After the beginning of summer, a wide variety of fruits with various flavors are put on the market one after another.
The Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022) recommends a daily fruit intake of 200-350 grams for adults, which is equivalent to a medium-sized apple or orange. However, according to the results of the 2015-2017 monitoring of the nutritional health status of Chinese residents, the average daily consumption of fruit per standard person in mainland China was 38.1 grams, and the proportion of urban and rural residents reaching the recommended amount was only 4%. We can buy fresh fruits to enrich our diet, adjust the tastes of our families, relieve the heat and humidity, and gradually adapt to the hot weather in summer.
01
cherry
As time goes by, in early summer, the most anticipated fruit is a handful of red beads hanging low under the verdant leaves - cherries.
Cherries are not only delicious in taste, but also in the various nutrients they are rich in. Cherries are rich in vitamin C, potassium and anthocyanins. Anthocyanins, which are generally hidden in dark fruits, are powerful antioxidants that protect the body from free radical damage. Anthocyanins can also enhance the elasticity of blood vessels, improve the circulatory system and enhance skin smoothness, inhibit inflammation and allergic symptoms, and improve joint flexibility. Cherries have a low glycemic index and are suitable for diabetics. Cherries are also higher in potassium and are helpful for stabilizing blood pressure. There are many varieties of cherries on the market, and their nutritional value is also different. In addition to the fruit, cherry leaves can be used to boil water to aid digestion. When choosing cherries, choose those with intact skin, full color, stiff feel, and emerald green stems.
02
Bayberry
When it comes to bayberry, it reminds people of the misty water towns in the south of the Yangtze River. Bayberry is arguably the "southernmost fruit". There is an essay in the primary school Chinese textbook "I love the bayberry of my hometown", "The bayberry is round, the same size as the longan, and there are small thorns all over the body. When you pick one and put it in your mouth, you will feel the smooth thorns of bayberry on the tip of your tongue, which will make you feel delicate and soft." For southerners, bayberry is the most beautiful feeling on the tip of the tongue and an expression of nostalgia. For northerners, when logistics is not developed, delicious bayberry cannot be stored, and it is also out of reach.
Bayberry can be eaten directly, or processed into bayberry paste, preserves, etc. The anthocyanin content in bayberry ranks among the top in fruits, and anthocyanins are antioxidants, which are good for protecting blood vessels, beauty and skin care, and anti-inflammatory. Bayberry contains a lot of organic acids, such as malic acid and citric acid, which can stimulate saliva and gastric acid secretion, which is very suitable for people with poor appetite in summer. However, people who have too much stomach acid and are prone to acid reflux should not eat too much. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that bayberry has the effect of quenching thirst and eliminating appetite in the stomach, and can play a certain role in regulating fullness after eating, indigestion of food, etc.
03
枇杷
"At the foot of Luofu Mountain, the four springs of the reed orange and bayberry are the newest", the Northern Song Dynasty writer Su Shi mentioned in the poem that the reed orange in early summer refers to the loquat. When it comes to loquat, everyone thinks of "cough suppressant". In fact, the common loquat paste and loquat dew on the market are made from loquat leaves as the main raw material. The water content of the loquat fruit reaches 89%, and it is almost juice in one mouthful, which can relieve the symptoms of throat discomfort.
Loquat can provide vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber for the human body, as well as moisturizing the lungs and relieving cough. It can be used as a food supplement or medicine, and it is a fruit sought after by many people in life. In addition, loquat is high in potassium and low in sodium, and is also rich in antioxidants. Loquat is easy to oxidize and turn black after collision and peeling, so it is best to eat it in time and eat it while peeling. Loquat can also be paired with other ingredients, such as loquat stewed pear, loquat white fungus soup, etc., which makes the taste richer.
04
apricot
There is a folk saying that "eat an apricot in the beginning of summer, and there will be no disease when you are old", although it is an exaggeration, but it is enough to see everyone's recognition of its nutritional value. In addition to being rich in potassium, apricots are also rich in carotene, more than 60% of which are β-carotene.
There is a saying that "apricots hurt people" for eating apricots in large quantities. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that apricots are warm and hot fruits, and eating them in large quantities will cause sores on the mouth and tongue, constipation, etc. From the principle of food variety and balanced nutrition, moderate amounts are sufficient, as long as it does not exceed 4-5 pills each time, there is no problem. Speaking of apricots, we have to mention almonds. Almonds are divided into sweet almonds and bitter almonds. Bitter almonds contain amygdalin, which can be poisoned if eaten in excess, so they should be steamed and fried before eating. Sweet almonds contain fat, protein, and are also rich in vitamin E, vitamin B2, and minerals such as calcium, zinc, and selenium, and can be eaten regularly.
At the end of spring and the beginning of summer, there are warm and healing colors as far as the eye can see, and the taste is rich and sweet. Please keep the fruit within reach of you, eat it at any time, and feel the beauty of summer at any time.