Patricia Hizon on health, nutrition and raising a family

MANILA, Philippines - Being a mother, wife and a sportscaster, it goes without saying that Patricia Hizon lives a very active lifestyle. The better half of former PBA superstar Vince Hizon, Patricia is a self-proclaimed weekend warrior who loves to go on adventures. To keep up with the dizzying pace of her job and still have time for her family and enjoy the outdoors, she makes it a point to eat and live healthy.

“We don’t have chips at home and when we buy groceries, we always make it a point to buy different kinds of fruits because we love snacking on fruits. I occasionally indulge in ice cream and chocolates and that’s about the only ‘non-healthy’ thing that I do and even that rarely happens,” says Patricia. 

Growing up in Canada, Patricia says she is fortunate to have been exposed to many types of fruits.

“Fruits are refreshing, easy and healthy to eat. They aid in digestion and help me stay beautiful and full of energy. In fact, when I go out of town, I always visit the local fruit stands and bring fruits back home,” says Patricia.

Only recently, she was thrilled to discover that Zespri kiwifruits are now available in the Philippines. Now, everyone can enjoy the delicious flavor of kiwifruits as it is readily available in supermarkets and select fruit stores nationwide. 

Zespri is available in two varieties: Zespri Green and Gold. Between the two, Patricia says she prefers the green variant.

“I like the tangy flavor of Zespri Green kiwifruits. Occasionally, when I want something a bit sweeter, I munch on a Zespri Gold kiwifruit,” she explains.

Zespri Gold and Green kiwifruits contain the highest level of vitamin C than orange, pineapple and mango.

Zespri kiwifruit contains the highest levels of vitamin C (120mg/100g for Zespri Gold and 92.7mg/100g for Zespri Green). These are significantly higher than the vitamin C levels found in papaya (61.8), orange (53.2), pineapple (47.8), mango (36.4), banana (8.7) and apple (4.6). The fruit is also a good source of the antioxidant vitamin E and dietary fiber.

Despite their busy schedules, Patricia and Vince never fail to make time for their kids Vicente, 6 and Paul Andrei, 4. “I make sure that the time I spend with them combines quantity and quality,” says Patricia.

Like most parents, Patricia says teaching kids to eat healthy can be a challenging experience. “Kids need to be reminded that the food that they see on TV, in school and in the neighborhood isn’t always the right kinds of food,” says Patricia.