Find out seasonal fruit and vegetables with the help of Fruitylife project

In spring nature awakens and grocers start displaying more colourful fruit and vegetables. In wintertime, due to high caloric food, it is easy to gain weight and to feel heavy, tired and lackluster. But spring with its seasonal produce provides a natural way to get back our vitality, get rid of toxins, lose weight and be ready for the first sunny days in top shape. “The typical spring asthenia, recurring mood swings and digestive problems are tell-tale signs of the need for a new balance. – says professorGiorgio Donegani, food technology expert and President of Food Education Italy, as well as member of the Supervision Committee for the FRUITYLIFE - "HEALTHY AND SAFE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES" project. What we need arediuretic foods that help digestion and liver functions, foods rich in antioxidants and in B complex vitamins that increase energy. Seasonal produce are the ideal answer to these needs. Spring fruit and vegetables are rich in water and purifying, are low in calories and are a good source of mineral salts, B complex vitamins and fibers that are essential for the intestine that has the main function to absorb the nutrients.” Which are the best produce for our spring diet? April and May are the best months to taste artichokes, asparagus, cherries, strawberries and the lesser known medlars, and to get the most out of their nutritive properties. Thanks to their depurative properties, asparagus are an ideal part of the daily diet: they are low in calories and high in fibers, mineral salts such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium, and vitamins A and C. 100 grams of asparagus contain 25 mg of vitamin C (one third of the Recommended Daily Allowance for adults) and provide 75% of the daily intake of folic acid, a vitamin essential for cellular growth and for protein synthesis. Excellent remineralizer and antioxidant, asparagus, thanks to their diuretic properties help to remove waste and excessive fluid from the body. It is the perfect vegetable to get rid of the toxins brought in during the cold winter days. Artichokes are low in calories and are a rich source of fibers, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and potassium. They have diuretic properties, regulate the appetite and contain cynarin that increase bile secretion, helping the liver to eliminate toxins. Artichokes contains probiotic fibers that nourish the gut flora and are a source of iron that helps to fight anemia. Artichokes and asparagus are very healthy, but their preparation seems difficult. “Although it is better to eat vegetables raw, it is not always possible”- says Professor Donegani- . “Young and tender artichokes are good to eat in a carpaccio or oil dip, but the bigger variety needs to be cooked. Asparagus too are better cooked. Heat has the positive effect to soften fibers, because of its thermal degradation, has a negative impact on vitamin C, that is, nonetheless, abundant in fruit. Among the cooking methods, steaming is the best one, because it preserves both mineral salts and the natural taste of produce.” Spring is the season of strawberries and cherries that for their sweet taste and deep red colour are among the most popular fruit with adults and children. Rich in water and vitamins, mainly vitamin C, strawberries boost collagen production and fight cellulite and fat. “Strawberries are low in calories (less than 40 kcal per 100 grams) and due to their high water content and low sodium amount (just 2mg per 100 grams) have a strong depurative power.” - underlines professor Donegani – “But there is a lot more: strawberries are rich in tannins, flavonoids and anthocyanins that are powerful antioxidants and are very effective against free radicals. For this reason the USDA (United States Department of Agricolture) has introduced strawberries in the group of foods that help staying young. Moreover strawberries are a source of vitamin C: they contain more of it than oranges and the presence ofacetylsalicylic acid makes them useful to prevent colds and flu.” Refreshing and diuretic, strawberries have purifying and detoxifying properties, just like cherries, that, thanks also to potassium they contain, help to tone up muscles. Cherries are a precious help to stay in shape and for your well-being: low in calories, they contain high amounts of fibers that have a satiating effect. Mineral salts such as calcium, phosphorus and potassium, vitamins A, B and C and antioxidant substances help to control water retention, support blood flow and have an anti-inflammatory action. “Despitetheir sweet taste cherries are not among the fruit with higher sugar content.”– says Professor Donegani - “They have less sugar than apples and there are only 38 calories in 100 grams of cherries: a “nothing” that makes them a delicacy ideal for those who are on a diet. Thanks to the high levels of mineral salts, cherries are a good muscular tonic and a precious ally against hypertension. Cherries owe their diuretic, purifying and rehydrating properties to water which represent 86% of their weight. Moreover cherries are an important source of water-soluble fibers that have a satiating effect and reduce the absorption of fats and cholesterol.” Medlars are the first fruit available in April and May. Rich in water and mineral salts, mainly potassium, they are low in proteins and fibers, but are a source of vitamin A, B and C. Known for their diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties, medlars are low in calories (28 kcal per 100 grams) and have a satiating effect, that makes them ideal for weight loss diets. “Medlars are helpful in regularizing bowel functions.” – says professorDonegani - “Medlars that aren’t ripe are high in tannins that have astringent properties useful against diarrhea, while in full ripe prevails the mild laxative action of sugars”. Medlars can be eaten as a snack or at the end of the meal and together with strawberries and cherries are perfect for colourful cakes and preserves. To find out what produce is in season and discover easy, practical and tasty recipes that promote the daily consumption of fruit and vegetables visit www.fruitylife.eu, created as part of “Fruitylife – Healthy and safe fruit and vegetables” project, co-funded by the European Union together with the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy, and coordinated by Alimos-Alimenta la Saluteacooperativethat for more than40 years has been committed to nutrition education, environmental conservation and consumer protection projects. Partners of Alimos in the "Fruitylife- Healthy and safe fruits and vegetables” project are Alegra, Apofruit Italia, Conor, Naturitalia e Orogel Fresco. On the site you may also find in-depth information about the European cultivation cycle, controlled in every phase by a rigorous and severe traceability system that allows to trace back to the producers of every product package. Thanks to this system and to the scrupulous and attentive to health European regulation, fruit and vegetables produced in Europe arrive safe and healthy on our tables.