It is recommended that we should eat a “Rainbow Diet” Which means eating fruit and vegetables of all the colours of the rainbow as the colour of a fruit or vegetable depends primarily on all the different nutrients they contain, therefore eating a variety of colours will ensure that you will be getting a variety of nutrients and since nutrients work best in synergy with other nutrients you will be achieving optimum nutrition…Summer is a fantastic time to see fruits and veg at their best
Fruits:
Both a big favourite of summer. Strawberries are quite a good source of Vitamin C. They both contain Carbohydrate, a small amount of protein and are extremely low in calories but are sweet enough to be eaten without sugar. Delicious!
Melons are a real summer fruit treat with cantaloupe being the most nutritious of all the varieties...have melon for breakfast with some pineapple, strawberries and low fat yoghurt
Experiment a little with your taste buds! There is such a variety of tropical fruits readily available now so go on… Try Papaya, Mango, Kiwi Fruit, Passion Fruit etc. All so nutritious…full of the Anti-oxidants (Primarily the A,C and E Vitamins) you need to get your immune system into check for the winter months and to help prevent any illnesses.
The main vegetables in season for summer are: all the main Salad Veg i.e. most varieties of Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Peppers, Asparagus. Also Aubergines and Courgettes, Mushrooms, Garlic and Onions.
All of these Vegetables are not only really nutritious but they are delicious as well..either Raw in salads(except the aubergine and courgette!) or barbequed.
Also add Spinach and broccoli to your salads for extra nutritional oomph! They are probably the most nutritious vegetables you that you could eat raw…they contain lots of Vitamin A (beta-carotene) which is a powerful Anti-Oxidant which helps prevents heart disease and cancer etc. They also are a great source of Fibre and live enzymes so that you absorb all of the nutrients.
A great addition to any salad or dish are nuts and seeds. They add texture and are a great source of protein, carbohydrate, unsaturated fat and vitamins and minerals Especially Vitamin E (another great anti-oxidant!). Try Sunflower seeds, Sesame seeds, pine nuts and cashew nuts.
Its amazing, as an island, we have a relatively low consumption of fish! We are doing ourselves a great disservice nutritionally as fish is so full of goodness with very little Fat. It is so easy to digest and pleasant to eat and also cook.
Salmon and the oily fish like trout and tuna are highly nutritious…Although they contain a certain amount of fat…it is the good fat…unsaturated which contains Omega 3 & 6 oils which is very important for the health of our heart and also it helps absorb the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) from our fruit and veg!
Wrap the fish in a parcel of aluminum foil with some herbs, a drop of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic and place on the BBQ…8 minutes later you have perfectly cooked fish…easy!
Emma Buckley B.Sc
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