The fruits and vegetables available in August express the best that nature has to offer us for wellness and health. As always, when it comes to seasonal foods, all the better if they are organic.
A brief reminder about this period’s fruits and vegetables, their characteristics and health benefits is also offered by Yuka, the app that reveals the nutritional profiles of packaged foods and explains additives in foods and cosmetics.
Native summer fruit
At breakfast and snacks, as well as at the end of meals, fruit should abound in hot weather. Its properties are valuable, for nutrition and health.
Watermelon. A summer fruit par excellence, it is composed of almost 95 percent water. It is therefore thirst quenching and helpful in preventing dehydration. Its pulp is rich in lycopene, a very effective antioxidant.
Cool. It contains a lot of fiber. Due to its seeds, it has mild laxative properties and aids digestion.
Raspberry. Excellent source of minerals (magnesium, calcium, iron), antioxidants and vitamin C.
Melon. It is rich in beta-carotene, which is responsible for its orange color. It also stimulates the production of serotonin, the neurotransmitter of good mood.
Blueberry. It consists of blue pigments whose phytocompounds have strong antioxidant power and protect cells from aging.
Blackberry. Rich in antioxidant compounds, particularly anthocyanins, the purple pigments responsible for its color, it is also a good source of vitamin C.
Fishing. Rich in fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar concentration and intestinal transit, it is in turn rich in vitamin C.
Pear. Summer varieties-such as Williams, Thigh, Santa Maria, and Guyot-concentrate significant antioxidant properties in the skin. It is helpful to favor organic pears, as pesticides are also found mainly in the peel.
Plum. It is known for its laxative effects, related to its richness in dietary fiber. And it is also a good diuretic, helpful in promoting the elimination of toxins.
Plum. Like the plum, it is rich in fiber and has laxative properties. It differs in shape, which is slightly rounder, and the pulp, which is more difficult to detach from the stone.
Tomato. It is rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. Commonly considered vegetables, tomatoes are classified in botany as fruits because they contain seeds inside and grow from the flower of the plant.
August’s vegetables
As an appetizer and side dish, vegetables should always be present in meals. Some vegetables, moreover, are also perfect as snacks. To stimulate satiety and many other good reasons, to follow.
Cucumber. Composed of 95 percent water, it is low in calories and very thirst quenching. Its high water content also promotes satiety.
Green beans. They are among the most fiber-rich vegetables. They thus contribute to satiety, regulation of intestinal transit and blood sugar. They also have a beneficial effect on bone health.
Beans. They belong to the legume family, like lentils and chickpeas. They are rich in plant protein and fiber.
Salad. Long-rib lettuce and iceberg lettuce contain a group of antioxidants, carotenoids, which are best absorbed when accompanied by a source of fat, such as extra virgin olive oil.
Corn. It is somewhere between a cereal and a vegetable. A source of phosphorus and magnesium, it should be consumed fresh-directly from the cob-rather than canned.
Eggplant. It should be consumed with the peel on because it contains many antioxidants. It is also rich in potassium, zinc and magnesium and contributes to the proper functioning of the liver.
Bell pepper. It is the king of vitamin C, in even greater amounts than the orange. Among peppers, red peppers are the richest in vitamin C by far.
Radish. Due to its high trace element content, it provides vitamins and minerals to our body. Rich in sulfur (which contributes to its spicy note), it also stimulates digestion.
Arugula. It has a slightly spicy flavor. An excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin B9, it in turn has remarkable antioxidant properties.
Zucchini. It is rich in flavonoids, which are very useful in the prevention of various diseases.
Cover image from https://www.ecobiorevolution.it/frutta-e-verdura-di-stagione-la-spesa-di-agosto/
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
