Imported Fruits To Cost More In July. Nutritionist Offers Tips To Embrace Local Produce
Nutritionist and content creator Lee Zhi Ling shared with SAYS how Malaysians can shift their shopping habits to buy more local fruits without compromising on price or nutrition.
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Beginning 1 July, Malaysia's expanded Sales and Service Tax (SST) will take effect, imposing a 5% tax on many imported fruits
While popular imported staples like apples, oranges, mandarins, and dates will be exempt from the tax, the prices of other well-loved imported fruits — such as pears, kiwis, strawberries, and many others — will increase starting tomorrow.
Yes, these include grapes and blueberries, which have become increasingly affordable in the Malaysian market, often selling for under RM10 and RM7 per pack, respectively.
To help us re-evaluate and appreciate the rich nutritional bounty offered by Malaysia's local fruits, we spoke to nutritionist and content creator Lee Zhi Ling to learn how Malaysians can pivot and adapt to the expanded SST.
According to Lee, the common belief that local fruits, such as watermelons, mangosteens, mangoes, and durians, are more of a "treat" than a nutritional source is a misconception.
"All fruits are great sources of nutrition," Lee affirmed.
She explained that this perception likely stems from their seasonal availability, unique flavours, eating traditions in Asian households, and the cultural association with indulgence, rather than a lack of nutritional value.
Lee reminded Malaysians to enjoy local fruits in appropriate portions, using durians as a key example.
"The recommended serving of durian is three pulps, or 100g to 200g per sitting. I know many people don't stop at three. We don't normally eat two large apples at one go, right? Then, why do we do that with durians?
"We have to remember that it's the overindulgence that makes these fruits unhealthy," she said.
With that out of the way, Lee went on to break down the nutritional values of local fruits, because while we may love them, how many of us actually know what the main nutrient in mangosteen is?
Here are some pointers Lee provided:
- Mangoes are packed with Vitamin C and fibre
- Watermelons provide essential electrolytes like potassium and magnesium, making them highly hydrating
- Mangosteens, often dubbed the queen of fruits, are rich in phenolic compounds, a kind of antioxidant
- Durians, despite their potent aroma, are a great source of energy because of their high carbohydrate content
- Pineapples are rich in enzymes and Vitamin C
- Papayas are a year-round, affordable star that is high in Vitamin A and Vitamin C
- Rambutans and pomelos are noted for their high antioxidant content. Pomelos also provide ample Vitamin C, and Lee advised against removing all the pith, as it contains beneficial compounds.
- Dragon fruits are another local option packed with antioxidants, and consuming them is a great way to add more colour to your daily fruit intake
- Local bananas like pisang mas and pisang berangan are nutritionally similar to imported varieties, offering an easy local switch
Lee pointed out a significant disparity in awareness regarding the nutritional value of local fruits compared to their imported counterparts, attributing this gap to several factors
"For one, imported fruits have stronger marketing and visibility, often being associated with terms like 'superfood'.
"Additionally, there's higher social media airtime of these fruits, largely because most wellness-related content comes from the West.
"This is compounded by fewer research papers on nutritional info about local fruits like ciku or jambu air," she said, noting that better packaging and branding of imported fruits have also contributed to the perception that local fruits are less nutritious, a view that often leads to them being overlooked in health conversations.
In response to criticism that some local fruits — such as ciku and langsat, with prices reaching up to RM18 per kg — aren't particularly cheap, Lee compiled a list of more affordable local fruits, broken down by price per serving:
Local honeydew, papaya, pineapple, and ciku are affordable per recommended serving size.
Image via Lee Zhi Ling via SAYSTo add on to the benefits of supporting local fruits, she noted that they often boast superior freshness due to shorter transit times from farm to market.
Watch our video interview with Lee below to learn more about her insights and tips on choosing local fruits:
