberries are native to America and are cultivated
in what is referred to as Cranberry Bogs which are
found in the Northwest and Great Lake States.

The juice of cranberries is very bitter, so it is advisable to
combine it with a sweeter juice such as apple or grape, a
delicious combination. You can buy cranberries all year
round. Look for bright color and plumpness. They are one of
the few fruits that freeze well.

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GRAPEFRUIT.
=====================

With five times the vitamin C content of oranges, this juice is
a powerful cleanser. The tastiest grapefruit is grown in Texas
and Florida. Pink is sweeter and less acidic than white. Many
people can tolerate grapefruit more easily than oranges. Juice
some of the white pith for valuable bioflavinoids. Grapefruits
can be prepared in a hand citrus juicer quickly. All citrus
juices should be drunk immediately because of the fragility of
vitamin C.

Look for smooth round heavy fruit with a sweet smell.
Grapefruits should be slightly spongy and flat at both ends.

All citrus fruits should be bought in the ripened state because
the ripening process ends when they are picked. Store loosely
in refrigerator.

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Go to Course 2: The Amazing Word of Fruit Part 2.