Enjoy a fruitful relationship with health

Encouraging children to consume fresh juices and fruits every day can boost their immune system and prevent lifestyle diseases

Old habits die hard, especially the ones related to food choices and lifestyle. If at a young age, children watch their parents opting for fizzy drinks instead of fruit juices, and fast food over fruits, chances are they will grow up to adopt an unhealthy lifestyle.
Teaching them while they are young is important. As children prepare to get back to school, the idea is to encourage them, or for that matter even adults, to increase the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests the same and recommends at least 400 gm every day. Raw bounties of nature such as these are perfect foods to increase metabolism, and aid in warding off lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
"We need to consciously make changes, and refashion our lifestyles to include healthier foods. If children are taught in schools to have nature's fresh produce, they will transmit this behaviour to their families, and eventually grow up following a healthier diet," says Mohammad Mansouri, Business  Development Manager, Fresh Fruits Company.
Established in 1979, the Fresh Fruits Company is among the leading importers and exporters of fruits and vegetables in the Middle East. It has exclusive tie-ups with world-renowned brands such as Chiquita (for bananas), Zespri (famous for kiwifruit), Jazz Apples, Goldland (oranges), and many more. Fresh Fruits also markets its own brand Frutia for a number of fruits and vegetables. Stickers of these brands on products ensure the best quality and taste.
Lately, the company has been focusing its efforts to nudge people to adopt healthier choices. "We have set up a juice bar (Chiquita Fruits Bar) in Knowledge Village, which is a hub of students. The fruit bar offers fresh made-to-order fruit juices, milkshakes, smoothies, without any preservatives or sugar, healthy snack options, and ice-creams, which are also made fresh from only fruits," says Mansouri, who is passionate about championing the benefits of nutrition.
Consequently, the company has been mulling over ways to tie up with schools and reach out to wider community to promote the idea of having more fruits and vegetables in daily diets.
The company already operates 25 Chiquita Fruit Bar around the world, and plans to open more in the UAE. For now, the second fruit bar is expected to open shortly in Dragon Mart 2.
Fresh Fruits Company is ably supported by a state- of-the-art facility, which at 50,000 square metres is among the largest in the region. The huge facility is equipped with the latest technology that enables it to conduct quality checks and supply the produce to the biggest names in retail, food service and hospitality.
The company holds the ISO 22000:2005 certification, reflecting its commitment to quality, freshness, food safety and health.
-suneeti@khaleejtimes.com