Eat These Fruits Now
April Daniels-Hussar,SELF magazine
We may live in a country where we can pretty much buy any type of produce, in some form or another, all year long, but there's something to be said for biting into a yummy piece of fruit that's fresh and in season.
And there's definitely something about spring that makes juicy, fresh fruits even more appealing (especially after Easter candy overload!). Yahoo! searches for "fruit trees" are up 125 percent this month, and lots of other fruit-related searching are buzzing. So what are some of the best, healthy picks for treating your sweet tooth now?
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SELF contributing editors Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh, registered dietitians and co-founders of C&J Nutrition, shared their top three picks for delicious, in-season fruits to buy and eat now:
Strawberries: There really isn't anything better than a perfectly ripe strawberry! Nutritionally, they're low in calories and packed with fiber and vitamin C (a powerful antioxidant that is also involved in collagen production, so it's important for healthy skin, hair and nails). Ten large berries deliver around 3.5 grams fiber and over 100 percent of your daily vitamin C needs ... for less than 60 calories.
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We love eating strawberries right out of the carton (after they're washed), but they're also amazing sliced over a spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette. Nutrition bonus: The vitamin C in the strawberries helps your body more efficiently absorb the iron in the spinach!
Limes: Fresh lime juice is so flavorful and versatile. We find that you can really give your foods a flavor kick when limes are juicy and in-season. That flavor kick is one of the best nutrition benefits, because limes allow you to add more flavor to your food without a ton of extra calories (the juice of 1/4 of a lime has around 5 calories). Limes also contain flavonoids -- powerful antioxidants that can help ward off cell damage in our bodies.
One of our favorite uses of lime is to cube an avocado and drizzle it with lime juice and a sprinkle of chili powder (or cayenne pepper, if you like it really spicy!).
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Apricots: Due to the warmer than usual weather, we hear apricots will be available earlier this year and that makes us really happy. Four apricots deliver nearly 20 percent of your daily needs for vitamin A (which is important for healthy skin, and helps regulate your immune system!) and almost 3 grams of fiber, for under 70 calories.
While you might not think of COOKING apricots, we have discovered that broiled apricots with ginger are amazing. Cut fresh apricots in half and sprinkle with a pinch of freshly grated ginger and a drizzle of honey. Then, broil them on low for about 5 minutes -- or until they're soft and look like they're about to melt. You can eat them just like this or you can sprinkle them with slivered almonds and serve over nonfat plain Greek yogurt for an amazing snack or dessert (or add some oats and create a delicious breakfast!).
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5 Simple Steps to Cellulite-Free Skin
3 CrossFit Total-Body Workouts
50 Healthiest Snacks
6 Secrets to Firing Up Your Metabolism
