We’re through the indulgent Christmas season and can now welcome the slower-paced warm days, ripe with opportunities for delicious picnics and BBQs. With a new year, many of us set intentions to eat healthier and thankfully, Summer has an abundance of fresh, healthy produce on offer. Eating a diet rich in fresh seasonal produce has endless health benefits, ranging from a decreased risk of heart disease, digestive problems and some cancers to helping lower blood pressure and boosting immunity. Where possible, it is advisable to eat locally grown, organic produce to maximise the food’s health benefits. Summer is the perfect opportunity to gather friends and visit local farmer’s markets or, better still, pick your own produce directly from the growers! Below is a list of some of the healthiest produce to add to your diet this summer.
Cucumbers
Water is essential for the body’s cooling process of perspiration. Like watermelon, cucumbers are made up of almost 95% water, so eating them on a scorching summer day can help you stay hydrated. This refreshing summer delight also contains vitamin K, B vitamins, potassium, vitamin C, and manganese. Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory flavonol that studies have shown to play an important role in brain health. The flavanol, called fisetin, is said to improve memory and protect nerve cells from age-related decline.
How to enjoy them: Cucumbers make an ideal base for a green juice, can be tossed into salads or sliced into paleo-friendly crackers ready to top with your favourite dip or spread.
Celery
It’s easy to open a bag of chips or crackers to throw onto a platter with your favourite summer dip, but next time you’re hosting, consider chopping some celery sticks to pass around with that enticing dip! Unlike salty, dehydrating crackers or chips, celery has a high percentage of water that can help rehydrate your body. Celery is a good source of free-radical fighting antioxidants along with beneficial enzymes. In addition, it also contains vitamins and minerals such as vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin B6. Special compounds in celery act as a diuretic, stimulating the kidneys to flush waste and extra fluid from your body (often the cause of bloating or unwanted ‘puffiness!).
How to enjoy it: Chop them up into sticks perfect for dipping, dice them and throw them into salads or fill the inside crevice with peanut butter and raisins (‘ants on a log’…kids love these!) They’re also a great base (along with cucumber) for cleansing green juices.
Watermelon
Nothing screams summer produce quite like a cold sliced watermelon! Munch away happily, knowing that watermelon is a good source of vitamins A and C and lycopene, all of which help to protect the skin from sun damage. As the name suggests, watermelon has a high content of water and is extremely hydrating. This makes it ideal for keeping you cool and hydrated throughout the warmer months. It’s naturally high in sugar, but is certainly the healthier option to reach for when the sweet tooth is begging you to reach for an ice block!
How to enjoy them: Nothing beats them sliced straight from the fridge but chopped watermelon can also make a refreshing salad when tossed with mint, lime juice and feta cheese.
Courgettes
Courgettes (also commonly called zucchinis) contain no saturated fats or cholesterol while providing your body with potassium, fibre, vitamin C and B vitamins, which can help metabolise fats and protein. Excessive exposure to sunlight during the summer months can increase the risk of cataracts, but eating courgettes can help protect your eyes from this risk because of some specific antioxidants in them that support blood vessels in your eyes. Also, the soluble fibre in the courgette’s skin helps to slow down digestion and so stabilises blood sugar and insulin levels.
How to enjoy them: They can be eaten raw or cooked in salads, but lately, they’ve become a wholefood darling by way of ‘zoodles’ a.k.a gluten-free, paleo-friendly noodles made from zucchini/courgettes. Zoodle dishes are easy to make at home, and there are lots of recipes online that you can follow.
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