Although durian is classified as fruit, it should not be counted towards the daily recommendation of taking “at least 2 servings of fruit”. It is because unlike many other fruits, which are naturally low in fat and energy, durian contains considerably amount of fat. Each 100 grams of durian contains approximately 150 kcal and 5 grams of fat.

Avocado and coconut are also naturally high in fat and should not be counted towards the "at least 2 servings a day" recommendation. Each 100 grams of avocado provides about 160 kcal and 15 grams of fat, while each 100 grams of coconut meat provides about 350 kcal and 33 grams of fat.

Coconut oil contains approximately 80% saturated fat, while excessive intake of saturated fat can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Meanwhile, there is insufficient scientific evidence to prove that coconut oil can remarkably promote good health. Therefore, it is recommended to choose oils that contain higher amount of unsaturated fat, such as corn oil, peanut oil, canola oil.

Various types of fruit are popular dessert ingredients. Although some fruit-based-desserts, such as fruit tarts and mango puddings, may contain lower calories than high-fat desserts like chocolate cakes and cheese cakes, consuming fruit desserts should not be taken as a way to achieve healthy eating. This is because significant amount of sugar and fat are often used to make fruit-based desserts, thus over-consumption can be detrimental to health. The same rule applies to fruit juices or products with added sugar, such as concentrated fruit juices, jam and fruit-flavoured ice cream. Therefore, it is recommended to choose fresh whole fruit whenever possible.

Fruit and vegetables should be washed thoroughly under running tap water before consumption. This applies to fruit and vegetables that are consumed with skin (such as apple, pear and tomato) as well as those consumed without skin (such as watermelon and orange). Fruits with shorter shelf life, such as strawberries and blueberries, may rot easily after being rinsed. It is recommended to keep them in the fridge and only wash them before serving.

Potato is classified as a kind of root vegetables, but it is not counted as part of the “at least 3 servings of vegetables”. Apart from leafy greens and gourds, potatoes are loaded with carbohydrates and often replaced grains for staple food at meals, especially in Western diet (e.g. baked potato, mashed potato and fries). Meanwhile, root vegetables that are not consumed as major starch sources (e.g. carrots and green radishes), however, can be counted towards the daily vegetables intake.

Although processed soy products (e.g. tofu, dry bean curd, soybean sheet) are plant-based, they are classified as part of the "Meat, Fish, Egg and Alternatives" under the Healthy Eating Food Pyramid. Compared to fruit and vegetables, soy products contain notable level of protein and lower level of vitamins and dietary fibre, thus they are not counted towards our daily vegetables intake.

Apart from potatoes and soy products, the following should not be counted towards the daily vegetables intake:

• Nuts and seeds (e.g. almonds, sesame seeds, lotus seeds)
• Vegetable oils
• Preserved vegetables (e.g. fermented Chinese cabbage, preserved mustard greens, kimchi, and pickled vegetables)
• Salty ready-made sauce or gravy (e.g. ready-made tomato sauce for pasta and ketchup)

The "2 plus 3" recommendation can be applied to the teenagers, adults and the elderly populations. Toddlers and children have slightly lower recommended requirement for fruit and vegetables due to lower total energy expenditure. Please find the dietary recommendations for different age groups under the section of "Healthy Eating Food Pyramid" for more details of nutritional needs.

Currently, there is insufficient scientific evidence to prove that nutrients can be absorbed more easily if fruit is eaten before meals. In fact, the timing of consuming fruit can be varied according to personal preferences. Eating fruit at different times of a day can have different benefits. If consumed as a snack between two main meals, fruit can serve as a healthier alternative to other unhealthy snacks. If consumed before or after a meal, the vitamin C in fruits can facilitate iron absorption.

There are many causes to eye problems, yet current scientific data remained inconclusive to confirm the anthocyanins in blueberries can treat illnesses. In any case, an adequate amount of fruit should be part of a healthy and balanced diet on a daily basis. Blueberry is one of the many good fruit choices – just like apples, oranges, grapes, etc.

Fruit is rich in dietary fibre, particularly insoluble fibre, which promotes bowel movement and aids the removal of metabolic waste from the body. Many research also suggest that consuming adequate fruit helps prevent colorectal cancer.

Although fruit contains fructose, its energy density (energy per unit volume) is relatively low when compared with other junk food. Besides, taking adequate amount of fruit usually promotes better satiety due to its rich dietary fibre content; fruit may therefore help the weight management by replacing unhealthy snacks which contain a higher energy content.

Just like healthy individuals, people with diabetes should follow a healthy and balanced diet, which includes an appropriate amount of fruit. Diabetic patients need not avoid fruits simply because of their sweetness levels; nevertheless, they should watch the portion size of fruit.

So far, research is inconclusive to support the claim that grapefruits aid fat metabolism (i.e. fat burning). People who have lost weight after eating grapefruits or drinking grapefruit juice may have succeeded simply because the substitution of other food items with higher energy content. Other fruit like apples, pears and grapes may have the similar effect. Despite its low energy content, fruit should not replace the main meal as it may cause inadequate intake in certain nutrients such as protein and fat, which can affect health.

Antioxidants are substances that can inhibit cellular damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are produced inevitably during metabolism process. They can oxidise and damage cells, contribute to higher risk of cancers and blood vessel diseases (such as atherosclerosis).

β-carotene, lycopene and vitamin C are some common nutrients or phytochemicals found in fruit and vegetables that possess antioxidant properties:

• Rich in β-carotene: fruits and vegetables that are in orange or yellow (such as cantaloupe, mangoes, papayas, carrots, pumpkins) and leafy greens (such as spinach, kale, mustard greens)
• Rich in lycopene: tomatoes, grapefruits, papayas, etc.
• Rich in vitamin C: kiwifruits, strawberries, guavas, citrus fruits such as orange, pomelo, etc.

Since different fruit provides varied nutrients and phytochemicals, it is encouraged to eat a great variety of fresh fruits to obtain the optimal nutrients.

Despite the similarity in components like minerals, vitamins and dietary fibre, there is a major difference between fruit and vegetables. Although both fruit and vegetables are low in energy, when compared with vegetables, fruit has a higher energy content because it contains fructose, the type of sugar naturally found in fruit. If we replace all three servings of vegetables per day with fruit, we can get an extra 120 kcal or so per day, which takes 30 minutes of walking exercise to burn!

Compared with a whole fruit, fruit juice contains less dietary fibre, but higher content of sugar. Drinking fruit juice in excess can lead to excessive sugar and energy intake.

Take the orange and orange juice as an example: Generally speaking, it takes two oranges to make a cup of orange juice (240 ml). The nutritional content of orange juice, orange and other beverages are compared as follow:

	Orange (140 g)	Fresh orange juice (240 ml)
Energy	69 kcal	108 kcal
Sugar	12.0 g	18.5 g
Dietary fibre	3.1 g	0.0 g

Energy content of common beverages

Beverages (per 100 ml)	Energy (kcal)	Sugar (g)
Fresh orange juice	45	8
Apple juice	46	10
Soft drinks	41	11
Water	0	0

Source: Centre for Food Safety

It is encouraged to take whole fruit instead of fruit juice. If fresh fruit juice is chosen, no more than one serving (i.e. 3⁄4 cup or 180 ml) per day is recommended.

Remark: 1 cup ≈ 240 ml

Most of the fruit are low in fat and energy and they are healthy options. However, the consumption of some fruit with high fat content, such as coconuts, durians and avocados, should be limited.

Particularly, although coconut does not contain cholesterol, its high saturated fat content may boost the serum cholesterol levels. However, we often overlook food items that contains coconuts. A few examples are: coconut tarts, cocktail buns, desserts and puddings, sweet soups (containing coconut milk) and food that prepared with coconut milk such as curries and Portuguese sauce.

On the other hand, it is known that avocado has considerably amount of monounsaturated fat, which contribute to heart health. Nonetheless, you should limit the portion size to prevent weight gain.

Fat content of common fruit

Fruit	Serving size	Fat (g)	Energy (kcal)
Orange	1 medium size, 140 g	0.2	62
Kiwifruit (green)	2 pcs, 138 g	0.7	84
Apple	1 medium size, 138 g	0.2	72
Coconut, grated meat	100 g	28.7	326
Durian	1⁄4 piece, 151 g	8.0	221
Avocado	1⁄2 cup (puree), 115 g	16.9	184

Remark: 1 cup ≈ 240 ml

Source: Centre for Food Safety

One serving of fruit is approximately equivalent:

• 2 pieces of small-sized fruit
  (e.g. plums and kiwifruits)
• 1 piece of medium-sized fruit
  (e.g. oranges and apples)
• ¹⁄₂ piece of large-sized fruit
  (e.g. bananas, grapefruits and star fruits)
• ¹⁄₂ bowl of fruit cuts
  (e.g. diced watermelon, diced honeydew melon, cherries, strawberries and grapes)
• 1 tablespoon of dried fruit with no added sugar or salt
  (e.g. raisins and dried prunes)
• ³⁄₄ cup (180 ml) of fruit juice with no added sugar
  (e.g. orange juice and apple juice)

Remark: 1 cup ≈ 240 ml
1 bowl = 250-300 ml

*Compared to whole fruit, pure fruit juice contains less dietary fibre but a much higher sugar content. It is advisable to consume the whole fruit. Besides, pure fruit juice in excess of ³⁄₄ glass (180 ml) will still be counted as having only one serving of fruit on the same day.

Fruit has

• Dietary fibre
  An essential element to keep our gut healthy.
• Vitamins
  Fruit are rich in β-carotene and vitamin C , which help maintain good vision, promotes growth and repair of cells and aids wound healing).
• Minerals
  Fruit are rich in potassium which helps stablise blood pressure level.
• Water
  Some fruit have a water content of up to 90% (e.g. watermelons, honeydew melon).

Plants produce 'phytochemicals' to protect themselves against organisms like bacteria and fungi. Many phytochemicals were found to have antioxidant properties and believed to improve health and reduce the risk of illnesses.

This is because fresh pineapple contains a proteolytic enzyme called 'bromelain', which stops gelatin from setting. This also explains why the meat becomes tender when it is prepared with pineapples. To make the gelatin and jelly mixtures with pineapples set, canned pineapple in juice can be used instead because bromelain is destroyed during the process of canning.

Lemon juice can be added to the cut surface of the apple. Since lemon juice contains abundant vitamin C, which serves as a powerful antioxidant, it prevents apple flesh from oxidizing and turning brown when exposed to air.

Potassium and magnesium both help the human body to maintain optimal blood pressure levels. Research showed that higher intake of potassium and magnesium is associated with lower blood pressure levels. It is likely because potassium promotes the excretion of sodium and water, reduces the risk of high blood pressure related to excessive sodium intake.

In addition, magnesium is crucial for maintaining normal muscle contraction, nerve transmission and bone health. Having fruit every day constitutes an adequate intake of nutrients such as potassium and magnesium, and thus promotes overall health.