The Health Foods of Summer

The Health Foods of Summer

Summer is the best season to get outside, hit the bike trails, and enjoy a glass of sangria at your favorite outdoor cafe. It’s also a great time of year to savor fresh fruits and vegetables. While it’s always smart to indulge in fresh tomatoes and watermelon at the local fruit stand, there are probably a few summertime treats you’re not including in your daily diet. Here are my recommendations.

Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranate juice is full of antioxidants. But, it also has a rich, syrupy taste that can turn people off, i.e. me. A great way to cut the syrupy taste and keep the health benefits, is to mix a few ounces of pomegranate juice with some sparkling water and a slice of lime. Add vodka to that glass and you’ve got a happy hour worth repeating!

Swiss Chard
Swiss chard tastes an awful lot like spinach and it’s in season from June to August. This long, leafy green, with a spray of red, white and yellow fanning leaves, is a bitter green packed with nutrients. It’s great cooked with a little olive oil and lemon. Swiss chard is fiber rich, and contains nutrients that have been linked with preventing digestive tract cancers. It also contains loads of vitamin A that may reduce your risk for developing cataracts.

Basil
Basil is unique not only because it tastes great with tomato sauce, Thai curry, and eggs, studies suggest it is antibacterial, flavonoid rich, it protects cells from free radicals and blocks inflammation.

Apples
An apple a day may not keep the doctor away, but it will give you a great dose of fiber, vitamin C, and it’s a great, low-calorie snack. The two types of fiber found in one apple reduces cholesterol and protects your body from heart attacks. Insoluble fiber attaches to LDL cholesterol during digestion and flushes it through your digestive system. Soluble fiber lowers LDL levels in the liver.

Summer Squash
Squash has cancer preventative affects, and studies suggest it may contribute to prostate health. Squash is rich in manganese and vitamin C, and it is a great tasting base for vegetarian soups and stews. When buying squash, look for a shiny outer layer, and a heavy weight.