With so many delicious, nutritious foods in season, summer is truly the best time of year to eat the rainbow. While there’s produce available year-round these days, some of the healthiest vegetables are at their freshest during the summer months.<\/p>\n
Exactly what produce is in season depends on where you are in the country, Shelly Wegman, registered dietitian with UNC Rex Nutrition Services, tells TODAY.com. <\/p>\n
“Things like corn, strawberries, melons and tomatoes start to come in around February and March down in in Florida,” she says, “and not until June, July or August up in New England.”<\/p>\n
In general though, summer means “you get a lot more local, fresh produce,” Wegman explains. “And the local aspect is great because that means it hasn’t traveled that far, so you’re getting it as fresh as you can.”<\/p>\n
She recommends folks look to their local farmer’s markets or CSA boxes to take advantage of fresh summer vegetables. And, if you can’t eat everything you get before it goes bad, freeze it.<\/p>\n
“If you have room to roast and freeze all of these extra summer vegetables, that’s just going to give you a bonus later,” Wegman says. You can use those roasted veggies in all kinds of soups and sauces, but you will have frozen them at the peak of their freshness, she adds.<\/p>\n
Many of these foods are also surprisingly easy to grow yourself if you have the space, says registered dietitian Grace Derocha. “There is something really beautiful about growing your own food and just going outside to pick it,” she says.<\/p>\n
While all vegetables provide some healthy nutrients, the experts TODAY.com spoke to recommend reaching for these summer veggies first.<\/p>\n
Tomatoes<\/p>\n
While tomatoes can technically be considered a fruit or a vegetable depending on how you’re using them, both Wegman and Derocha list tomatoes as one of the healthiest summer vegetables. <\/p>\n
And dietitians previously told TODAY.com that tomatoes are one of the healthiest vegetables \u2014\u00a0period<\/a>. So take advantage of the summer season to get them at the perfect ripeness! <\/p>\n “Tomatoes in the summer pulled right from the garden is just the best thing,” says Derocha, who is also a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. <\/p>\n One medium tomato \u2014\u00a0about the size of a fist \u2014\u00a0contains about 22 calories and only 5 grams of sugar, Derocha says. And it provides vitamin C and potassium as well as lycopene, a powerful antioxidant with benefits for heart health<\/a> and vision.<\/p>\n “And vitamin C helps the body absorb iron better,” Wegman explains. “So when you make a tomato salad and you have that with a high-iron food, like beans or a meat, it helps you absorb the iron better.” <\/p>\n Arugula<\/p>\n A leafy green that’s full of vitamins and minerals, arugula is actually technically a cruciferous vegetable, Wegman says. “It’s part of the same family as broccoli and cauliflower,” she explains.<\/p>\n Although it can be a little polarizing for its sometimes peppery taste, arugula is a natural source of nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide. <\/p>\n “It’s short lived molecule, but it acts as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system,” Wegman notes. “It relaxes and widens blood vessels, and the molecule helps prevent blood clots and inflammation,” she continues, making it beneficial for blood pressure.<\/p>\n Arugula is also a good source of fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, magnesium and antioxidants, TODAY.com explained previously<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cucumbers<\/p>\n Cucumbers stand out to Derocha for their impeccable hydrating powers, which are especially helpful during the hot summer months.<\/p>\n While cucumbers are full of water, they also provide some fiber and other nutrients. \u201cThey do have a little vitamin K, some potassium and magnesium,\u201d Derocha says.<\/p>\n Beets<\/p>\n Like arugula, beets are also notoriously good for blood pressure<\/a> and overall heart health, Wegman says.<\/p>\n Packed with gut-healthy fiber (about 4 grams per serving) and even a little protein, beets are vibrant in color and health benefits. As TODAY.com explained previously, beets also contain vitamin C<\/a> and a slew of essential minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium.<\/p>\n Eggplant<\/p>\n “Eggplant has a lot of polyphenols, one of which is in anthocyanin, which gives it that deep purple, blue color,” Wegman explains. <\/p>\n In addition to providing that characteristic hue, anthocyanins are potent antioxidants that help protect against free radical damage and have benefits for heart health. They’re also found in blueberries<\/a> and blackberries<\/a>.<\/p>\n Like some other summer vegetables, eggplant also provides potassium, folate and manganese. A trace mineral, manganese<\/a> is only needed in small amounts, Wegman says, but it has a big job. <\/p>\n “It contributes to the metabolism of glucose, carbohydrates, cholesterol and amino acids,” explains. “Manganese also aids in with the blood clotting process, so it helps wound healing.”<\/p>\n Corn<\/p>\n Corn is a classic, versatile summer vegetable.<\/p>\n \u201cTechnically, corn is a starchy vegetable,\u201d Derocha says, \u201cso it\u2019s a little bit more robust in calories. In a medium ear, there\u2019s about 75 ish calories and then 17 grams of carbs.\u201d<\/p>\n But that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s unhealthy.<\/a> In fact, corn is a good source of fiber, B vitamins, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which are antioxidants important for eye health, Derocha notes. Corn is also naturally gluten-free, she adds, so it can be a great starch option for those who need to stay away from gluten.<\/p>\n Bell Peppers<\/p>\n Crunchy and colorful, bell peppers are also full of nutrients \u2014 especially vitamin C.<\/p>\n In just one serving of raw, red bell pepper, you\u2019ll get a whole day\u2019s worth of vitamin C, making them one of the best foods you can eat to support your immune system<\/a>. Our bodies also need vitamin C to produce collagen, Derocha explains, so this vitamin aids skin health as well.<\/p>\n “The different colors of peppers offer different phytonutrients and different antioxidants, too,” she adds. So get a mix of bell pepper colors to maximize the variety of nutrients on your plate.<\/p>\n Bell peppers also contain vitamin A, fiber and antioxidants. And peppers, including bell peppers, are one of the easiest vegetables to grow yourself, Derocha notes.<\/p>\n Mushrooms<\/p>\n Different types of mushrooms have slightly different nutrient profiles, Wegman says. But they’re generally a good source of beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber<\/a> that can improve cholesterol, she says.<\/p>\n Although it might seem like an oxymoron, some mushrooms also have anti-fungal properties, Wegman adds.<\/p>\n Zucchini <\/p>\n Both zucchini and yellow summer squash are non-starchy vegetables that are quite low in calories \u2014 only 20 calories per cup, Derocha says. <\/p>\n They\u2019re also rich in vitamin C and electrolyte minerals, such as potassium and manganese. These veggies are also high-hydration, Derocha says, because they\u2019re about 90% water. Like corn, these vegetables also contain antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which support eye health.<\/p>\n Basil<\/p>\n Summer is a great time for fresh herbs, and basil stands out as a particularly healthy option, Wegman says. <\/p>\n It’s high in salicylates, an anti inflammatory compound that is the precursor to aspirin, she says. “So it literally helps fight inflammation in the body.”<\/p>\n