Nowadays, processed foods are everywhere and easily accessible. We can find them in supermarkets, fast-food restaurants, vending machines, etc. But just because they are readily available doesn't mean they are good for our health.

If we want to start taking care of ourselves, we should remember that fresh foods are the best way to maintain a varied and healthy diet. In our case, fruit is our focus, and there's no doubt that fresh, seasonal fruit is always the best dessert after any lunch or dinner. And it's not just for dessert; it's also perfect as a mid-morning snack, an afternoon treat, to add color to salads, or to avoid adding sugar to yogurt or homemade baked goods, and so on.

¿Será verdad?

Myths surrounding fruit have grown to unimaginable levels over time. You might hear things like fruit is fattening because it's high in sugar, you shouldn't eat fruit after meals because it's hard to digest, eating it at night makes you gain more weight, eating too much fruit can cause diabetes… and a long list of other nonsense. If we let ourselves be swayed by these myths, we might stop eating fruit for no good reason, which will negatively impact our diet.

As Dr. Ruiz points out in her book Alimenta tu salud con comida real (2020), fruit is a food with multiple health benefits because it contains many vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc. Additionally, since it has a high water content, it is almost calorie-free, and the mere fact that it contains sugar does not make fruit bad; the sugar in fruit has a purpose, behavior, and effects very different from those of free sugar.

Good for everyone

The best thing about fruit is that we can eat it at any time of day. Whenever we want, whenever we feel like it, or whenever it suits us best. You can even eat fruit at night without worry. But it's also important to remember that fruit shouldn't replace other foods and main meals as a general rule. It's fine if you want to have only fruit for dinner one day, but it shouldn't be a habit.

Gil (2010) points out that daily fruit consumption is essential for a balanced, nutritious, and adequate diet, providing a feeling of satiety without exceeding the appropriate energy intake for proper nutrition. Fruits provide significant amounts of certain vitamins with antioxidant properties that protect cells against oxidative stress. Vitamin C, present in most fruits, can increase iron absorption, an essential element for preventing anemia.

What do ours offer?

Summer Fruit specializes in the wholesale of fresh seasonal fruit, specifically eight types: cherry, apricot, nectarine, flat peach, peach, plum, fig and pomegranate.

In this post we would like to present some of our fruits from a nutritional point of view so that we can appreciate all their benefits for our well-being.

The first fruit of the season: the cherry

The first fruit to make its appearance is the cherry, which arrives around early May and usually lasts until the end of July.

The cherry is rich in carbohydrates, especially fructose, so its caloric value is moderate. Among its components, fiber stands out, which helps improve intestinal transit, as well as vitamins A and C, which act as antioxidants in our body.

In smaller amounts, it also contains potassium, which is necessary for the transmission and generation of nerve impulses and for normal muscle activity; magnesium, which is related to proper intestinal, nerve, and muscle function, improves immunity, and has a mild laxative effect; iron, which helps transport the oxygen needed for cellular metabolism; phosphorus, which aids in proper mineralization of bones and teeth and is part of all cells; and calcium, although in this case it is not absorbed in the same way as from dairy products or other good sources.

The next yellow color is apricot.

The next fruit to appear is the apricot, which we can enjoy from late May until early September.

If we compare its energy content with other fruits, we see that the apricot has a fairly low energy content, due to its high water content and moderate carbohydrate content. It is similar to the cherry in terms of other nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, potassium, and magnesium.

Its vitamin A content, which as we mentioned earlier has antioxidant properties, also reduces the risk of cardiovascular, degenerative, and cancerous diseases. Furthermore, various substances in apricots are used to treat skin conditions.

The arrival of the big ones: peach, nectarine and flat peach

The peach is the third fruit to arrive at our facilities and the one with the longest shelf life. In this section, we group the three main ones: peach, nectarine, and doughnut peach because they belong to the same family, although they have different characteristics.

The peach starts being harvested in June, and we can enjoy it until early October. It is characterized by its intense aroma and sweet taste. The peach has tiny hairs on its skin that protect it and a soft, juicy interior texture. Its flesh can be yellow or white, and Summer Fruit can offer both types.

 

The nectarine is a variant of the peach that, due to evolution, has lost its fuzzy skin, giving way to a smooth, reddish skin. Like the peach, it has a sweet taste and a juicy texture. Its flesh can also be yellow or white, and at Summer Fruit, we offer both types. We can enjoy it during the same period as the peach, from June until early October.

 

 

The doughnut peach is also a cousin of the peach, which, due to evolution, has changed its shape to a flattened form, although it has retained its exterior fuzz, unlike the nectarine. Its taste and texture are similar to those of the peach. Its harvest period is slightly shorter than the others, ending in September, but it also begins in June.

Its properties

These three fruits, being from the same family, have similar nutritional characteristics: they have a moderate nutritional value due to their high water content, and they are rich in fiber, potassium, magnesium, and iodine. Regarding vitamins, vitamin A stands out, and they have antioxidant properties.

Due to all these properties, this type of fruit is ideal for all kinds of people, especially for those who suffer from high blood pressure or blood vessel and heart conditions.

What do experts recommend?

The WHO recommends consuming a minimum of five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day, something that few people in the world actually do, as we mentioned at the beginning of the post, due to processed foods, rich in fats, sugar and other components that are not so beneficial to our health.

At Summer Fruit, we want to help you learn more about the properties of the fruits we sell and encourage their consumption for a healthier lifestyle. That's why today we've introduced you to some of the fruits arriving at the beginning of the season, and in the coming weeks, we'll be discussing the rest, so stay tuned to our posts.

 

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:

  • Alimenta tu salud con comida real – Dra. Miriam Ruiz – 2020.
  • Tratado de nutrición tomo II. Composición y calidad nutritiva de los alimentos – Ángel Gil Hernandez – Editorial Panamericana – 2010.

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