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5 Seasonal Fruits for Summer & Fall


5 Seasonal Fruits for Summer & Fall

  • By: Andrea D’Ambrosio, RD
  • Published: August 17, 2017

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Let’s celebrate summer fruit! After all, summer and fruit are like peanut butter and jelly; they just go so well together. Perhaps the best part of summer fruits is that they are fresh, less expensive and local.

From a young age, summer and fruits were synonymous. Childhood memories included summer evenings standing over the kitchen sink and biting into a very juicy peach. The juices would run down my cheeks and I felt like I was transported to a fruity heaven. Two words: summer fruits. I also recall sifting through the raspberry bush at Maple Lake seeking these little juicy treasures. There was always so much excitement when we picked a plump, ripe raspberry, checked for bugs, and then popped it in our mouth.  Summer fruits, we must enjoy them while we can!

The intention of this blog is to encourage you to savour the fresh fruit of the season and include them in your diet. Today, I will be highlighting my five favourite Ontario summer (and going into fall) fruits. If you would like to read more about the benefit of choosing local foods click here or you can check-out my previous blog on 5 seasonal spring foods to buy.

Check out a dietitian's top 5 summer & fall fruit picks! Click To Tweet

My Five Favourite Summer & Fall Fruits:



Ontario Growing Season

Nutritional Benefits 

How to Use 

Storage Tips

Blueberries

July- Sept 


One serving (1/2 cup):


43 calories


Good source of vitamin C (12% of daily requirement), which helps in the growth & repair of bones, teeth and skin


2 grams of fibre


Contains the antioxidant, anthocyanins which help in the prevention of diabetes, cancer & heart disease 


Enjoy on their own


Sprinkle on top of Greek yogurt or cereal


Add to smoothies or homemade popsicles


Enjoy in salads - try my Blueberry Feta Mint Salad or  Orange and Blueberry Kale Salad with chia


Store in fridge for 1-2 weeks


Store unwashed in original container or in shallow bowl covered with plastic wrap

Peach

July- Sept 

One serving (1 fruit):


59 calories


Good source of vitamin A 

(9% of daily requirement) &

vitamin C (16% daily requirement) 


2 grams of fibre; helps to feel full for longer and reduces risk for heart disease



Contains the antioxidant, chlorogenic acid, which help fight against aging and cancer



Bake and sprinkle with cinnamon


Grill on BBQ 


Add to oatmeal or cold cereal


Waffle or pancake topping


Make a peach salsa


Store in fridge for 3-5 days or in pantry for 1-3 days.


Allow peaches to ripen at room temperature and store in refrigerator in plastic bag


Raspberries

July- Oct 

One serving (1/2 cup):


33 calories


Excellent source of vitamin C (27% of daily requirement) 


 4 grams of fibre; lowers cholesterol & risk of cardiovascular disease


Good source of manganese, B vitamins, vitamin K and potassium


Enjoy on their own


Mix with other berries for a berry salad


Add to smoothies or yogurt, cereal


Use in muffin or baking recipe  




Store in fridge for 2-3 days


Store unwashed in original container or in shallow bowl covered with plastic wrap

Grapes

Aug- Sept  

One serving (1 cup):


60 calories


Good source of vitamin B6, thiamin, potassium, manganese and vitamin C


Contains resveratrol, an antioxidant which lowers risk of cardiovascular disease



Enjoy chilled grapes on their own


Freeze grapes for a snack or dessert 


Great addition to any cheese board 


Add to your favourite green salad - like my Grape and Feta Kale Salad



Store in fridge for 1-2 weeks


Store unwashed grapes in perforated plastic bag, remove any bruised/moldy ones first


Pear

Aug- Dec 

One serving (1 fruit):


102 calories


Good source of vitamin C (12% of daily requirement)


6 grams of fibre; helps to feel full, lowers cholesterol & risk of cardiovascular disease


Good source of potassium, copper, iron, and folate


Enjoy on their own


Add sliced pears with Brie to sandwiches or try my Brie and Pear salad


Carmelize with some sugar for a tasty dessert


Use while cooking for dishes like braised pork with pear slices 


Store in fridge for 5-7 weeks or in pantry for 1-4 days


To extend ripeness, allow to ripen at room temperature and then store in refrigerator in plastic bag

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Bottom Line:

We are in peak fruit season and there are so many great reasons to enjoy them! As you can see above, fruits contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against cancer and other diseases. Including colourful fruits, as well as veggies, whole grains, legumes, lean proteins and limiting processed foods is part of living well and feeling great.

Please share your favourite summer fruits (and memories) as well.

Grapes


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Andrea D’Ambrosio, RD

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Andrea D'Ambrosio is a Registered Dietitian, health-enthusiast and adoring foodie. She started Dietetic Directions as a way to share science-based information mixed with inspirational content for lifelong change.

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