Leading Dietitians Encourage Americans to Be Resolute, Eat More Fruit

FISHERS, Ind., Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Research shows that more than 50 percent of New Year's Resolutions, most of which have to do with diet or nutrition, don't last beyond January.  Two leading nutritionists aim to reverse that trend by encouraging people to focus on one realistic and attainable resolution: eat more fruit.

According to Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh, licensed nutritionists, registered dietitians, and co-founders of C&J Nutrition, fruit is an essential part of a healthy diet because it contains large amounts of naturally occurring key nutrients like vitamins A and C, potassium, fiber, and phytonutrients -- all key players in disease prevention. "Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that's important for growth and repair of all body tissues. Potassium can help maintain healthy muscle and nerve function and lower blood pressure, and fiber is woefully amiss in most American diets," said Jarosh.

Beyond that, "We've found that when people commit to eating the recommended one and a half to two cups of fruit per day, their overall diets improve.  Fruit is ideal, too, because it's filling, flavorful, and satisfying—easily becoming a regular part of meals and snacks," said Clarke.

The following are Clarke's and Jarosh's tips to eat more fruit daily:

Substitute fresh fruit for jams and jellies: Instead of a classic PB&J, make it a PB&F – layer slices of apples, banana, pear, apricots, mango or strawberries.

Consider freeze-dried fruit as an alternative to fresh:  Not to be confused with dried fruit, which is higher in sugar and contain additives, freeze-dried fruit offers a convenient and portable way to get fruit servings while satisfying a craving for something sweet and crunchy. Brands like Funky Monkey Snacks contain the same nutrients as fresh, but without the mess and advance prep!

Mix it in:  Customize trail mix using freeze-dried fruit, whole grain cereal, nuts and seeds – or toss onto a salad for a creative and wholesome topping.  Add fresh or freeze-dried fruit to plain versions of foods like yogurt, whole grain frozen waffles, or plain oatmeal.

About Funky Monkey® Snacks:

Funky Monkey® Snacks are all-natural, real fruit made using a proprietary freeze-drying process that creates Fruit That Crunches! ®, while retaining fruit's natural goodness. Each ounce of Funky Monkey contains three servings of fruit, providing a 'good for you' snack that is delicious, healthy, and convenient. Funky Monkey Snacks are sold nationwide at major retailers and online at places like Amazon.com. For more information, visit www.FunkyMonkeySnacks.com, Twitter or Facebook.

About C&J Nutrition:

C&J Nutrition (www.cjnutrition.com) is a private practice and nutrition consulting service for major food producers as well as nutrition and health programming for universities, elementary schools, non-profits, corporations, and the media.  The company is co-owned by nutrition communications experts and registered dietitians Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh and is based in Midtown Manhattan, with additional offices in Los Angeles and Washington, DC.

SOURCE Funky Monkey Snacks