Growing For Life: October 2024

I love fruit. When picked at peak ripeness, it is delicious, and by some struck of divine luck, is also really good for our health. Whether talking of an uncommon fruit, like our arctic kiwi-berries pictured here, or the common apple, fruits are a perfect package of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, fiber, and water. They are truly critical to our health, as the landmark Global Burden of Disease study shows us. Published in 2019 in the peer-reviewed medical journal, The Lancet, this study reported on the leading dietary causes of death and disability in 195 countries. Low fruit intake made it into the top three (along with low whole grain intake and high sodium intake). How do we do in the United States with fruit consumption? Well, the CDC reported that in 2017, only 7% of high school students got to the minimum recommended amount of fruit (1.5 cups for girls; 2 cups for boys). What about their role models? The CDC reported that in 2019, only 12% of adults consumed the minimum recommended amount of fruit. Clearly, we have room for improvement. Growing our own fruit is a great way to help get us to our goal. Home grown fruit often tastes better (since you don’t have to pick it weeks early in order to ship it across the country), is often bountiful, comes in many varieties, looks beautiful in the garden, and helps support pollinators and other wildlife. 

In our garden, October brings the last of our apples, grapes and figs, the first of the pomegranates and Asian persimmons, and a few odd-balls like artic kiwis, Chilean guavas, and Chinese jujubes. Consider finding out what fruits well in October in your city, and give it a try!  

Happy growing this month, and thanks for reading. 

References: 

1. GBD 2017 Diet Collaborators. Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet. 2019 May 11;393(10184):1958-1972. 
2. Lange SJ, Moore LV, Harris DM, et al. Percentage of Adolescents Meeting Federal Fruit and Vegetable Intake Recommendations — Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, United States, 2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:69–74.
3. Lee SH, Moore LV, Park S, Harris DM, Blanck HM. Adults Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Intake Recommendations — United States, 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:1–9.