Boost Your Immunity With Our Island Staples

At a time when it’s especially important to remain healthy, look no further than St. John’s back yard filled with local fruit that boosts the immune system.

Tropical fruit has a reputation for being naturally high in sugar, however, that’s often not the case. Here are our most popular fruits loaded with antioxidants and vitamins … including a popular way to serve them up!

Mangos

Mangos are the most widely consumed fruit in the world. Members of the cashew family (really!), they are high in Vitamin A, B6, C, folate and antioxidants in addition to being fiber-rich which promotes a healthy digestive system. Mangos are also naturally low in fat and calories.

Mango Guacamole
2 ripe avocados, peeled and quartered
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp lime juice
1-1/2 tsp grated lime zest
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
Serve with tortilla or pita chips

Fig Bananas

Fig Bananas, when green are treated as vegetables that must be cooked. When yellow and ripe, they are similar to plantains and treated as a fruit. Packing a nutritional punch of Vitamins A, B, C and potassium, fig bananas also contain the mood-boosting amino acid known as tryptophan.

Green Fig Salad
5 green fig bananas
3 scallions
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup cooked salted cod
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

Simmer cod in salted water for 1/2 hour, drain and add fresh water, repeat. Then drain and shred. Trim off stem from both ends and run a knife down the full length of bananas. Cover with salted water and bring to a boil for 10 to 15 minutes and remove from peel. Chop flesh into 1″ pieces. Chop bell peppers, scallions and parsley. Sautee all ingredients over medium heat with olive oil. Chill before eating.

Star Fruit

Star Fruit (or cane apple) is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It is also a good source of potassium, fiber, Vitamin C, copper and pantothenic acid. Star fruit It is a good regulator of glucose by slowing the rate at which the body absorbs carbohydrates. It’s also low and sugar but packed with antioxidants.

Star Fruit Chips
2-3 star fruit
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1-inch piece of ginger, sliced
cinnamon sugar or sea salt for sprinkling

Line a baking sheet with thinly sliced fruit about 1/4″ thick. Dissolve the sugar in water and add ginger over medium-high heat in saucepan then bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the fruit and simmer for a few minutes, then cool for 20 minutes. Transfer slices to baking sheet and bake the slices for an hour or until crisp. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or sea salt. Reserve the leftover starfruit-ginger syrup for cocktails or lemonade.

Papaya

Papaya is loaded with antioxidants that reduces inflammation and fights disease. It contains an enzyme called papain, which breaks down the tough protein chains found in muscle meat, so it’s often used to tenderize meat. Papaya contains more than 150% of your daily dose of Vitamin C and is rich in free radicals that control your body’s metabolism.

Papaya Bruschetta
1/2 papaya
2 1/2 diced roma tomatoes
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 stalk chopped green onion
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 baguette
2 sprigs basil, chopped
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 diced red onion

Halve and peel papaya, removing seeds but retain them. Mix diced papaya, red onion, tomatoes, bell pepper and chopped basil leaves. Thoroughly blend sugar, vinegar, oil, green onions, mustard seeds and papaya seeds to obtain a thick paste. Add paste to the papaya vegetables mixture. Cut baguette into 1/2 inch slices, top with mixture and enjoy.

Genip

Genip (or Spanish lime) has the ability to lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, improve digestion, strengthen bones, improve mood and regulate hormones. They contain no fat and are low calorie, but they deliver a significant amount of Vitamin C and A, fiber, calcium, iron, tryptophan, lysine and other powerful organic acids and antioxidants.

Rum Soaked Genip 
Mason jar or bottle
Guineps
1 cup of white rum
Sugar to taste
1-2 cinnamon sticks
2-3 star Anise
Lemon rind
1-2 vanilla beans