Got Fruit?
If you are living in the Tropics or Sub Tropics, near apple or pear growing regions, or are close to a major city or well stocked supermarket, you have it good. With the amazing transportation network that we have nowadays, it can be relatively easy to find good quality fruits at many paces in the world, for extremely cheap prices.
It's funny how we as a society connect the price of things to the value of things.
That statement seems a bit contradictory, doesn't it?
However we know that fruits can be he healthiest thing you can put in your body. Many cutting edge researchers and Doctors are healing people from all manner of disease by simply putting them on a fruit diet. All fruits contain the highest concentration of digestible minerals, nutrients, liquid energy, and, lesser known, even fats and proteins, all in a form that the human body can instantly digest.
Did you know that fructose, the natural living fructose, not he syrup you can find in most processed foods, is the ONLY form of energy that requires no metabolism from the human body. Meaning- you eat fruit, the fruit sugars pass through the intestinal wall, get passed off to the red blood cells which then deliver the sugars to your cells, and then your cells just drink it right up! No extra work required!
So - is it true that fruit might be the most valuable thing at your local supermarket?
But - chances are - fruit is also one of the cheapest things in your market as well!
However many of us see fruits as not having as much value as other products - because it is so inexpensive!!!
Many shoppers will show off the cut of expensive beef that they purchased, or the exotic gourmet cookies they went out of their way for, or the new decadent flavor of ice cream that has just arrived - as if these were trophies, and a sign of their wealth! These same shoppers might not show off the bag of apples they purchased, or the fresh lemons, and many wouldn't even consider wasting money on a melon or a mango.
Psychology is a strange thing. So - let us talk now of Japan - and how the most decadent item you could purchase, might be a piece of fruit.
$40 melon anyone?
Did you want some fresh fish? In japan you can get it for a song. Want an apple? That will be $3.50 please.
How about some fresh baked pastries... no problem! There is an abundance of them for practically nothing. Want some fresh strawberries to go with them - too many and you might be unable to pay your rent next month.
$20 for 12 strawberries
How about some booze? You can get a liter of liquor for a few coins. But you may have to wait until next month to afford those grapes you have been eyeing.
Yes - that is a $40 bunch of grapes, sir... perhaps you would like to see something in our frozen department instead?
I hope these prices can give you a perspective change - in Japan maybe the price of fruit represents their true value. I, for one, will be buying and appreciating fruit much more when I return home. I hope that the next time you pass by that under priced section of your local supermarket, you will do the same.
