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Nutrition Articles  ›  Seasonal & Holiday Tips

3 Fresh Ingredients for Summer

Healthy, Hot Weather Fare

-- By Liza Barnes, Health Educator
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Choose firm, medium to dark green cucumbers that are unwaxed and organic, and store them in the refrigerator.

Get ideas to serve up summer cucumbers from SparkRecipes.com.

Bell Peppers
Available in practically all shades of the rainbow, bell peppers all start off green, then ripen to their eventual shades of red, yellow, orange, and even purple. (That's why green peppers are the least expensive; they take less time and care to grow.) When they ripen, they become sweeter, especially if allowed to ripen on the vine in the sunlight. They are excellent sources of the antioxidants vitamin C and beta carotene and also contain good amounts of Vitamin B6.

Select peppers that are firm and smooth, have fresh-looking stems and no wrinkles on their skin. Store them in the crisper of your refrigerator, where they will keep for a week. They can also be frozen (whole or chopped) and added to soups and stews throughout the winter. And you may want to consider buying only organically produced bell peppers. According to the Environmental Working Group's 2006 report "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce," bell peppers are one of the top 12 foods that commonly harbor pesticide residues.

Need some cooking ideas for peppers? Look no further.

A great recipe which combines all three of these nutritional powerhouses is Summer Gazpacho, a Mediterranean soup that is served cold. Besides tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers, gazpacho usually includes olive oil, onion, garlic, wine vinegar and sea salt, and this combination of ingredients is a prolific source of a variety of disease-fighting nutrients.

Happy summer harvest!
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About The Author

Liza Barnes Liza Barnes
Liza has two bachelor's degrees: one in health promotion and education and a second in nursing. A registered nurse and mother, regular exercise and cooking are top priorities for her. See all of Liza's articles.

Member Comments

  • BRAVELUTE
    AND tomatoes and peppers are on the current list of anti-angiogenic foods that not only help to "kill back" the unwanted blood supply to cancer tumors, but also fat cells. That's a great thing for us!! And they are so pretty on my white salad plate. AND nut butter and vine-ripened tomatoes on Joseph's flax pita bread is delicious. Now, I just might need to make a substitution on my menu plan for breakfast. Thanks for the article. - 8/18/2012 8:05:22 AM
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  • MOSIEOSIE
    I use all three of these ingredients as much as possible. I also supplement and add spark (pun intended) to my dishes by adding fresh herbs from my garden: mint, taragon, basil, lemon thyme, parsley and cilantro. I have just an 11' x 6' balcony and grow lettuces, peas and all my own herbs, plus have room for decor items, two chairs and four 6 purely-for-my-enj
    oyment containers of seasonal blooms! If I can do it in this tiny amount of space, you can do it, too! - 7/30/2012 4:24:20 PM
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  • ROCHELLEY82
    Why not add all these items together with a little vinegar! Cucumber salad anyone? - 7/30/2012 12:26:02 PM
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  • NAVALE
    I wash all fruits and vegetables with soap and water before I eat them. Is this enough to clean them of the pesticides?

    - 7/19/2012 8:40:24 AM
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  • GRANDMAAMIE
    THIS IS SOME GREAT INFO.
    KEEP THEM COMING SPARKS

    AMIE - 6/23/2009 12:24:04 PM
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  • JIBBIE49
    Great article. - 8/11/2008 10:06:24 AM
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  • JOHNBABJR
    WE grow our own tomatoes and cucumbers. THey're easy to grow and delicious. Thanks for another fine article, Liza. - 7/30/2008 8:49:41 PM
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  • SMILEYPOLLY
    Thanks for a great article Liza. You're right, there's no taste like a home-grown tomato. I grow cherry tomatoes and they rarely get into the kitchen. They're eaten as I mow the lawn. - 7/29/2008 6:16:24 PM
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