Healthy summer fruits and vegetables are where it’s at this year! Have you stopped by your local farmer’s market to pick some up to boost your health?
We all crave that time of year when we get to show off some skin and enjoy being outdoors in the warm, sunny weather. However, the best part about summer is that it brings us a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables. And they’re all filled with amazing health benefits.
Read on to discover healthy summer fruits and vegetables!
Watermelons
How can you go wrong with a fruit that’s 92% water, tastes like summer and smells even better? Watermelons help keep you feeling full longer because they’re called hydrating foods, which means you curb your hunger and eat less. It also works wonders in lowering blood pressure levels, especially if you are overweight.
In addition, they contain high amounts of antioxidants, as well as vitamins C, A and B6. It has high levels of lycopene, which fights against the damage of free radicals. The best part? It’s 44 calories per cup!
Be sure to give my Watermelon Slush a try for the extra-hot days this summer. It’s incredibly refreshing and one of my favorite options for healthy summer fruits and vegetables!
Tomatoes
Rich in an antioxidant known as alpha-lipoic-acid, studies show that tomatoes help fight against high blood pressure levels. The substance surrounding the seeds contains salicylates, which prevent clotting of the blood.
Tomatoes also help preserve nerve and brain tissue, as well as promote the production of collagen in the skin to help keep your skin wrinkle-free while reducing the appearance of fine lines. Studies show that men who regularly consume tomato-based foods are less likely to suffer from prostate cancer.
Peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots (aka stone fruits)
Colorful, juicy and delicious, stone fruits help protect against diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.
Peaches contain beta-carotene, which keeps your skin glowing and bright. They also contain iron, potassium, fiber as well as vitamins A and C.
Plums are rich in nutrients, as well as phytochemicals, which help reduce the risk of many diseases and health conditions. And as an added bonus, prunes help ward off bone loss, due to their high levels of potassium and vitamin K.
Apricots are rich in vitamin A, which protects the eyes, and potassium.
Zucchini
Loaded with folate, potassium, and vitamin C, this versatile summer vegetable helps regulate blood pressure and contains antioxidants that protect cells from damage. A cup of shredded zucchini can be incorporated into any dish, sweet or salty.
And since zucchinis contain 95% water, they’re low in calories, have zero fat and cholesterol, and are rich in nutrients. One cup of shredded zucchini provides you with 35% of your daily vitamin C needs, and is only 20 calories.
Sweet corn
These delicious, yellow jewels contain natural two natural compounds, lutein, and zeaxanthin that protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. They filter out damaging free radicals that can lead to negative effects on your eyes, such as cataracts. Corn also curbs your appetite, boosts immunity, and helps control blood sugar levels.
Pineapples
High in bromelain – a proteolytic enzyme, pineapples help with the digestion process. They’re also an excellent source of antioxidants, which means they ward off free radicals and protect the body from their harmful effects, while reducing the risk of serious inflammatory diseases.
We love combining pineapples with swordfish to make kabobs — check out the recipe here!
Cherries
The color of these round, succulent fruits is a clear indication of how powerful its antioxidants are and how much protection they offer against heart disease, mainly due to their high levels of pectin which helps balance blood cholesterol levels. Cherries are also great health-boosters since they contain melatonin, which is known as the “sleep hormone.”
Melatonin is secreted naturally by the body during the night, but foods rich in melatonin can help induce a restful sleep. It’s also a wide-spectrum, potent antioxidant. Moreover, melatonin helps with the conversion process of turning fat cells, which collect under our skin and around our organs, into brown fat cells, which work at burning calories instead of storing them.
Mangoes
Sweet and savory, mangoes pack a great amount of fiber, iron, magnesium, and antioxidants. They also help with the digestion process as well as curb your hunger by filling you up for longer.
Figs
These summer snacks are packed with potassium and fiber. They’re also low in calories and fat. They’re a surprising great choice of healthy summer fruits and vegetables!
Grapes
Like watermelon, grapes have a high water content, which makes you feel full and satiated. They also help protect against disease, such as Type 2 diabetes. They’re also packed with antioxidants and inflammatory properties, phytochemicals and vitamin C.
Which healthy summer fruits and vegetables are your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
PIN to SAVE Healthy Summer Fruits and Vegetables!
Great post, Shelly! I’m a regular visitor to our Farmer’s Market and when we traveled it was fun to see what the different States (and Provinces) had in their markets. My latest haul included fresh herbs, dill in particular, and small cucumbers for making our own pickles.
Where we grew up there were many Mennonite farms and the produce in the summer was gorgeous, but they went further by also including their preserved produce. Mmmmm… Maple Syrup candies… have you ever tried those? (OK – not necessarily healthy but still great!)
I enjoy fresh fruits and veggies. I’d love to get my hands on all it right now, but being sick hinders that option.
You had me at Tomato! I seriously love tomatoes and sometimes crave them. Your post helps me to understand why – brilliant. I also am looking at which of these to add to my smoothies and salads. Thank you for the insight!
Oh my gosh! What a great list! we went shopping yesterday and already picked up several of the items on your list. I love making all fruit slushies with just a little water, ice, and FRUIT! Thanks!
I love fruits and vegetables. My favorite bread is zucchini bread, the latest one I made was with lemon, delicious! Thanks for sharing this great list.
oh my gosh, can’t wait for my garden to produce! Little tiny green tomatoes, watermelon & cantaloupe. I already have sweet banana peppers and should have cukes later in the week. Nothing like a fresh picked anything! LOL.
Zucchini bread made with pineapple or maple syrup are my husbands favorites.
Have a spiral slicer that I use to make zucchini noodles. Summer is my season!
Some of my faves are cherries! So yummy!
We visited our Farmer’s Market the other day and my husband picked up Plums and I bought New Potatoes. As for Fruit I don’t care for it so we don’t purchase that much even though hubby loves it because it goes bad. But my family does love Corn and I should purchase some as my son hasn’t ever had Homegrown Corn.
love this post; nowadays we have fruit smoothies or soy shakes with lots of fruit everyday. A little bit of protein powder added in as well… And vegetables make appearances at brunch and dinner