Eating seasonally is great for many reasons. Produce that’s harvested and sold in-season is typically more flavorful, has a higher nutrient content, and looks better overall, plus it’s less expensive thus easier on your wallet.
Ready to shop seasonally, just in time for summer? Keep reading for the Curated Wellness Teams’ top 5 picks for the best nutrient-dense summer foods.
Watermelon
It’s probably no surprise that watermelon appears first on the list. This nutrient-dense and delicious fruit is a popular choice for all-things-summer including barbecues, beach trips, afternoons at the pool, and even makes frequent appearances on things like summer apparel and beach towels.
Watermelon is not only delicious, but it’s extremely nutrient-dense as well. One of the many things that makes this fruit an ideal choice for summer is its high-water content (91% of it to be exact) which can help to prevent dehydration, a common occurrence during hot summer months. Dehydration occurs when there is a reduction of water in the body, and it's important that individuals actively consume not only pure water, but fruits and vegetables rich in water as well.
In addition to its hydrating qualities, watermelon is also a great source of vitamins and nutrients including vitamin C, lycopene, and citrulline. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that is important for boosting immune health, supporting healthy skin, bones and cartilage, and in wound healing. Lycopene is the antioxidant that gives watermelon its vibrant red color, and is used when the body converts beta carotene into its active form of vitamin A. Finally, watermelon is one of the best sources of citrulline, an amino acid that can positively impact your blood pressure and supports many organs throughout the body.
Watermelon is often enjoyed raw as a stand-alone side, but there are many other ways to enjoy this delicious fruit including grilled, as part of a feta-watermelon salad, in smoothies, or frozen as a healthy sweet treat.
Berries
Berries are a well-known superfood whose short season is celebrated by all. Similar to watermelon, these little fruits are often found at summer farmers markets, events, and in the cooler at the beach as they are one of the healthiest and most refreshing foods around. All varieties of berries including blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and grapes have similar benefits.
One of the most notable qualities of berries is their high antioxidant levels—nutrients that help to fight free radicals in the body. Antioxidants in addition to controlling free radicals help to lower oxidative stress, decrease inflammation, protect the cells, and lower the risk of chronic disease. Berries are also rich in several other nutrients including vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin K1. Both manganese and vitamin K1 are important for healthy bone formation, blood clotting, glucose metabolism, and healthy heart function.
Berries of all kinds are often enjoyed fresh, as-is, though are also delicious as additions to salads, pureed into dressings, as a healthy afternoon snack, in homemade popsicles, and as a main ingredient in smoothies. And kids often love them straight from the freezer!
Kale
Similar to berries, there are many different varieties of leafy greens that are low calorie and pack a hefty nutrient punch. Some of the most popular in-season leafy greens include but are not limited to swiss chard, romaine lettuce, spinach, and most notably kale.
Kale is one of the most nutrient dense vegetables available due to its high vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant count. There are seven different types of kale including Curly, Lacinato, Red Russian, Siberian, Redbore, Chinese, and Baby Kale. Each type has its own unique type of leaf and flavor profile, making them all great choices for many different types of cuisines. The most common type of kale that you’ll likely see in grocery stores is Curly Kale, which can be identified by its green and curly leaves as well as its thick, hard stem.
Kale is high in many vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, calcium, and potassium. Both calcium and potassium play an important role in bone and cellular health, and are common nutrients that many people are lacking in. In addition, kale is exceptionally high in many antioxidants including lutein and zeaxanthin, two powerful antioxidants that help to protect the eyes as we age.
Kale’s nutrient profile is best preserved when it is enjoyed raw, though the texture can be difficult to enjoy without a little bit of prep. For a delicious kale salad, massage kale with cold-pressed organic olive oil until the texture is soft and wilted. Add desired toppings like grilled salmon, walnuts, blueberries, and red onion for a filling and nutrient-dense summer meal.
Tomatoes
Although tomatoes are technically a fruit they are most often prepared and eaten similarly to vegetables. They come in many different colors, shapes, and varieties, some more common than others (did you know that there are purple tomatoes?). Tomatoes are found year round in most grocery stores, though their growing season is summer which is when they taste best.
Tomatoes are one of the best dietary sources of lycopene, an important carotenoid and amino acid found in the highest concentrations in the skin. This nutrient gives tomatoes their deep red color, so the redder the tomato you find the more lycopene it likely contains. Tomatoes are also high in several vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K1. Consumption of this nutrient dense food has been linked to lower disease risk, specifically cardiovascular and cancer, and improved skin health.
Tomatoes can be enjoyed in many different forms including raw, grilled, roasted, and sun-dried. Tomato based products including pizza sauce, pasta sauce, and tomato juice can provide a good source of the nutrients found in tomatoes, though it is best to limit large amounts of these products due to potential additives like sodium and sugar.
Avocados
Avocados, like tomatoes, are another unique fruit that makes the list for our top 5 nutrient dense summer foods. Unlike most fruits which are composed mostly of carbohydrates, avocados are high in healthy fats making them a powerful superfood to eat this summer. There are different types of avocados, ranging in different shapes and sizes. They are well-known for their unique, rich taste, and bright green colored flesh.
As far as nutrient density goes, avocados have a lot to brag about. They are high in fiber, loaded with antioxidants, high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and great sources of vitamin C, E, B, K, folate, and potassium. When looking at nutrient-density, both fiber and healthy fat amounts are important to consider as fiber is essential for satiety and maintaining a healthy digestive system, while healthy fats support nutrient absorption and optimal brain function.
Avocados can be enjoyed as a snack with a dash of pink himalayan sea salt and freshly ground pepper, on toast, in salads, as guacamole, and as a topping for sandwiches just to name a few.
Watermelon Protein Cooler
Hydrating nutrients of watermelon and berries, plus protein from collagen, and electrolytes from unrefined salt make a nutrient-dense and refreshing summer beverage.
Serves 2
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2 cups cubed frozen watermelon
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½ cup berries
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2 scoops Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
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Juice of 1 lime
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2-3 mint leaves (optional)
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Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend to desired consistency. Pour into 2 glasses and enjoy.
Shopping in-season is not only great for your body and budget, but is important for the planet as well. Want to see more of this type of content? Become an Essential Member and get exclusive benefits including professional-quality supplements, targeted supplement curations for your health goals, members-only discounts, educational videos, webinars, live Q&As and much more!
About the Author
Emily Alexander, M.Ed, FNTP—Emily is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner with Curated Wellness. She is passionate about supporting others in their journey to improve their relationship with food and their body through gentle nutrition, and is a firm believer that understanding the bio-individual components of nutrition is one of the best ways to do so. Emily completed her Master’s of education in health education and promotion with a concentration in eating disorders, and draws from both her educational background and life experience to help her clients improve their energy, understand their bodies, boost their athletic potential, and break down diet myths one at a time. Read more about Emily.
Reference:
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2. Skrovankova, S., Sumczynski, D., Mlcek, J., Jurikova, T., & Sochor, J. (2015). Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity in Different Types of Berries. International journal of molecular sciences, 16(10), 24673–24706. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms161024673
3. Delcourt, C., Carrière, I., Delage, M., Barberger-Gateau, P., Schalch, W., & POLA Study Group (2006). Plasma lutein and zeaxanthin and other carotenoids as modifiable risk factors for age-related maculopathy and cataract: the POLA Study. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 47(6), 2329–2335. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.05-1235
4. Viuda-Martos, M., Sanchez-Zapata, E., Sayas-Barberá, E., Sendra, E., Pérez-Álvarez, J. A., & Fernández-López, J. (2014). Tomato and tomato byproducts. Human health benefits of lycopene and its application to meat products: a review. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 54(8), 1032–1049. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2011.623799
5. Macfarlane, S., Macfarlane, G. T., & Cummings, J. H. (2006). Review article: prebiotics in the gastrointestinal tract. Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 24(5), 701–714. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2006.03042.x
