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Fruits of Summer from Fitness Elements Express






Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits of Summer

Apricots

Purchasing and storage

• Do not purchase apricots with any green color to the skin—ripe apricots are firm, plum, and bright orange-gold in color
• Choose apricots that yield to gentle pressure, and with smooth and velvety skin
• Ripen apricots that are not quite ripe in a paper bag at room temperature
• Store ripe apricots in the refrigerator for 1-2 days

Nutrition information

• 1 medium apricot contains 18 calories, 0 grams (g) protein, 0 g fat, 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 91 milligrams (mg) potassium, 34 micrograms (mcg) vitamin A, and 3.5 mg vitamin C

Uses

• Are best when eaten at room temperatures
• Broil, grill, or poach
• Use in place of nectarines or peaches in recipes
• Serve with poultry
• Other information
• If you are allergic to aspirin, you should avoid eating apricots

Domestic season

• Mid-May through mid-August

Cherries

Purchasing and storage

• Look for plump, firm cherries
• Keep cherries cool; do not store at room temperature
• Choose cherries that are 1 inch or more in diameter, hard, and appropriately colored
  • Bing cherries—almost black in color
  • Lambert cherries—bright crimson
  • Queen Anne cherries—mostly yellow
• Select cherries that still have green stems attached
• Store cherries in the refrigerator, wrapped, for up to 1 week
• Do not wash cherries before storing
• Inspect and remove cherries that are spoiled before storing, because the rot can spread to other fruit

Nutrition information

• ▪ 1 cup (C) pitted sour cherries contains 78 calories, 2 g protein, 0 g fat, 19 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 268 mg potassium, 99 mcg vitamin A, 16 mg vitamin C
• ▪ 1 C pitted sweet cherries contains 91 calories, 2 g protein, 0 g fat, 23 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 322 mg potassium, 4 mcg vitamin A, and 10 mg vitamin C

Uses

• Use sweet cherries in baked goods
• Use sour cherries in tarts, pies, and preserves
• Make chilled cherry soup, which is quite refreshing in the summer heat

Domestic season

• End of May through early-mid August, depending on variety

Mangoes

Purchasing and storage

• Choose ripe mangoes, which should yield slightly to pressure—its red blush increases as it ripens
• Avoid mangoes that have an overabundance of black freckles on the skin, although some are normal and acceptable
• Ripen mangoes at room temperature; placing them in a paper or plastic bag will speed ripening Store ripe fruit in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 2-3 days

Nutrition information

• 1 mango contains 135 calories, 1 g protein, 1 g fat, 35 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 323 mg potassium, 79 mcg vitamin A, and 57 mg vitamin C

Uses

• Eat when slightly chilled for best flavor
• Serve with yogurt, in smoothies, on rice pudding, or with angel food cake, but also excellent when eaten by itself
• Serve mango puree with fish

Domestic season

• Florida mangoes are available from May through August, with peak season in June and July

Melons

Purchasing and storage

• Choose melons that are symmetrically shaped and free of cracks or soft spots
• Look for a bit of stem at the end of watermelons, but no stem should remain when selecting other melons
• Disregard the theory of thumping and shaking melons to determine ripeness
• Choose cantaloupes with netting that covers the entire netting (no green under the netting)
• Select honeydew melon that is a pale creamy yellow, with tiny freckles on the skin
• Follow these tips when purchasing a watermelon:
  • Choose one that has a moderately shiny rind and a waxy bloom covering it
  • Select one with a bottom that is yellow, not green-white
  • Do not choose one that has a green stem still attached
  • Avoid buying cut watermelon that has white seeds, which is a sign of immaturity
• Store uncut melon at room temperature for 2-4 days, so it can reach full ripeness, and then store in refrigerator within 2 days

Nutrition information

• 1 C cantaloupe balls contains 60 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g fat, 14 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 473 mg potassium, 299 mcg vitamin A, and 65 mg vitamin C
• 1 C honeydew balls contains 64 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g fat, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 404 mg potassium, 5 mcg vitamin A, and 32 mg vitamin C
• 1 C watermelon balls contains 46 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g fat, 12 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 172 mg potassium, 43 mcg vitamin A, and 13 mg vitamin C

Uses

• Eat raw, sliced, in pieces, or balls
• Add salt to cut melon, if your diet permits
• Add chopped mint to cut melon
• Blend cantaloupe with wine or orange juice to make a melon soup
• Pickle melon rinds

Other information

• Cantaloupes are actually muskmelon—true cantaloupes are grown in Europe and are not generally exported here

Domestic season

• Watermelon: March through August
• Cantaloupe: peak season June through August
• Honeydew: peak season June through October

Peaches

Purchasing and storage

• Select peaches that are slightly soft and free of bruises
• Do not choose green peaches, which were picked when they were unripe and will not become sweet, even as their color improves
• Know that the amount of pink or red-colored blush on the peach is not a characteristic of ripeness, but of variety
• Yellow-fleshed varieties, such as Elberta, Red Haven, and Halford, contain more beta-carotene than the lighter colored varieties
• Store between 65° F-70° F to ripen peaches within 2-4 days
• Store ripened peaches in the refrigerator for 3-4 days

Nutrition information

• 1 medium peach contains 38 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 186 mg potassium, 16 mcg vitamin A, and vitamin C

Uses

• Eat fresh and unadorned
• Use in many meat and chicken dishes, broiled or poached and served warm
• Make pies and cobblers
• Combine peaches and peach yogurt to make a peach smoothie
• Find a recipe and make peach preserves

Domestic season

• April through mid-October, peaking in July and August

Pineapples

Purchasing and storage

• Disregard the theories that thumping a pineapple or pulling the crown leafs are reliable ways to measure for ripeness
• Look for firm fruit that seems heavy for its size and has fresh-looking green leaves
• Choose a pineapple with a dry base
• Leave pineapple at room temperature for 1-2 days for best results
• Store ripened pineapple in the refrigerator for 3-5 days
• Put cut-up pineapple in plastic storage containers and store in refrigerator for 6-7 days

Nutrition information

• 1 C diced pineapple contains 4 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g fat, 20 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 178 mg potassium, 5 mcg vitamin A, and 56 mg vitamin C

Uses

• Serve as is or broiled
• Use in salads
• Bake with sweet potatoes
• Serve on top of pizza
• Add to stir-fry
• Place on skewers or grill slices
• Never use fresh pineapple in gelatin salads, because it contains an enzyme that prevents gelatin from setting
• Wait to mix pineapple with cottage cheese or yogurt until just before serving
• Use pineapple as a meat tenderizer or for marinades

Domestic season

• Peak season March through June

Strawberries

Purchasing and storage

• Choose berries with a deep, uniform, red color and intact green caps
• Do not sweeten berries after picking
• Purchase strawberries that are dry and firm
• Remove any bruised or rotten berries from the container before storing
• Keep strawberries refrigerated
• Never rinse or remove the green cap from strawberries before storing
• Store strawberries, if possible, on a large sheet, no more than 2 deep and cover the tray
• Use within 2-3 days of purchase

Nutrition information

• 1 cup strawberries contains 53 calories, 1 g protein, 1 g fat, 13 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 254 mg potassium, 2 mcg vitamin A, and 98 mg vitamin C

Uses

• Use in salad
• Serve with cereal
• Mix with yogurt
• Add chopped berries to pancakes, waffles, or muffin batter for extra flavor
• Other information
• Ounce for ounce, strawberries contain more vitamin C than oranges

Domestic season

• Peak season April through July

References

Apollo A, Benzaia D, Callahan J, et al. Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal.Pleasantville, NY: Reader’s Digest; 1997.

Margen S, University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter. The
Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition. New York, NY: Rebus Publishing: 1992.

US Dept of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. What’s in the food you eat search tool. Available at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=7783. Accessed April 29, 2008.

Have a Happy and Healthy Day!!