Summer is here and so are delicious summer fruits. Seriously consider eating seasonally and supporting local farmers–the produce harvested has maximum nutrients, it’s sustainable and it simply tastes the best!
If you’ve been to the farmers’ market lately, you have probably noticed an abundance of fruits. These beauties love warm weather and soak up the sun to create amazing nutrition and health benefits for your body. Whether you top off your morning oatmeal or granola, eat it as a snack or in a dessert, summer fruits will satisfy your sweet tooth and help to heal your body!
Check out the summer fruits in stone and berry categories, highlighting some of the healing powers of these sweet treats! Also, if you looking for a new or inventive way to eat these fruits, try some recipes I found on blogs that are amazing resources for cooking seasonally with whole foods.
Peaches, Nectarines, Cherries, and Apricots
These delicious fruits all contain vitamin C, essential for healthy immune function and are high in antioxidants. Both of these properties help aid the body in anti-cancer activity.
The natural sugar produced in these stone fruits will keep blood glucose from spiking, which helps with energy and weight management. The fruit also contains vitamin A, necessary for healthy vision, and has a decent amount of fiber, which will help you stay fuller longer and contribute to a healthy digestive system.
Each one of these fruits are delicious when eaten straight off of the tree, But, if you are looking to incorporate one of these fruits in yummy healthy recipes, look below!
Apricot Oat Muffins by Natural Sweet Recipes
Cherry Arugula Quinoa Salad by Cookie + Kate
Peachy Keen Raw Cobbler by My New Roots
Berries
Berries offer amazing health benefits in a tiny package! According to The World’s Healthiest Foods, health benefits of blueberries include several “phytonutrients [which] function both as antioxidants and as anti-inflammatory compounds in the body.”
The website helps explain that blueberries provide “whole body anti0xidant support, cardiovascular benefits, cognitive benefits [specifically for memory], blood sugar benefits, eye health and anti-cancer benefits.”
As if you needed a reason to eat a ripe, sweet blueberry or strawberry!
Blueberry Maple Corn Cake by Naturally Ella
Strawberry Quinoa and Chopped Spinach Salad By Cookie + Kate
Chocolate Raspberry Frozen Yogurt Pops by Eatingwell (not blog)