As Henry David Thoreau said – “Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the seasonal fruit.”
In summers, we eat mango, the king of fruits, for its rich flavour. Its experience creates magic in our taste buds. Why does it happen that apples are sweeter during fall, or the orange is juicier in winter? That’s because every seasonal fruit tastes better in the season, as it naturally ripens to reach its wholesome taste and nutritional richness. Here, we are going to discuss a few seasonal fruits and their benefits.
What are the Benefits of Eating Seasonal (Summer, Monsoon, Winter) Fruits?
With every season, there are climatic changes that affect everything around. Eventually, to accommodate these changing seasons without getting ill, we all require a different seasonal food set to gain the best nutritional values.
To support us in our endeavour to remain healthy with the changing season, seasonal fruits come to our aid, as they are power-packed with all vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. These help our body fulfill its nutritional demands.
Summer Seasonal Fruits and It’s Benefits
Read the benefits of these seasonal fruits of summer, which are delicious and great for maintaining summertime health.
Summers are among the most sensitive seasons. During summers, the body gets dehydrated very quickly, and energy levels drop drastically. Due to the hot climate, energy levels need to be maintained with the correct water level.
To ensure that your body gets a sufficient amount of water and nutritional balance, we recommend the following seasonal fruits that are best consumed in summer to stay active and fresh.
1. Watermelon Fruit
Summer means watermelon. Do you agree? Watermelons are the summer seasonal fruit that aids as a one-single solution to all your summer-related health issues. With this seasonal fruit, prevent health issues such as skin breakouts, kidney stones, muscle soreness, asthma, water retention, constipation, and heart disease.
2. Muskmelon Fruit
Are you suffering from sleep disorders? Try consuming muskmelon. This seasonal fruit controls your blood pressure too. It also prevents eye problems.
3. LycEat this delicious fruit to promote blood circulation in your body. This amazing fruit is great for your skin and helps maintain eye, heart, and bone health with daily consumption. Moreover, it also helps lose weight faster, manages acidity, promotes anti-aging, and helps with indigestion due to its fibrous nutrients. This seasonal fruit is also good for asthmatic patients.
100 grams of fresh lychees contains the following nutrients:
Calories: 66 kcals
Protein: 0.83 g
Fat: 0.44 g
Fibre: 1.3 g
Carbohydrates: 16.5 g
4. Mango Fruit
Love mango? Who doesn’t! In India, it is crowned as the king of fruits. But apart from its sweet and delicious taste, it also prevents diseases related to the heart. Not only this, but with its seasonal consumption, you can avoid cancer formation and related risk factors.
Given below are the nutrients that one can gain with 1 cup sliced mangoes (165 grams) –
Calories – 122
Protein – 1.0 grams
Carbohydrates – 27.9 grams
Fats – 0.7 grams
Fiber – 3.3 grams
5. Limes Fruit
A super seasonal fruit, this comes with a ton of medicinal properties. Drinking a glass of lime juice every day can help you stay fit. It is a superb fruit that can help you beautify internally and externally and also boosts energy levels.
6. Jackfruit
Jackfruit not only it helps in the prevention of colon cancer threats, but this antioxidant’s rich seasonal fruit helps to make your skin glow and also improves skin complexion.
1 cup (165 grams) raw sliced jackfruit contains
Calories – 155
Carbs – 38.5 g
Fibre – 2.5 g
Protein – 2.8 g
Sugar- 31.48 g
7. Champagne Grapes Fruit
If you deal with a migraine headache, then eat this fruit. It is also useful in the healing of kidney disorders and also helps control blood pressure.
Late Summer and Pre-monsoon Fruits and It’s Benefits
This is a time when Summer is about to end but the unpleasant heat, increasing humidity invites illness and discomfort. Our immunity needs an extra dose of antioxidants to stay healthy during this time. Following fruits are loaded with magical shield agents. Including them in your daily diet routine, you can reap the benefits.
1. Barbados Cherries Fruit
This fruit helps in metabolism improvement. Also, these small cherries can help slow down the spread of lung cancer.
2. Black Jamun Fruit
Black Jamun has loads of nutritional value and is a low-calorie fruit too. It consists of folate, vitamins, potassium, and iron. A seasonal fruit that may help you fight gastric problems, manage diabetes, improve immunity, and help regulate blood pressure.
3. Blackberries Fruit
Blackberry is a perfect solution for those with oily skin. It helps increase red blood cells, prevents cancer, and promotes the growth of healthy bones. Blackberry is a seasonal fruit that may help control diabetes.
Carbohydrates – 13.8g
Fat – 0.7g
Sugars – 7g
Protein – 2g
Sodium – 1mg
Dietary Fiber – 7.6g, which is 32% of the daily requirement
Vitamin C – 30mg, which is 50% of the daily requirement
Vitamin K – 29 micrograms, which is 36% of the daily requirement
Folate – 36 micrograms, which is 9% of the daily requirement
Eating a cup of blackberries also contains 6% of the daily requirement of Vitamin A & E, 7% of the daily need for magnesium and potassium, and 5% of the daily need for iron, niacin, and zinc.
4. Peaches Fruit
Peaches are the best fruit for pregnant women, as it helps promote the baby’s growth during pregnancy. This seasonal fruit helps keep your eye and skin healthy during summers. Eat this fruit daily and get rid of muscle cramps.
100 grams of a peach contains:
Calories: 42 Kcal
Carbohydrate: 10g
Protein: 0.9g
Dietary fibre: 1.5g
Sodium: 13mg
Potassium: 122mg
Iron: 0.3mg
Calcium: 4mg
Vitamin C: 4.1mg
Vitamin K1: 3mcg
Sugar: 8.1g
5. Plums Fruit
Plums, locally known as Aloo Bukhara, is a rich source of folic acid. With plums consumption, you can reduce scars marks. Moreover, it helps keep your skin healthy and younger.
6. Cherries Fruit
Cherries are seasonal fruits that help you get rid of that belly fat. It improves your sleep disorders and also controls blood pressure.
Monsoon Seasonal Fruits and It’s Benefits
Monsoon brings many infections, body allergies, and gastrointestinal disorders. You are also prone to skin rashes, digestive difficulties, malaria, etc. To avoid catching these health issues, get yourself prepared with seasonal fruits. The seasonal fruits boost your immunity levels and make you fit and active all day long.
1. Pear Fruit
Boost your immunity levels with the consumption of 1 pear every day during the monsoon season. Its one serving comprises up to 12% of vitamin C per 100 g serving, which is enough for your daily vitamin C nutritional value needs. If you are on a diet, try out this seasonal fruit, as it’s extremely fiber rich.
2. White Jamun Fruit
White Jamuns are a variant of black jamuns. It has refreshing and cooling properties. The Jamuns have a white to pinkish toned skin with a waxy texture. This seedless fruit is juicy and tastes mildly sweet. White jamuns are good for diabetes, as it helps to improve blood sugar control.
3. Blueberries Fruit
Its nutritional value aids in the improvement of brain function and promotes memory sharpening in children.
Half a cup (approx. 80grams) serving of blueberries contains:
Calories: 42
Protein: 1 gram
Sugar: 7 grams
Fat: Less than 1 gram
Carbohydrates: 11 grams
Fibre: 2 grams
4. Pomegranate Fruit
Pomegranate is a monsoon fruit that has immune-boosting properties. It helps in the prevention of numerous infections, such as cold and flu. Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants and also contains anti-inflammatory properties that benefit arthritis patients. It also controls blood pressure.
100 grams of pomegranate arils contains the following nutrients.
Calories: 83 kcal
Carbohydrates: 18.7 g
Sugar: 13.67 g
Fibre: 4 g
Protein: 1.67 g
Fat: 1.17 g
Winter Seasonal Fruits and It’s Benefits
Winter is a festive season in India. It brings a lot of fresh fruits that are full of nutritional values. Check out a few seasonal fruits for a pleasant winter.
1. Orange Fruit
Oranges are popular due to their natural sweetness. They are a type of low calorie, highly nutritious citrus fruit. Oranges contribute to strong, clear skin and can help lower the risk of many health conditions.
Nutritional Facts of Orange
Calories – 60
Fiber – 3 grams
Sugar – 12 grams
Protein – 1 gram
Vitamin A – 14 Micrograms
Vitamin C – 70 Milligrams
Calcium – 6% of the daily recommended dose
Potassium – 237 Milligrams
Carbohydrates – 15.4 grams
2. Sweet Lime
Sweet lime contains less acid than other limes and is loved for its mild and sweet flavour. Although difficult to eat because of its excessive seeds, sweet lime juice on the other hand is quite popular for its divine taste. You can consume a glass of freshly squeezed lime juice with the pulp to reap its benefits.
3. Figs Fruit
Resembling a teardrop, figs are a unique fruit filled with tiny seeds and have a mild, sweet taste. They are packed with nutrients and offer a variety of health benefits such as, decrease the risk of heart disease, help manage blood sugar levels and promote healthy digestion.
The nutritional value per 100 grams of fresh fig fruits is:
Nutritional Values
Energy – 74 Kcal
Carbohydrates – 19.18 g
Protein – 0.75 g
Total Fat – 0.30 g
Dietary Fibre – 2.9 g
Folates – 6 µg
Niacin – 0.400 mg
Pantothenic acid – 0.300 mg
Pyridoxine – 0.113 mg
Riboflavin – 0.050 mg
Thiamin – 0.060
4. Strawberries Fruit
Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C. They are rich in antioxidants and plant compounds, which may have benefits for heart health and blood sugar control. These berries are bright red, sweet, juicy and loved by most.
5. Guava Fruit
Guava is a super immunity booster that can help you prevent diabetes and cancer. It improves heart health and treats constipation. Guava acts as an anti-stress agent and also promotes better eyesight.
100 grams of guava contains the following nutrients:
Calories: 68 kcal
Carbohydrates: 14.32 g
Sugar: 8.92 g
Fibre: 5.4 g
Protein: 2.55 g
Fat: 0.95 g
6. Grapes Fruit
It contains vitamin C and K. You can fight chronic disease due to its high antioxidant properties. Eat this fruit to prevent cancer risks and promote heart health.
7. Custard Apple Fruit
Also known as Seetaphal or Sharifa, it is a seasonal fruit that helps fight against anaemia. You can eat this fruit daily during the season to avoid acne and pimples.
8. Pineapple Fruit
It is a healing fruit. Doctors highly recommend fresh pineapple juice for faster healing during an injury. It also reduces cancer risks, controls blood pressure, and prevents cold and cough.
The nutritional value of 100 grams of pineapple is as follows: –
Calories – 56.6
Carbohydrate – 9.42 grams
Fat – 0.16 grams
Protein – 0.52 grams
Fibre – 3.46 grams
9. Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit is low in calorie count but rich in fiber, this seasonal fruit helps you to increase the white blood cell count in your body.
A 100-gram serving of dragon fruit contains:
Calories – 60
Protein – 2.0 gram
Carbohydrates – 9.0 grams
Fat – 2.0 gram
Fiber – 1.5 grams
10. Cape Gooseberries
A fruit for bone strengthening, this is a wonder fruit. Eat regularly and keep your diabetes under control. It also helps you avoid the cold and flu.
Year-Round Seasonal Fruits In India and It’s Benefits
Some fruits are available year-round and full of nutritional benefits. Know and include them in your daily fruit diet. Here we go –
1. Apple Fruit
“An Apple a Day Keeps Doctor Away.” – A saying that still holds. Apples are among the best fruits for women. It promotes good gut bacteria and is probiotic. A fruit that makes your teeth stronger and sparkling. This year-round fruit is also suitable for diabetic patients. It also prevents skin cancer and fights against asthma.
2. Banana Fruit
Bananas are a rich source of vitamin B6. It comes with additional health benefits, such as guarding against type-2 diabetes. Banana is a good fruit for weight loss and reduces swellings. It also strengthens the nervous system and promotes the production of white blood cells.
100 grams of (approx. one medium-sized) raw banana contains:
Calories: 89 kcal
Carbohydrates: 22.84 g
Dietary fibre: 12.23 g
Sugar: 2.6 g
Fat: 0.33 g
Protein: 1.09 g
Vitamin B6: 0.4 mg
Vitamin C: 8.7 mg
Manganese: 0.27 mg
Potassium: 358 mg
Magnesium: 27 mg
3. Papaya Fruit
This is very good for digestion and weight loss, as it contains high fiber. It is packed with an enzyme known as papain. It is also a rich source of vitamin C. Papita/Papaya plays a vital role in the renewal process of muscle tissue. It even guards you against sunburns & helps reduce acne.
Nutritional Value of Papaya
There are many benefits of eating papaya. Papayas are an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K. 100 grams of ripe papaya consists of 32 calories, 0.6g of protein, 0.1g of fat, 7.2g of carbs and 2.6g of fiber.
4. Dates
It is a super nutritious fruit that highly improves brain functions. Dates reduce the chance of catching microbial infections. It is highly rich in antioxidants and also improves bowel movement. It is also a facilitator of natural labor.
Conclusion
Seasonal fruits support our digestion, metabolism, and overall wellness. That eventually helps us to fight seasonal diseases and stay active throughout the year-round. Therefore, eat seasonal fruits that are available during the season and avoid that off-season fruit shopping!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Why are non-seasonal fruits sold at a high price?
A. When fruits are grown in the off-season, there are various chemical procedures applied. Additionally, transportation and storage add the extra cost to it, due to which non-seasonal fruits are much costlier.
Q. Why is it more sensible to eat the fruits in their season?
A. It is because seasonal fruits are cheaper, affordable, super tasty, and healthy. The seasonal fruits are fully packed with nutritional values, and they have their natural flavours that add to their freshness and quality. You reap the most benefits out of seasonal fruit.
Q. Why are seasonal fruits rich in flavour?
A. The reason is that they are produced fresh on farms. No chemicals are there for their survival and external implications for their appearance during the season. Also, it is hand-picked when it has fully ripened, and so it tastes rich in flavour.
Q. Are seasonal fruits cost-efficient?
A. Yes. The supply and demand clearly explain that fresh seasonal fruits are cost-cutters too for your grocery shopping. When these are grown during the season, it is plentiful, so the cost is lower.
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