Nutrient Rich Late Summer Foods
As things slow down for the season (hello, cooler mornings and earlier evenings), nature is busy preparing fresh yields ripe for picking.
These foods not only add delicious flavors and textures to our diets, but they can provide an abundance of fruitful nutrients (pun intended!)
To savor the end of summer, here are 8 foods ready for you to reap their rewards:
1. Blackberries. Antioxidants, insoluble fiber, and nutrients such as vitamins C, E, and K, manganese, and calcium make these dark purple/black fruits perfect for a breakfast parfait, afternoon snack, or homemade dessert.
For a sweet treat: Southern Vegan Blackberry Cobbler
2. Sweet corn. Grown locally, sweet corn boasts fiber, vitamin C, and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin (beneficial to eye health).
Option for a barbecue side dish: Napa Sweet Corn Salad
3. Melons. These round fruits with thick skins offer antioxidants such as beta carotene, selenium, and vitamin C as well as fiber and potassium. A higher water content also gives a hydration boost.
For a light summer dinner: Hugh Acheson’s Sautéed Catfish with Cantaloupe, Lime, and Cilantro Salsa
4. Peaches. In Colorado, summer may not feel complete without a ripe Palisade peach. These beauties are full of potassium, antioxidants, and beta-carotene which make their sweet taste all that more alluring.
Try an on the go breakfast option: Almond Butter Peach Blueberry Oatmeal Cups
5. Eggplant. These aubergines come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and offer up fiber, folate, manganese, potassium, and vitamins K and C – all within a low calorie content.
For a colorful meal: Greek Stuffed Eggplant
6. Figs. In addition to potassium, figs are a good source of prebiotics (food for probiotics – helpful for a healthy microbiome).
On your next charcuterie board: Honey, Balsamic & Rosemary Roasted Figs
7. Squash. Filled with vitamins A, B6 and C, beta-carotene, magnesium, calcium, and iron, these versatile vegetables are a late summer and early fall delight.
Keep it simple with: Sautéed Yellow Squash
8. Tomatoes. Thanks to the antioxidant lycopene, tomatoes can benefit the eyes, heart, immune system, lungs, and skin.
For a seasonal meal: Homemade Tomato Soup (Fresh Tomatoes)
The gardens and fields are calling! Enjoy the harvest as summer slowly winds down and nourish your body at the same time.
For naturopathic health support (for such things as food sensitivities, stress, pain, sleep, digestion, hormones, testing, and supplements), please call us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation with Dr. Graves.
The CNMA office provides naturopathic care, acupuncture, testing, massage, and holistic counseling to those in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, and the greater Denver metro area. For those outside of these areas, virtual appointments are available.
*CNMA does not endorse any website, recipe, product, or third party entity.
REFERENCES:
https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-blackberries
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/corn-health-benefits
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279176#benefits
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eggplant-benefits
https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-figs
https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-squash
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ss/slideshow-tomato-health-benefits
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