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Strange Fruit

By Daryn Eller

Lately I've been comparing apples and oranges, only to come to a troubling conclusion: boring! This wouldn't be a problem if the USDA's ubiquitous "5 A Day" fruit and vegetable recommendation didn't entail two servings of fruit a day. Thus, I decided that if I was going to make the grade, I'd have to look beyond the usual suspects. Turns out there are more choices than I could possibly carry home.

"A lot of exotic fruits are very rich in antioxidants, compounds that destroy disease-causing free radicals," says Colleen Lammel-Harmon, R.D., a spokesperson for the Illinois Dietetic Association. "Some of them can be expensive," she notes, "but by mixing them into a fruit salad or alternating them with more common kinds on fruit kebobs, you can keep the cost down. That's also a good way to introduce them to family members who might be a little skeptical."

Here are eight uncommon fruits that are worth a try. If your local supermarket doesn't carry them, try farmers markets in your area, gourmet shops or online vendors like Melissa's World Variety Produce or Frieda's Inc.

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