Eating seasonal fruits is beneficial as the fruit would have maximum value in its nutrients as it is grown in its desirable season naturally. As summer is arriving, gear your tea table with seasonal fruits that are not only tasty for the tongue but also healthy for the body.
20 Summer Fruits to Tackle the Hot Season
1. Mangoes
This tasty tropical treat is a great after-meal dessert. This sweet fruit has lots of benefits to provide your body too! Mango contains 67% of Vitamin C that is needed for your body per day. Apart from this, compounds found in mangoes may keep away cancer and diabetes as per some studies.
Mangoes are great for pregnant people as they support healthy fetal development. So never miss these luscious fruits during summer!
2. Watermelon
Summer and watermelon season should be synonymous with each other as the watermelon harvest flourishes during summer. Being faithful to its name, 92 percent of this melon is water.
Dehydration issue spikes up during summer and watermelon is a tasty way to tackle that. Especially for children and senior citizens, who might not intake water as much it is needed for their bodies, providing them this fruit as dessert or as a snack to munch on at any time of the day would save them from the Sun’s harmful effects.
Not only the juicy flesh, the rinds of watermelon are also edible and highly rich in fiber. Cooking the rinds and eating them provides energy boost. It may also reduce blood pressure as well.
3. Jackfruit
Jackfruits are nowadays used as substitutes for meat because of their meat-like texture and interesting taste. But nothing can top the ripe yellow, soft, and sweet fruit pods of this humongous spicy tropical fruit.
Jack fruit trees take years to grow and to fruit, and to wait for them till summer is worth it. Jackfruit is abundant in vitamins A, B, and C, magnesium, manganese, copper, and potassium.
Besides that, it is one of the highest amounts of protein-rich fruits. Apart from that, eating jackfruit is known to prevent the risk of many diseases by supporting immunity.
4. Muskmelon
Very aromatic and more sweeter than watermelon, muskmelon is a smaller variety of melons that are great to eat during summer. It does not only help beat the heat but also provides support to strengthen overall immunity.
It is rich in Vitamin A, which boosts beta carotene in the body. Hence, it increases eye health. Studies show that muskmelon supports eyesight by reducing the risk of cataracts by 40 % of those who consume muskmelon regularly. Muskmelon is high in fiber content too, which makes it good for our gut health.
5. Cantaloupe
Slightly different from muskmelon, cantaloupe is a great substitute for those who cannot find muskmelon in your region or vice versa. But when it comes to nutrition, cantaloupe eats other fruits up; the beta carotene (Vitamin A) level in cantaloupe is higher than any other fruit. That’s what gives its flesh a bright orange color. Beta carotene is good for eye health.
Apart from that, cantaloupe also contains Vitamin C, folates, and fiber that support our overall body health.
6. Oranges
Orange is great for summer as it is packed with antioxidants that fight off free radicals. Eating oranges or drinking fresh orange juice instead of instant orange-flavored drinks are healthy options. Oranges provide energy boost and also help our skin protect by providing vitamin C.
7. Lemon
Just like oranges, but too sour on their own, lemons are another great source of Vitamin C. Squeezing a lemon on water and drinking would helps our body clean toxins and make us feel better. This is why lemon juices are a staple in most houses during summer.
8. Sweet Lime
True to its name, it is a sweet, fibrous, delicious to eat during any season. Ripe bitter limes are mostly enjoyed on its own, they are given regularly as a juice to a sick family member in South Asian households. It is because the juice can treat or soothe ulcers, particularly stomach ulcers, and provides adequate energy for the exhausted person.
9. Kiwi
Like melons and citrus fruits, kiwi too, comes under the ‘body-cooling fruits’ category. This is because kiwi has an equal amount of Vitamin C as oranges. Additionally, kiwi also have magnesium, potassium, and iron.
Studies have shown that eating kiwi would also reduce sleep problems and help symptoms of depression.
10. Guava
A seasonal tropical fruit that can be harvested throughout the summer season, guavas are one of the favorite fruits of Indians. The green/yellowish outer with a pink/ white inner flesh with a unique flavor is worth trying if you are yet to.
Guavas are eaten not only for their taste though. Guava skin and the seeds have the most beneficial vitamins and minerals and since the entire guava is edible (and tasty to eat), one can relish the whole fruit and enjoy the health benefits. 100mg of guava had 0.3mg of iron (which is higher than pomegranate).
Thus one can enjoy guava with some red chili powder and salt as a snack without guilt at any time during summer, or any season for that matter.
11. Pineapple
Pineapple is misunderstood as a ‘heat-inducing’ food because it ‘triggers’ periods, but the truth is, the enzyme in pineapple just speeds up the process of thinning the uterine lining and may speed up the period when one eats the fruit close to their date.
Generally, pineapple is a coolant when combined with cucumbers and as juice or salads. UV rays from the sun damage our skin and collagen production, which makes aging faster. Pineapple boosts collagen production which helps combat aging of skin during summer.
12. Palm Fruit
Traditionally, palm fruit is picked when it’s thick, juicy, and white inside, similar to tender coconut. Some people also eat the yellow, fiber-rich ripe fruits. The flesh of the palm instantly melts in our mouth, and our body thanks us for consuming it during hot weather.
Like coconut, palm fruits are also rich in water content and other nutrients. A 100 gram of palm fruit contains 77 grams of water and 33 milligrams of phosphorous and other minerals in trace amounts.
We can mix this ‘jelly’ in our summer drinks, make a milkshake or straight up slurp it, our dehydrated skin and body would be grateful for it.
13. Tender Coconut
In many South Asian countries, the summer season means tender coconut season. We can find a vendor slicing the top of green coconuts in every street. Tender coconut is a natural energy drink, it clears up stomach problems and rehydrates our system. This liquid is pure enough to inject through IV, so why miss drinking them when they are available?
14. Lychee
Lychees are small cherry-like fruits with firm white flesh and a seed in the middle. They smell pleasant and they taste sweet and unique. Lychees can be added to various dessert recipes. But that’s not all, they also play a part in protecting our heart and bone health. So next time, don’t forget to add lychee pieces to your fruit salad or homemade fruit jelly!
15. Seeded Grapes
Seeded grapes are a better option when it comes to choosing a healthier version. Frozen and sugar-coated grapes are a delight to our dry mouth during summer. These sour and sweet clusters of fruits also aid our overall health. Always go for darker grapes, like seeded black grapes, to get maximum health benefits.
16. Figs
Summertime constipation is the worst. This happens when we don’t drink enough water during summer and thus have no adequate water content to push the waste out. At this time, eating figs would really help because, as per studies, figs act as a prebiotic, and make good bacteria grow in our gut.
17. Peaches
If you live in a region where you can find peaches during summer, don’t miss it! Summer dryness just adds up to the pollution and harmful rays that we face all around the year. Adding peaches to our diet during summer can help protect our skin as peaches have excellent amounts of antioxidants.
18. Star Fruits
Start fruit is definitely not our normal fruit and is extremely tangy with a hint of sweet, pear-like flavor. The more yellow the star fruit, the more sweet they are. They are normally enjoyed with some salt and chili powder.
Eating just a single-star fruit would provide you with more than half the required daily amount of Vitamin C – an anti-oxidant.
19. Wood Apple
Also known as bael, wood apples ripen during the summer season, but here’s the thing: they need to be really ripe to eat as we won’t be able to enjoy the premature fruit because of bitterness. Highly underrated, and not easily commercially available but this fruit has the capacity enough to cure piles and ulcers. They might be available in organic stores and are worth giving a try this summer.
20. Bananas
Bananas are, hands down, the best fruit all year. It must be a staple in everyone’s house. Half-ripe bananas hold more potassium and relatively less sugar compared to fully-ripe bananas. Summer makes us feel drained out even doing a minimal chore due to excessive sun, and bananas are an excellent replacement for any other artificial energy bar. Eating bananas also helps our bowel movement.
21. Cucumber
Cucumber fruits are such an experience to eat. They are big and yellow inside, and little fibrous than the young cucumber we all are used to. Eating them with a little sugar sprinkled on top is one of the summer desserts to add to your list. The fruit has as much water content as green cucumber.
Conclusion
As each year passes, summer becomes more and more brutal. These fruits are refreshing and delicious way to beat the heat during the scorching summer months. Whether enjoyed fresh, in salads, smoothies, or desserts, these fruits not only provide hydration but also deliver essential nutrients and antioxidants to support overall health and well-being. Thus, equip your kitchen with these organic fruits to tackle the summer without compromising on health!
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