Autumn fruits arrive at the same time as the first seasonal illnesses and cases of ‘chills.’ One of the best ways to strengthen our immune systems and to prevent any discomfort is to consume a lot of in-season fruits.
Prepare yourself for the coming cold months with the delicious taste of autumn fruit, a delight for the palate and good for our health. What autumn fruits are best for you? To reap the full benefits of fruit, it is important to pay attention to seasonality where it guarantees more intense flavours and a higher content of active ingredients and nutritional health.
Blackberries
Blackberries are a purple black-coloured berry comprising of many individual seed-containing fruits. Wonderfully juicy, they’re good raw (straight from the hedge!) or cooked and bursting with vitamin C. They are full of antioxidants perfect for maintaining our immune systems and preparing our bodies for the winter months.
They can often be found during a walk in the countryside and many people pick them fresh from the wild, where they’re often called brambles. You can enjoy this forest fruit as a topping on your breakfast or as a snack on their own.
Figs
Figs are an incredibly luscious fruit, with a delicate sweet flavour. Originally from Asia, there are a wide variety of figs. You can also buy them dried all year round but if you want specifically fresh figs, they are at their best during the Autumn months. Full of fibre they are perfect to keep you regular and maintain your digestive system and prevent constipation.
Figs contain a wealth of beneficial nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, calcium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, sodium, potassium and chlorine, which are all beneficial to prepare your body for the upcoming cold months.
Raspberries
A member of the rose family, raspberries have a wonderfully intense, sweet taste, and many consider them to be the finest flavoured of all the berries. You can add them to your breakfast or as a topping on a dessert. Raspberries are ideal for diabetics and those who want to control their sugar intake as they are a fruit low in sugar.
Raspberries grow well in cool, damp climates, and are therefore perfect for the Autumn months. Similar to blackberries you can find them on your morning walk in the countryside and you can pick them straight from the hedge. Don’t forget to wash them before you eat them!
Plum
The juiciest fruit in the stone fruit family, plums come in many different varieties, some sweet, some slightly more tart. All plums however have certain characteristics in common, with smooth, richly coloured skins and a hard central stone. Plums are perfect for the digestive system as it contains a lot of fibre along with nutrients and minerals to help cleanse the body.
Plums also contain potassium which help regulate blood pressure and therefore prevents cardiovascular diseases. This Autumn fruit also has a low glycemic index and so is perfect for people who suffer from diabetes or want a diet low in sugar.
Dried fruit
The winter months are coming and you don’t feel like tucking into lots of fruit. You can still get all your vitamins and minerals from dried fruits and nuts. These perfect snack ideas are available all year round and contain lots of properties and components which are great for a healthy diet.
Walnuts are especially rich in copper, zinc, antioxidants and Omega 3. The latter nutrient is so abundant that you only need three / four walnuts a day to perfectly cover your recommended daily amount of Omega 3 and this in return will reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
