Seasonal Summer Fruit Does More Than Taste Good!
Food researcher and writer, Rachel Venokur-Clark (for www.care2.com) wrote about the power of seasonal summer fruit in maintaining a strong immune system. It was such good information that I thought this was worth passing on.
The distinction she makes is between fresh, locally grown fruit as opposed to imported fruits shipped from far-off places. While eating seasonally and locally keeps you eating more in harmony with your environment and climate, it also assures you’re getting your food of highest nutrient quality.
Let’s talk climate first. Summer heat places extra strain on the body, and eating raw fruit cools the body, protecting it from dehydration and heat stroke. Doing so after exercise is especially helpful.
Then there are specific health issues fruit effectively protects against. For instance, here are a few summer fruits and what they can do for us:
APRICOTS. Great for lung conditions and asthma; used to help treat anemia due to their high copper and cobalt content.
GRAPES. Helps your immune system, helps prevent cancer, lowers blood pressure, protects against heart disease, reduces high cholesterol, protects against diabetes, helps maintain brain health, improves bone health; besides vitamins and minerals, they’re a source of polyphenols, catechins and anthocyanins
CHERRIES. Increases overall body energy, remedy arthritis and rheumatism; are rich in iron, which improves the blood. This season never lasts long enough. Here’s a delicious custard-like dessert you might want to try—a nice break from traditional cherry pie.
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Bing sweet cherries halved and pitted
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into bits
vanilla ice cream
Directions:
Add Recipe to Cook'n
PAPAYAS. Acts as digestive aid, moistens the lungs and alleviates coughing; contains carpaine, an anti-tumor compound; contain high levels of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E.
RASPBERRIES. Benefits the liver and kidneys, cleanses blood of toxins, regulates menstrual cycles, helps with anemia. provide potassium, essential to heart function, and proven to lower blood pressure; contains omega-3 fatty acids and manganese.
STRAWBERRIES. Protects the heart, increases HDL (good) cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, and guards against cancer; contains high amounts of fiber, vitamin C, and other antioxidants.
Lastly, fruit can be your new best friend when it comes to satisfying a sweet tooth—helping you to avoid chemically processed and refined sugars. And its fiber helps to balance its natural sugars that can cause dips in blood sugar levels.
I’ll conclude with thoughts regarding the on-going advice to always buy organic produce. I recognize that fruit sprayed with chemicals isn’t good for us, and so it’s always smart to wash your fruit before eating. But what if your food budget is tight and organic produce breaks the bank? Do you forgo eating fruits and vegetables?
Nope, its deliciousness and health benefits are too good to give up. So, buy conventional produce, always wash it well, as just mentioned, and then why not say a blessing on it before eating? It never hurts to express gratitude for our food, and asking for divine protection against anything that may be harmful in or on it can’t hurt! And then, enjoy!
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The distinction she makes is between fresh, locally grown fruit as opposed to imported fruits shipped from far-off places. While eating seasonally and locally keeps you eating more in harmony with your environment and climate, it also assures you’re getting your food of highest nutrient quality.
Let’s talk climate first. Summer heat places extra strain on the body, and eating raw fruit cools the body, protecting it from dehydration and heat stroke. Doing so after exercise is especially helpful.
Then there are specific health issues fruit effectively protects against. For instance, here are a few summer fruits and what they can do for us:
APRICOTS. Great for lung conditions and asthma; used to help treat anemia due to their high copper and cobalt content.
GRAPES. Helps your immune system, helps prevent cancer, lowers blood pressure, protects against heart disease, reduces high cholesterol, protects against diabetes, helps maintain brain health, improves bone health; besides vitamins and minerals, they’re a source of polyphenols, catechins and anthocyanins
CHERRIES. Increases overall body energy, remedy arthritis and rheumatism; are rich in iron, which improves the blood. This season never lasts long enough. Here’s a delicious custard-like dessert you might want to try—a nice break from traditional cherry pie.
Baked Sweet Cherry Pudding (aka Clafouti)
Serving size: 4
Ingredients:
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Bing sweet cherries halved and pitted
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into bits
vanilla ice cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a blender, blend together 1/3 cup of the sugar, the flour, the eggs, the milk, the vanilla, the zest, the almond extract, and the salt to make a smooth custard.
Arrange the cherries in one layer in a buttered 3-cup gratin dish or flameproof shallow baking dish, pour the custard over them, and bake the clafouti in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is puffed and springy to the touch.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, dot it with the butter, and broil the clafouti under a preheated broiler about 3 inches from the heat for 1 minute, or until it is browned. Serve the clafouti with the ice cream.
Arrange the cherries in one layer in a buttered 3-cup gratin dish or flameproof shallow baking dish, pour the custard over them, and bake the clafouti in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is puffed and springy to the touch.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, dot it with the butter, and broil the clafouti under a preheated broiler about 3 inches from the heat for 1 minute, or until it is browned. Serve the clafouti with the ice cream.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
PAPAYAS. Acts as digestive aid, moistens the lungs and alleviates coughing; contains carpaine, an anti-tumor compound; contain high levels of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E.
RASPBERRIES. Benefits the liver and kidneys, cleanses blood of toxins, regulates menstrual cycles, helps with anemia. provide potassium, essential to heart function, and proven to lower blood pressure; contains omega-3 fatty acids and manganese.
STRAWBERRIES. Protects the heart, increases HDL (good) cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, and guards against cancer; contains high amounts of fiber, vitamin C, and other antioxidants.
Lastly, fruit can be your new best friend when it comes to satisfying a sweet tooth—helping you to avoid chemically processed and refined sugars. And its fiber helps to balance its natural sugars that can cause dips in blood sugar levels.
I’ll conclude with thoughts regarding the on-going advice to always buy organic produce. I recognize that fruit sprayed with chemicals isn’t good for us, and so it’s always smart to wash your fruit before eating. But what if your food budget is tight and organic produce breaks the bank? Do you forgo eating fruits and vegetables?
Nope, its deliciousness and health benefits are too good to give up. So, buy conventional produce, always wash it well, as just mentioned, and then why not say a blessing on it before eating? It never hurts to express gratitude for our food, and asking for divine protection against anything that may be harmful in or on it can’t hurt! And then, enjoy!
Sources:
- www.creativehealthyfamily.com
- www.healthdigest.com
- www.halegroves.com
- www.homecookingadventure.com
- www.coconutreserve.com
- www.steptohealth.com
- www.myfearlesskitchen.com
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
