Heat and sun exposure are the main characteristics of summer but are also important risk factors for health. Faced with high temperatures, the body reacts by producing sweat, which means a loss of water, vitamins, and minerals, which must be replaced to avoid dehydration. The sun also activates the production of free radicals, inducing dryness and consequent aging of the skin (photoaging).
For this, summer fruits, in addition to being refreshing, provide the water, vitamins, and minerals that the body needs, in addition to fiber, which is very good for intestinal regulation. Hence, fruits should be taken as one of the main components of the summer diet, especially between meals, because, if taken fresh, they will help quench thirst, reduce the sensation of heat and satisfy the appetite.
In fact, there are many nutrition experts who recommend that the fruit be taken outside of meals, as it is the way to take advantage of all its nutritional properties:
• Calories: in general they have little energy value, since the calories come from the sugars they contain in the form of fructose, sucrose and glucose, all of them easily digested. Banana, plum and apple are the most caloric.
• Carbohydrates: the sugars in fruits provide simple carbohydrates, their content ranging between 5 and 18% of the weight of each piece. However, special attention must be paid to the starch content, which is higher the less ripe the fruit is.
• Fats: the summer fruits contain almost no fat, although there are two caveats. The most notable is avocado, which has a high content of oleic acid, a very healthy fat, which makes it an ideal fruit for salads. Coconut, however, provides saturated fat, so it should not be abused.
• Proteins: fruits hardly provide protein. In some cases, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, apples or pears, these proteins contain essential amino acids that the human body is not capable of producing by itself and that, however, it needs for its proper functioning.
• Organic acids: they are characteristic of fruits and fulfill different functions in the body. The best known is citric acid (contained in citrus fruits, strawberry, apple, pear, etc.), whose function is to enhance the action of vitamin C, in addition to having a disinfectant function. It is also worth mentioning the salicylic acid characteristic of the strawberry, which has an anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant action. Or the malic acid contained in apple, grape or quince, whose functions include oral antiseptic, stimulate saliva production, facilitate the elimination of metals from the body, or prevent dry skin.
• Vitamins: the summer fruits are the ones that provide vitamins, especially those of brighter colors, some of which have significant antioxidant action. Vitamin C (citrus, melon, pineapple, mango, papaya, strawberry, raspberry, currant, etc.) and provitamin A (melon, cherry, peach, etc.) predominate.
• Minerals: the clearest example is that of potassium, of great importance when practicing sports and in providing water to the cells of the entire organism. There are many summer fruits that can contribute it: banana, custard apple, medlar, kiwi, melon, red plum, nectarine, etc.
• Fiber: the lower the water content of the fruit, the higher the fiber content, which, in the case of pear and apple (those with the highest fiber content), is mainly found in the skin. A factor that must be taken into account in order to maintain good intestinal regulation.
• Other nutrients: in addition to all of the above, summer fruits contain a series of colorings and flavorings that, even when found in small amounts, have important qualities for the health of the body. In most cases, they are antioxidants, essential to counteract the proliferation of free radicals that cause tissue aging. But in some cases, like the lycopene that gives watermelon its red color, it can even help prevent cancer.
All this justifies that during the summer the fruit is one of the fundamental components of the diet, always fresh, in the optimal state of maturation, and alone. It is the best snack imaginable and a good way to refresh and quench your thirst
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