Summer is abundant with some of the juiciest fruits and freshest vegetables which are packed full of powerful nutrients and minerals that can help to boost your health and wellbeing.
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Here are eight seasonal, summer superfoods you should be adding to your diet and the reasons why:
PEACHES
The benefits: Nothing says summer like a delicious, juicy peach. Packed full of the vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as six of the B complex vitamins, potassium and fibre, the humble peach can help to improve vision, assist our immune system, and help ease bloating by ensuring the digestive system runs smoothly.
AVOCADOS
The benefits: Avocados are nutritional gems, and a rich source of monounsaturated fat that your body can easily burn for energy. As they are so rich in healthy fats, avocados help your body absorb fat-soluble nutrients from other foods. They also provide close to 20 essential health-boosting nutrients, including fibre, potassium, vitamin E, B vitamins, magnesium and folic acid to aid weight loss, lower cholesterol, and help to regulate blood sugar levels.
SPIRULINA
The benefits: Spirulina is a blue-green algae that serves as a powerful detoxifying agent when taken daily. Containing vitamins C, B, A, D and E, amino acids, iron, calcium and copper, to name only a few, spirulina encourages a natural detox of the body, providing an instant energy boost and helping to balance blood sugar levels. One of the easiest ways to add spirulina into your diet is via a greens powder, ReJuvenate (£25.25, available from www.water-for-health.co.uk), a new, nutritious greens formula which contains a good dose of spirulina as well as other of nutrient-rich vegetables, cereal grasses, herbs and fruits, designed to pack a nutritional punch and protect against a range of health issues.
PINEAPPLE
The benefits: Along with being fat-free and delicious, pineapples contain bromelain, an enzyme that helps with digestion and prevents the formation of blood clots. Pineapple can help prevent swelling, which is most common during the summer months and they’re also rich in vitamin C, manganese, thiamine (vitamin B1) which are essential for healthy bones.
WATERMELON
The benefits: Watermelon is essential for every summer diet, mainly because it hydrates the body. Watermelons are comprised of 92 percent water and 6 percent sugar, so while it is hydrating the body it also helps to maintain electrolytes that are lost by excessive sweating. Watermelon is packed with vitamins, containing 20 percent of the daily value of vitamin A, which helps with eye health, and vitamin C, which improves your immune system.
CAULIFLOWER
The benefits: Whether you whizz it up into rice, flatten it into a pizza base, or serve it up with a roast dinner, cauliflower is a healthy addition to any diet. It’s full of vitamin C and K, beta-carotene, and sulforaphane, a sulfur compound, helping to reduce inflammation, boost brain cells, heart health and aids digestion.
CHLORELLA
The benefits: This green-algae contains the highest amount of chlorophyll of any known plant, and is rich in vitamins B, C, D, E, K and minerals including, phosphorous, calcium, zinc, magnesium and iron. It is most honoured as a powerful detoxification tool and excels in removing harmful toxins from your body.
GREEN TEA
The benefits: Popular in Chinese medicine, green tea has been used to cure headaches and help ease depressive feelings. The leaves are rich in antioxidants due to the way they are processed, and contain a range of complex B vitamins, manganese, potassium and caffeine. Taken in either tablet or liquid form, the tea is considered to be helpful for weight loss, reducing cholesterol and also prevent cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.