10 Summer Foods to Enhance Your Nutrition

Our skin changes as the seasons change and so should the foods we eat.  Supplement your diet with seasonal foods to enhance your overall nutrition and improve the health of your skin.

Make the most of the season by incorporating these 10 summer foods into your meals.

Healthy Summer Vegetables and Easy Summer Recipes

Tomatoes

Lycopene and Vitamin C-rich tomatoes can help reduce free radicals, making skin look younger and healthier. Just one tomato contains about 40% of the daily recommended Vitamin C intake, as well as Vitamin A, Vitamin K, and potassium.

Quick recipe: Slice room-temperature tomatoes and basil, lightly salt and drizzle with olive oil.

Cucumbers

Hydrating, potassium-rich, and anti-inflammatory cucumbers have overall health and skin health benefits. Cucumbers can reduce inflammation and have been shown to potentially reduce the risk of some cancers and heart diseases.

Quick recipe: Thinly slice cucumbers and onions, lightly salt, drizzle with olive oil and top with freshly chopped dill. 

Red Peppers

Red Peppers are highly antioxidant-rich, with over 200% of the daily Vitamin C recommendation which helps fight free radicals as well as support iron absorption. Red peppers also vitamin B6 and folate which help prevent anemia.

Quick recipes: Slice and eat raw with hummus. For roasted peppers, grill, cool, then peel and slice, marinate the slices in sliced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper for 2 hours. 

Corn

Sweet, delicious, summer corn is a tasty treat that is also a fiber-rich, mid-range glycemic food. Sweet Corn contains vitamins B5, B9 (also known as folic acid), B6, and B3 (niacin).

Quick recipe: Buy sweet corn fresh, ideally picked, bought and cooked the same day. Boil, grill, or roast on the cob and serve with any of the following: butter, salt, pepper, fresh-squeezed lime, cilantro.

Carrots

Not just for great eyesight, the beta carotene (a form of Vitamin A) in carrots helps reduce skin inflammation and boost brain function. Antioxidants in carrots can help fight free radicals and cell damage, and studies have shown that carrot juice can help protect against some cancers.

Quick recipe: Slice and eat raw with almond butter or hummus. Lightly season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme, and roast in the oven at 350° for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.

Sweet Summer Fruit and Healthy Recipes

Cherries

Dark red, antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory cherries pack a health punch. A low glycemic index fruit, cherries also contain melatonin - a hormone that helps regulate sleep cycles.

Quick recipes: Eat at room temperature, or use as a topper (with nuts and seeds) for your favorite plain yogurt.

Watermelon

Stay hydrated and refreshed with watermelon. This juicy fruit is antioxidant-rich with Vitamin C and lycopene, which may help reduce inflammation.

Quick recipes: Try chilled alone, or in a salad with mint, cucumber, and feta cheese.

Strawberries

Vitamin-rich strawberries are also rich in minerals: manganese, potassium, and magnesium. Strawberries are good for heart health, cancer prevention, and blood sugar regulation.

Quick recipe: Enjoy the natural sweetness of strawberries, slice, and serve with homemade whipped cream, made with just organic whipping cream and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Peaches

Sweet, tender, and vitamin-rich peaches contain Vitamins C, A, E, and K. Studies also show gut health, immunity, and heart health benefits to eating peaches.

Quick recipes: Eat at room temperature, or halve then spray with olive oil and grill.

Raspberries

Small but delicious raspberries are antioxidant-rich, with Vitamin C, quercetin, and ellagic acid. Manganese and Vitamin K in raspberries support bone health, and raspberries are considered a “brain food” for the benefits in helping improve mood, memory, and coordination.

Quick recipes: Add fresh raspberries to summer salads, smoothies, and spritzers, or serve alone with thinly sliced fresh mint.