Sweet Mango
Luscious Strawberries
Ruby Red Cherries
Oh My!
Summer is full of beautiful fruits and
learning to combine them with the right ingredients can make a boring
fruit salad turn into something extraordinary. Combining different
flavor profiles of fruit and elevating the flavors by adding fresh herbs
and seasonings make this fruit salad healthy and nutrient rich. No
sugar needed. Just pure food.
READ BELOW FOR RECIPES
Sweet Mango
The fragrance, the taste and the health
promoting qualities of the mango make it a super food also known as "The
King of Fruits". Mango
fruit is an excellent
source of Vitamin-A
and
flavonoids like beta-carotene,
alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin.
Together; these compounds are known to have antioxidant
properties and are
essential for vision. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining
healthy
mucus
membranes and skin. Mango is a very rich
source of
potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids
that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Also a very good
source of vitamin-B6, vitamin-C
and vitamin-E.
Consumption of foods rich in
vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and
scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals. Vitamin B-6 is
required for GABA hormone production in the brain. It also controls
homocystiene levels in the blood, which may otherwise be harmful to
blood vessels resulting in CAD and stroke.
Strawberries
Strawberries are rich in Vitamins B and C and are low in
calories and fats but rich
source of many health promoting phyto-nutrients, minerals and vitamins
that are essential for optimum health. They contain a good
amount
of minerals like potassium, manganese, fluorine, copper, iron and
iodine. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids
that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used
by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide
dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red
blood cells.
Iron is required for red blood cell formation.
Cherries
Cherry fruit is packed with
full of health-benefiting nutrients and unique antioxidants. Cherry fruits are very rich
in stable anti-oxidant melatonin.
Melatonin can cross the blood-brain barrier easily and produces
soothing effects on the brain neurons, calming down nervous system
irritability, which helps relieve neurosis, insomnia and headache
conditions. Anti-inflammatory property of cherries has
been found effective in reducing heart disease risk factors by
scavenging action against free radicals.
Walnuts
Since ancient times the walnut was a symbol
of intellectuality since their kernels have convoluted surface inside
the shell resembling as that of brain! Walnuts are rich source
of energy and contain many health benefiting nutrients, minerals,
antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for optimum health. Eating just as much as 25 g each day
provides about 90% of recommended daily intake of omega-3
fatty acids. Research studies have
suggested that omega-3 fatty acids by their virtue of anti-inflammatory
action helps to lower the risk of blood pressure, coronary artery
disease, strokes and breast, colon and prostate cancers. They are also excellent
source of Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a
powerful lipid soluble antioxidant,
required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucus
membranes and skin by protecting it from harmful oxygen free radicals. They are rich in
monounsaturated fatty acids. Regular intake of walnuts in the diet help to lower total as well as
LDL or “bad cholesterol” and increase HDL or “good cholesterol” levels
in the blood. Research studies suggest that a diet that is
rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids help to
prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood
lipid profile.
Cilantro
Cilantro contains many notable
plant derived chemical
compounds that are known to have disease preventing and
health-Cilantro is one of the
richest
herbal
sources for vitamin K. Vitamin-K has
potential role in bone mass building by promoting osteotrophic
activity in the bones. It also has established role in the treatment of
Alzheimer's
disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.promoting properties.
Here's the Recipe:
Afternoon Delight - Summer Salad
1 Mango, Diced
4 Strawberries, Sliced
6 Cherries, Pitted & Sliced
1/4 Cup Walnut Pieces
2 Tablespoons Cilantro, Chopped
Sprinkle of Mexican Fruit Seasoning Mix
Mix all the fruit together, add the chopped walnuts and cilantro, mix together gently, then sprinkle with Mexican Fruit Seasoning Mix.
Mexican Fruit Seasoning Mix
(Grace the isles of an ethnic store and in the produce section you will see bottles of chili spice used throughout Mexico to sprinkle on fresh cut mango or a fruit salad. This recipe incorporates the health benefits of Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and natural ingredients that makes this seasoning mix worth reaching for instead of extra preservatives that are not necessary.)
Yields 5 oz Jar
2/3 Cup Chili
Powder
2 Tbsp Himalayan
Pink Sea Salt
1 tsp Lemon
Zest, Dried & Ground
¼ tsp White
Pepper
Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight jar in
a cool dark place. This will keep for
months.
So the next time you reach for that
vanilla ice cream on a hot summer day, ask yourself...Does it pack the
punch of nutrients as a sweet summer salad?
Uh...I don't think so...Stormy
