Summer markets bring an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables that taste absolutely nothing like their off-season or greenhouse-grown cousins. There is nothing quite like biting into a plump, sun-kissed tomato or squishing a watermelon’s fragrant flesh on a hot summer’s day. Other than tasting great, summer foods contain an abundance of healthy vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to support a healthy immune system and enhance your body’s ability to heal itself. So, whether you suffered a recent injury, or your health just isn’t what it used to be, here are five tasty summer foods to support a healthy immune system and get your body feeling like new:
Melons for Vitamins, Potassium, and Manganese
Watermelons, cantaloupes, and honeydews are popular in fruit salads and on hot summer days by the pool. Due to the high water content and subtly sweet flavour, watermelon continues to be a favourite seasonal fruit enjoyed by people of all ages. also happen to be packed with vitamins A, C, B6, lycopene, anti-oxidants, and amino acids; and since mainly made out of water, it’s a highly nutritious and fat-free snack with a negligible quantity of calories per serving. Amino acids are essential in repairing muscle, bone, and skin tissue, so if you’re recovering from a sports injury, consider snacking on the world’s best-loved summer snack.
Berries for Vitamins, Antioxidants, and Fibre
Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries: easy to eat, delicious, and extremely healthy. Organic and freshly picked berries taste even better, so if you’re a big fan of these edible gems, consider growing berry bushes in your own backyard. These berries are packed with vitamin C, phenolics, and antioxidants, and are an excellent source of fibre. Thanks to its cancer-fighting properties, blueberries are often listed as some of the world’s healthiest fruit. Berries also contain anthocyanins, which are shown to fight free radicals, inflammation, and even cancer.
Corn for Vitamins and Minerals
Corn like high-fructose corn syrup often give this bountiful golden vegetable a bad reputation, but whole, unadulterated corn is not only extremely healthy, it’s also delicious and fun to eat. Rich in B vitamins, vitamin C, potassium, iron, magnesium, and even protein, corn’s naturally sweet taste comes from its relatively high sugar content. Corn’s antioxidant properties play an essential role in fighting certain cancers. To get the most out of your corn product, choose fresh, just-picked corn from a farmer’s market.
Garlic for Vitamins and Almost Everything Else
If you’re recovering from a sports injury or living with chronic pain, garlic might just be your new best friend. From a culinary standpoint, garlic is never used as a main dish, owing to its strong, overpowering taste. The smallest amounts of garlic are often enough to flavour a meal and to provide you with its long list of health benefits. This garnish contains high amounts of manganese, selenium, fibre, vitamins B and C, and trace amounts of every other healthy nutrient our bodies need. People often use garlic to fight colds, reduce blood pressure, lower their LDL cholesterol, and boost immune function. But did you know that garlic has also been shown to improve athletic performance?
Tomatoes for Vitamin C and Lycopene
We’re fans of this bountiful summer crop. Not only do tomatoes taste like an entirely different food in the summertime, but there are just so many varieties of these red gems to choose from. Pack a handful of grape tomatoes in a container to eat as a delicious snack, or garnish your juicy burger with a fresh slice of beefsteak tomato. Tomatoes contain high amounts of vitamins C, A, and E, potassium, and all the powerful carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene). If you’re looking for a vegetable (or fruit, technically) to give your body a head-to-toe health boost, tomatoes are the best.
Pacific Health and Sports Therapy believes that true health requires a holistic approach. Maintaining a healthy diet is just as important to your well-being as receiving chiropractic treatment and massage therapy. Try these healthy summer foods to improve your health, restore your well-being, and boost your immunity.
