Take Advantage of Spring’s Seasonal Fruits
The sun is finally coming out, which means tasty and juicy fruits are in season!!!! It is recommended to eat about 4 servings of fruit a day. One serving of fruit looks like one medium fruit, ½ cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruit, ¼ cup of dried fruit, and ¼ cup of fruit juice. Here are a few delicious and nutritious fruits you will want to add to your daily food choices this season.
1. Avocados
Calling out to all the avocado toast lovers out there! Did you know avocados are loaded with healthy fats, fiber, and various nutrients? They are high in potassium (more than a banana actually), a mineral that helps support blood pressure levels, muscle contractions, and protect against stroke. Studies have also shown that eating avocados can help lower heart disease risk factors by decreasing bad cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.
2. Cherries
This sweet and sour fruit is rich in vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is an antioxidant important for immune health, iron absorption, and collagen formation. Cherries also contain anti-inflammatory compounds known as polyphenols, which have been linked to protecting the body from chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
3. Lemons
Adding just a ½ lemon to your water can not only enhance the taste but also go a long way to improving your health! Lemons are rich in vitamin C, which is known for improving heart health and iron absorption. One lemon contains about 31g of vitamin C (51% of RDI) which is may help prevent iron deficiency anemia.
4. Mango
Mangos are a sweet and versatile fruit that are great to add to smoothies, salads, and fruit platters. Adding some mango to your diet will help to improve digestive, eye, hair, and skin health with its various nutrients such as vitamin A and C. Vitamin A plays a big role in maintaining clear vision and eye health. Mangos are also rich in folate (vitamin B9), a B-vitamin that is needed for the tissue growth and cell function.
5. Strawberries
If the sweet taste or vibrant red color is not enough to entice you, here are more reasons to why you should eat strawberries. Did you know strawberries are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C, manganese, folate, and potassium? They contain about 3g of fiber per cup which can help support digestive health by promoting the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Strawberries also contain a compound called malic acid which is said to have bleaching properties than may help whiten teeth. These berries also have been shown to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels when eaten after meals.
Looking for ways to boost your intake of these summer fruits? Try some of our CulinArt smoothie recipes!
Green Guru Smoothie
- ¼ Avocado
- ¾ cup Romain lettuce, chopped
- ½ Cucumber, cubed
- ½ Pear
- 2 oz Coconut water
- ¼ cup Ice cubes
Mango Mama Smoothie
- 1 cup Orange juice
- ¾ cup Mango, fresh, sliced
- 1 Banana, sliced
- ½ cup Yogurt, plain, Greek
Strawberry Fields Smoothie
- 1 cup Strawberries, diced
- ¼ cup Blueberries, unsweetened, frozen
- 1 Tbsp Basil, fresh
- ½ cup Ice cubes
- ¼ cup Yogurt, plain, Greek
- ½ cup Soy milk, plain
Directions for ALL smoothies:
Combine all ingredients in a blender on high for about 30 seconds until smooth.
All smoothie recipes make 1 smoothie serving.
Let us know how you like to enjoy your favorite spring fruits!
