By Regina Dick, MS, RD, LD, CDE, BC-ADM

Berries, melons, peaches and plums; what more could say summer? The coolness of these fruits is refreshing in the heat of a summer day. Whether you are consuming them as you fulfill your travel plans, or nibbling a few in the field as you pick them, fruit is naturally designed for on-the-go eating and requires few utensils.

More fast food restaurants are now offering fruit as a healthy option instead of higher fat items. However, once people have kidney disease, they tend to shy away from fruit because of its potassium content. In addition, people with diabetes also leave fruit out of their diet due to sugar concerns. For individuals who have received a kidney transplant, it is not necessary to be concerned about the potassium level. It is important to remember that fruit offers many benefits for our health and can be worked into the meal plan of individuals watching their potassium level and limiting their carbohydrates.

Overall, most individuals on dialysis need to keep their potassium level at 2,000 to 3,000 mg per day, which can be accomplished by selecting more fruit from the low and medium levels of potassium (see charts). For people with diabetes, including some fruit at mealtimes is a healthy way to get nutrients unique to fruit.

Low Potassium Fruits
(Less than 150 mg)

• Blueberries (1/2 cup)
• Green, Purple or Red Grapes (10)
• Raspberries (1/2 cup)
• Strawberries (1/2 cup)        
• Tangerine
• Pineapple (1/2 cup)
• Apple (small)

Medium Potassium Fruits
(150 to 300 mg)

• Dates (4)
• Kiwi (medium)
• Peach or Pear (medium)
• Tomato (medium)
• Plums (2 mediums)
• Orange (medium)
• Watermelon (1 cup)

High Potassium Fruits
(More than 300 mg)

• Apricots
• Bananas
• Honeydew melon (1 cup)
• Mango
• Nectarine
• Cantaloupe (1 cup)
• Papaya

So why eat fruit? Most fruits contain some pectin, which has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. Fruits containing higher levels of pectin include apples, red currants, plums and cranberries. Low pectin fruits include berries, grapes, peaches, apricots, figs, pears and pineapples. Fruit is also a good source of fiber, averaging 2 grams of fiber per serving, helping achieve the goal of 25 grams of fiber each day. Watermelon, the perfect fruit for the summer, is high in lycopene, which may help prevent prostate cancer. Tomatoes, which are often thought of as a vegetable but are really a fruit, are also high in lycopene and store better at room temperature.

Fruits also possess flavonoids and phytochemicals. Flavonoids are compounds found in fruits, vegetables and certain beverages that have different beneficial biochemical and antioxidant effects. The intake of flavonoids is as important as other dietary antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E for the prevention of cancer and heart disease. One type of flavonoid, called anthocyanins, are pigments that give most fruits their red, violet and blue color as found blueberries, huckleberries, gooseberries, strawberries and blackberries.

Once you have your fruits – whether from the farmers’ market, grocery store or fresh from the field – correctly storing these precious gems helps ensure they will taste great and last longer. For berries, it is best to keep them cool immediately, whether from the field or grocery store, and use within two to five days. When bringing berries home from the store, closely inspect them for any mold. Toss out any pieces that have mold and rinse off fruit before eating. Mold on fruit spreads quickly to other pieces, so keeping the fruit dry helps to prevent more growth. Most berries, when consumed as half of a cup, will have around 8 grams of carbohydrates.

Peaches, plums, apricots, and nectarines store best on the kitchen counter and will ripen after picking. These fruits are ready to eat when they have a fragrance and yield to a gentle pressure, and most can be stored up to two weeks. When shopping for peaches, plums, apricots or nectarines, there are three things to keep in mind for better-tasting fruit: color, aroma and yield from gentle pressure. These fruits, if firm at the store, will ripen to juicy perfection at home. In peaches, the color red does not indicate ripeness, as different varieties will yield different colors. If possible, eat the peach with the skin on since the skin contains more vitamins and phytochemicals and increases the amount of fiber. The best way to peel a peach is to place it in boiling water for 10 seconds, or until the skin splits, and then submerge in cold water to stop the cooking process. Plucots ™, also known as dinosaur eggs, are a hybrid of apricots and plums and can be left at room temperature until eaten. Most plums, nectarines, peaches and plucots contain 15 to 20 grams of carbohydrates, depending on their size. Apricots are lower in carbohydrates. Cherries keep best if they are not washed until consumed and are placed in the coldest part of the refrigerator. A cup of cherries will have 15 grams of carbohydrates. Pears will ripen after picking, and can be left at room temperature until ripe, which will take four to six days.

Watermelon, if bought already cut, can be placed in the refrigerator and eaten within two to three days. Store whole watermelons at room temperature, as putting in the refrigerator will cause the fruit to separate from the rind resulting in moisture loss. Melons bought uncut will store better at room temperature for a few days. Shopping for melons can be tricky; melons that are more mature will have a better flavor. When shopping for melons, pick one with a sweet aroma, the cantaloupe skin should have an orange-yellowish tint, and the end opposite of the stem should yield to light pressure from the thumb. It is important to remember to wash melons thoroughly on the outside before cutting. Melons, as a group, tend to be high in potassium, averaging more than 400 mg of potassium in a 1 cup serving, and should be limited in consumption. A cup of cut-up melon tends to be around 15 grams of carbohydrates. Remember, once summer is gone, so are most of these fruits, so enjoy them when you can!

Regina Dick, MS, RD, LD, CDE, BC-ADM, is a full-time outpatient dietitian and diabetes educator at a university research hospital, and sees individuals for medical nutritional therapy for various disease states. She is also a part-time professor with the University of Texas at Tyler teaching nutrition classes.

The information contained herein is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended and should not be construed as the delivery of medical care. Persons requiring diagnosis or treatment, or those with specific questions, are urged to contact their local healthcare provider for appropriate care.

This article originally appeared in the July 2005 issue of aakpRENALIFE, Vol. 21, No. 1.

Back