What Fruits and Vegetables Are in Season in the Summer?

Summer is one of the best times to start eating seasonally. Fruits and vegetables are naturally plentiful during this time, and many of our favorites, like stone fruit or corn on the cob, come back after a long winter hiatus. Benefits abound from eating in season. “Produce that’s in season is often harvested closer to home, meaning it spends less time in transit and retains more of its delicate nutrients,” says Boulder, Colorado-based Hannah Van Ark, RDN . In addition, there tends to be more variety in fruits and veggies available at this time, and in-season produce is often more budget-friendly via lower prices or sales, she says. When it comes to what to eat, here are 10 delicious produce picks for next time you’re at the grocery store, farmers market, or roadside fruit and veggie stand. 5 Fruits in Season in Summer Is there anything better than biting into a juicy, sweet summer fruit? Even more than their sun-ripened taste are the nutrients these boldly hued fruits contain.
Cherries Yes, you should let their jewel color entice you to buy them by the bagful: “The beautiful red color of cherries is associated with a high level of polyphenols and vitamin C, which means they are high in antioxidants, which are associated with lower inflammation,” says Catherine Perez , RD, a vegan blogger and cookbook author based in Fairlawn, New Jersey.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294370bfe4-4c29-4d88-af9e-a9ec132dd5aa Antioxidants are compounds that help prevent cell damage, and eating foods containing them, like cherries , may help decrease the risk of disease.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297e21fb27-8339-4196-8c8b-d77fd18040c7 Cherries
Watermelon This fruit is associated with hot days for a reason: It’s refreshing. “Watermelon is about 92 percent water, making it a great choice for summer and a tasty way to stay hydrated in hot weather,” says Van Ark.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762958d5dd36-296f-4f1d-b048-078d39cd7fc3e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d02181eb-0bcd-4cb2-8677-9bb10fb86511 Plus, watermelon also contains lycopene, an antioxidant that has anti-cancer and heart-healthy properties, she says.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294d1d611d-75b1-44cb-bf5a-da50de495aaf Watermelon
Blueberries Blueberries provide a good source of fiber, Van Ark points out. (One cup has 3.6 grams of fiber,e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762937263e31-c37e-4882-88cb-9caabb064ed2 or 12 percent of your Daily Value, the recommended amount per day.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762915a7a007-1aab-4899-bfe8-60fca055c033) A fiber-rich diet has numerous benefits, including satiety and digestive support. “Despite their natural sweetness — especially when eaten in season — blueberries are relatively low in sugar and have a low glycemic index, which helps keep blood sugar balanced,” she explains. Blueberries
Peaches Although many fruits are available year-round, peaches are one that you can only find sourced from certain parts of the United States during the summer season. “I adore peaches because they’re so naturally sweet and juicy,” says Jackie Newgent, RDN , a Los Angeles-based culinary nutritionist, chef, and author of The Plant-Based Diabetes Cookbook. She points to the fact that yellow peaches contain carotenoids like beta-carotene, which give them their orangey hue.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299c485428-d4a1-4d0a-946b-1252854f2879 These compounds have been found to reduce inflammation, lower cancer risk, and protect eye health, among other health benefits.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bc94ea5e-51d3-4e2d-b936-86727d1a7079 Peaches
Strawberries One cup of strawberries provides a good source of vitamin C .e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299198da0a-cc6c-4085-8f42-0a5766cdacf0 Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects your cells against free radicals, the molecules that can cause damage to cells, says Newgent. In addition, vitamin C has other health benefits, including helping produce collagen (which provides structure for our skin), supporting immune system function, and improving the absorption of iron from plant foods.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629eecbdd68-3ff7-4970-9803-6fc738bada7c 5 Vegetables in Season in Summer Summer is when veggies really shine, so consider adding these five delicious vegetables to your meals for a boost of nutrients. Strawberries
Corn This is a ubiquitous summer vegetable — and yes, we said vegetable. (One ear of corn counts as a cup of starchy vegetables.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c7472368-eafe-4ebd-9785-f6fd0f23c3cd) “It is also surprisingly nutrient-packed, as it provides fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, selenium, and B vitamins,” says Perez.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294d9255ef-e5b1-4398-bd14-6e4375f5e00d “These nutrients have been associated with lower cholesterol and even improved blood sugar control,” she explains. Corn
Zucchini There’s a reason why we’ve crowned zucchini as a do-anything vegetable , subbing in for noodles in lasagna or spaghetti: It’s low in calories (20 per cup) and carbohydrates (4 grams per cup).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629133b26eb-065a-4ed5-9008-d695119169e3 At the same time, it’s satisfying and versatile to cook or grill with. “One of my favorite things about zucchini is how easy it is to add to a dish to bump up the nutrition and volume of your meal,” shares Perez. “I love adding cooked zucchini to pasta salads, shredding it into baked goods, or even making them into little baked fritters,” she says. Zucchini
Cucumbers It’s probably no surprise to learn that cucumbers are 96 percent water.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762937200dd2-be81-4ada-b519-2ce9449e5dcfe60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299f422914-ac36-4f57-afd2-74dab5deb12e “Don’t write off cucumbers because they seem mostly like water; that’s one of their best qualities,” says Newgent. “They’re hydrating, which is so important during the ‘sweaty season’,” she adds. As you eat them, leave their peel on, since it supplies potassium, which is an electrolyte important for muscle and nerve function.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292cf253cf-c048-40e8-8fa5-4d9c29d96c61 Cucumbers
Tomatoes Botanically speaking, tomatoes are a fruit, but they’re included in the vegetable group.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762929bfc4a3-3b2a-45a8-ab67-8464f72ad13d “Tomatoes are particularly high in carotenoids,” says Perez, “and in consuming more of them, you [may] get reduced risk of chronic diseases and [certain cancers] like head and neck.” She adds that the benefits of eating tomatoes may extend to “eye health support, skin health, and reduced inflammation.”e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976293af7dc12-931c-4497-bfc8-40baf680b9d0e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292d49e255-b22a-4e0f-a460-8160336b88e3 Tomatoes
Asparagus Sure, it may make your pee smell,e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e9725ee2-b654-4188-97ae-267fe066cce2 but these green stalks are so sweet in summer. Plus, they have health benefits, too. “ Asparagus is a great source of prebiotic fiber, which helps feed the good bacteria in your gut and supports healthy digestion,” says Van Ark.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762975b33e8d-0a0b-4ae0-91ba-756d5e9e2d03 “Asparagus is also one vegetable that tastes especially amazing when harvested locally and in-season,” she says. Asparagus
The Takeaway Summer is a great time for shopping for seasonal produce, including fruits like berries and cherries and vegetables like corn and asparagus. In-season produce may be more nutrient-rich, better tasting, sourced more locally, and available at a lower cost. Summer produce offers a rich spread of nutrients like disease-fighting antioxidants and vitamins and other compounds that protect skin and eye health.



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