Winter Fruit Salad

When it comes to healthy eating, arguably the most effective step is simply to make healthy options easily accessible. Cutting fruit takes a bit of time but then for a couple days there is very minimal effort required- simply put it in a bowl (perhaps with some yogurt, granola or oatmeal to bulk it up) and enjoy. There has recently been a trendy fear of fruit developing in some nutritionally conscious circles, because of the sugars they contain. Generally, we in the western world do eat too much sugar- but the problem arises from added, not naturally occurring, sugars. Processed foods often have high concentrations of refined (white) sugars, including several unassuming products marketed as healthy like tomato sauce, yogurt and cereal. Many sweets and desserts use high amounts of refined sugars and simple carbs like white bread and pasta are quickly broken down into sugars in our bodies. All of these foods have been taken away from their natural state- when their original fiber, vitamins and nutrients are removed they become very taxing on the body. A dramatic but justified term for refined sugar is “anti-nutrient”. If you were to eat a few sugar cubes they would digest very quickly and provide your body with fast energy, followed by a slump. Over time, doing this regularly can offset hormones which can mess with sleep and hunger levels. If you were to eat a piece of fruit, it would still be digested quickly and provide fast energy but the fiber would keep it more moderate and sustained. Moreover, sugar is acidic and to maintain balance our body needs to neutralize it with something alkaline. Fruits have built in nutrients that can do this, whereas straight sugar does not. Our body still needs to find that balance somehow so it will pull alkaline minerals like calcium from the bones to keep homeostasis in the blood. A diet high in processed foods and refined sugars is a very good way to develop osteoporosis, feel tired and fatigued often and hold onto extra body weight (especially around the belly where it is more threatening). 
Fruit comes in a range of colours, tastes and textures, outward indicators of different ranges of nutrients. They are packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that our bodies thrive on. Here I used tangerines, pears and persimmons for their sweetness, apples for their crunch and pomegranate and blood oranges for their tartness. The beauty of a fruit salad is that it does not have to be precise, as long as there are a range of colours and flavours it will be appealing to the eyes and palate. Since many winter fruits are less sweet and more tart a drizzle of honey or maple syrup can sweeten it up. For lighter fleshed fruits like apples and pears, tossing them straightaway in citrus juice (orange for sweeter, lemon or lime for more tart) will keep them from browning.
When putting citrus fruits in salad I like to use a serrated knife to cut off the peel because it makes for a clean finish every time. Pomegranate is probably the most tedious fruit to prep. I like to cut it into quarters then flick the seeds into a bowl, discarding the inner membrane as I come to it. Don’t move too quickly or the seeds will open and squirt deep red juice everywhere. Persimmon is not the most popular option but it shouldn’t be overlooked. There are two main types, these more stout ones called Fuyus and longer ones that are shaped like a roma tomato called Hachiyas. These Fuyu ones are sweeter, whereas the longer ones aren’t very appetizing until they are fully ripe and squishy. If the Fuyus are still pretty firm I like to remove the peel but if they are really ripe it is easy to bite through. I find that they taste kind of like papaya and their juiciness makes them a nice addition to fruit salads.