Pick Your Produce by Aliza Beer, MS RD CDN

Health & F tness

Pick Your Produce

By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

There are numerous reasons to love the summer months, but one of my favorites is the abun dance of fresh and delicious fruits and vegetables. All year long I encourage my clients to snack mostly on fruit, but summertime it actually feels like a real treat and not something we have to do to stay healthy. I consistently recommend every meal include some kind of veggies, but this time of year the options are even more exciting. Fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and antioxidants that will keep us healthy, boost our immunity, and help prevent disease. They are also high in fiber, which is essential for gut health. Fiber will also keep you feeling fuller longer, preventing unnecessary snacking or overeating. Additionally, fiber slows the rise of your blood sugar when it is part of a meal. Lastly, the produce contains water, which is very much needed in these warmer months to keep us hy drated.

Here are my top ten favorite summer fruits and veggies and why you should take advantage of them this season.

Watermelon:

What’s summer without a juicy wedge of watermelon? It’s also jampacked with antioxidants like vitamin C, beta-carotene, and lycopene. Lycopene may help protect against certain cancers and heart disease. Since it is also high in water (about 91%!) it is a great addition to a prefast meal. of the fish,” berries are the true queens of the fruit. They are low calorie, high fiber, and full of vitamin C, flavonoids, potassium, and folate. Blueberries are the best of the bunch, and are loaded with anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that fight cell damage and reduce inflammation. Some research suggests that these berries bolster brain function as well. Tip: freeze fresh berries now in the summer when they are at their peak and use them all year long in smoothies, pancakes, and as toppings for your Greek yogurt or oatmeal.

Cherries:

Another summer favorite that contains only 87 calories per cup, and 306 mg of potassium, a blood-pres

sure lowering mineral that most people are not meeting the recommended daily intake of 4700 mg. Cherries are also an excellent source of anthocyanins, vitamin C, flavonoids, and fiber. Phytochemicals in cherries have been shown to lower inflammation in the body.

Lychees:

They made this list simply because I love them. They are not high in fiber, but contain a significant amount of vitamin C, copper, and potassium. The proanthocyanins present in lychees are known to have strong antiviral capabilities. Lycheetannin A2, a component of lychee, may help in preventing the spread of viruses! The skin of the lychee needs to be peeled in order to get to the flesh of the fruit. This makes for an activity and slows down the eating process. I find that the slower one eats a meal or snack, the less one ends up eating in the long run.

Peaches and Nectarines:

These fruits are at their peak in July and August. Peaches and nectarines are part of the category called stone fruits and are high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and beta carotene. They are great eaten raw but are absolutely delicious grilled!

Zucchini:

You can eat this rockstar veggie all year long, but it’s best from July until September. Zucchini is one of the lowest calorie vegetables out there, in addition to being high in fi

ber, vitamins A and C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. It has very low carbs but makes a great carb substitute, like “zoodles.” It’s very versatile and can be great as a soup, or grilled for a side dish at your BBQ, or cut them into chips and “fry” them in an air fryer for a low-calorie snack.

Eggplant:

This is technically a fruit not a veggie. Eggplant is best from July until October. It is low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins C and B6, iron, magnesium, and those antioxidant anthocyanins that give the skin its purple color. Eggplant is so sturdy and satisfying that it can behave as a main dish like eggplant parmigiana. Use it to make a no-carb homemade pizza: take eggplant slices and put marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese on them, sprinkle on some oregano and bake in the oven.

Bell Peppers: All bell peppers are loaded with antioxidants, especially vitamin C. Red peppers (my favorite!) lead the pack with nearly three times the amount of vitamin C found in oranges. They are good sources of beta carotene, folate, and fiber. Most of my salads contain red bell peppers, but roasting or grilling them are great options as well.

Cucumbers:

Made up of about 95% water, cucumbers are among the most hydrating and low calorie produce around, and are in their peak from July through October. Because they are high in both water and fiber, they are filling and refreshing, and what I consider to be a “free” food. They are also a good source of vitamin K. Throw them into your salads, snack on them, or use them instead of crackers for tuna, egg salad, chummus or even herring! Cucumber wrapped sushi rolls are a great carb free hack, allowing you to enjoy the taste of sushi without consuming the carbs.

Tomatoes:

Another fruit masquerading as a veggie, the tomato is a great source of vitamins A and C, folate, and a number of antioxidants, including choline and lycopene, the compound that gives tomatoes their red color. Tomatoes can be prepared numerous ways, from salads, to sauces, to soups, and stews. Be careful when buying readymade tomato or marinara sauce that there should be no added sugar. I love a tomato and roasted eggplant salad drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice,

All year long I encourage my clients to snack mostly on fruit, but summertime it actually feels like a real treat and not something we have to do to stay healthy.

kosher salt, garlic and basil.

All produce contains fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, water, and other nutritionally beneficial compounds. Everyone should be consuming at least 2 -4 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. I love to snack on fruit and will never eat a meal sans vegetables. Although there is no such thing as a “bad” fruit or veggie, too much of anything, even something super healthy, can be detrimental. For example, a diabetic should be careful with bananas since they spike the blood sugar quickly, and nursing mothers should limit cruciferous vegetables since they may cause a colicky baby. This is the best time of the whole year for produce, so take advantage of it, and more importantly, enjoy them and stay

healthy!

Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer