We know: for health, it is best to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables that naturally contain the vitamins and minerals the body needs during this time of year. That’s good: between June and September, market stalls are full of treasures – eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes…
Summer is an opportunity to try the famous Mediterranean diet (also called “Cretan diet”) as good for the line as for the health. We combine the “summer vegetables” with lean meats (rabbit, chicken, turkey…) or with locally caught fish (sea bass, sea bream, mackerel…) and we finish the meal with a fruit dessert to fill up with good nutrients.
Little tip: to get children to eat vegetables, we hijack their favorite dishes: a zucchini pancake, eggplant spaghetti, artichoke crisps…
In video: How to properly clean your summer vegetables
Summer vegetables: they are excellent for your health!
>> The pepper, it is “the” summer vegetable par excellence: it is found at the market between June and August. Whether red, yellow or green, the pepper is a champion of vitamin C: it contains 150 mg per 100 grams approximately. It is also rich in anti-cancer molecules (flavonoids and capsiates) and fiber… for less than 30 Kcal per 100 grams.
>> Unknown and not very popular, fennel is nevertheless a weighty ally for digestion and transit: this summer vegetable fights against bloating and constipation, and it has also proven itself against abdominal pain and chronic colitis. It is also a good source of vitamins C, E and B9, calcium and iron.
>> Theeggplant is one of the least caloric vegetables since it provides only 20 Kcal per 100 grams: its dietary fibers stimulate intestinal transit, its pectin fights against bad cholesterol, its diuretic properties even make it a “detox” food! Finally, many scientific studies have shown that eggplant helps to lower blood sugar, that is to say the level of sugar in the blood: top in case of diabetes.
Source :My little magic Cretan diet recipes – Marie Borrel, ed. The Duke
Read also :
- 12 easy recipes with tomatoes
- 12 easy recipes with eggplant
- 20 light recipes with zucchini
- Seasonal fruits and vegetables that should not be put in the fridge
