Next time you reach for something from the office fruit box, rest assured that not only are you getting some vital nutrients, you could also be enhancing your prospects at work.

To feel and look good and excel you must start from within, explains Mmegi Online.

"Anyone who eats well, has lots of energy, exercises and has regular annual medical checks is usually a smart and highly motivated and effective person," the news provider has pointed out.

Variety in your diet is the key, it continues, as this not only stops you getting bored with your food but also ensures you get everything your body needs.

Increasing fruit intake is particularly beneficial, as it contains plenty of vitamins and minerals, the website states.

Furthermore, how you eat matters as much as what you eat.

Do not rush your meals or snacks and pay attention to when you are full to avoid overeating, it advises.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, so the saying goes, but the common office fruit could also keep wrinkles at bay according to Swiss findings.

Uttwiler Sparlauber is a type of rare, sour apple that grows in Switzerland and lasts for months after it is ripe.

Scientists studied the fruit carefully and suggested that long-living tissue stem cells from the apples could be used on human skin.

In a paper published in the Journal of Applied Sciences, they pointed out that using an extract of the apple cells on the skin can boost human stem cell production by 80 per cent.

Unfortunately however, the finished serum does not come cheap, so although the likes of Michelle Obama and Gwyneth Paltrow will be slapping it on, us mere mortals will have to stick to a Granny Smith.

At least we will still be getting fibre, vitamin C and pantothenic acid.

It may not be appearing in the office fruit box anytime soon, but growers in Spain have produced a new variety of tomato which they say is as sweet as a peach.

The sugardrop tomato is the result of cross-breeding 3,000 types of the fruit over two years.

Supermarket giant Tesco commissioned the project with the hope of producing a sweeter brand of tomato that would appeal to children and others not keen on the traditional tangy flavour.

The new variety was produced by growers cross-pollinating tomatoes with a high sugar content – known as the brix level.

With brix levels of nine to 13, the sugardrop has a sweetness equal and above that of the standard peach – which has a brix level of nine.
Tomatoes are loaded with all kinds of health benefits – and the sugardrop is no exception.

High levels of vitamins and antioxidants mean they can help to reduce the risk of a range of cancers in addition to offering protection against many other common complaints.

Munching from the office fruit basket is good for your health and the environment, it is suggested.

At a conference arranged by the Swedish European Union presidency, European producers highlighted the fact that their fruit is "climate smart".

Fresh produce consumption is part of an eco-friendly diet, with most fresh produce outperforming other food products regarding overall carbon footprint, one industry representative pointed out.

This is part of the solution in tackling climate change, said Freshfel general delegate Philippe Binard.

"Our product is indeed not only an essential contribution for improving the health of consumers but also moving towards a better environment," he said.

Love British Food has this week pointed out that Brits are put more consideration into what they eat amid the global financial and environmental difficulties.

People are looking for taste, freshness and quality in their fruits and other food produce, said founder Alexia Robinson.

Rick Gamble

People on a diet should view the office fruit basket as their diet buddy, not a diet saboteur, health experts point out.

"Fruit is full of water, fibre, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals, and it puts a lot of bulk in your belly for not a lot of calories," the YOU Docs tell the Canwest News Service.

They state that snacking on a piece of fruit at the office is much better than heading for a chocolate bar.

"Most people’s weight gain comes from piling on foods that aren’t fruit," they continue.

Fresh fruit is also recommended for those who have over-indulged this party season as a much healthier alternative to a fry-up.

Having a breakfast of oranges, cranberries and bananas smothered in yoghurt will kick-start the day better and aid a quicker recovery, says Dulcie Pearce in the Sun, quoting from the Quick-Fix Hangover Detox by Jane Scrivner.

Rebecca Mills

Office fruit box fans might be interested to hear that a mouthwatering 1,200 tonnes of blueberries were sold last month – more than four times as many as October last year.

The blueberry sales boom – up from under 300 tonnes in 2008 – may be down to a growing awareness of the health benefits of these tangy fruits.

Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, blueberries can help to reduce the risk of anything from the common cold to cancer.

In addition, sight charity the Eyecare Trust says the berries are especially good for preserving eye health thanks to high levels of anthocyanosides, which in clinical studies have been found to slow down visual loss.

Sales of blackberries, strawberries and raspberries were also up this summer, by 33 per cent, 17 per cent and three per cent respectively.
British Summer Fruits, which represents growers, put the success down to the settled weather creating improved growing conditions.