English Fruits that require little preperation!

The heat that’s sweeping the nation is beautiful. Despite the ungodly amounts of water I’m consuming to stay cool, it’s refreshing to see some sun and not so much rain… well; aside from the thunderstorms but hey, swings and roundabouts I suppose?

The new temperature comes with the new summer season, which also means… a new season of fruit that’s growable in the United Kingdom! Now, the UK isn’t the best country to grow some of the main summery fruits. The conditions here just aren’t exotic enough. However, there are some fruits that really do thrive in British Summer Time.

Before we get onto the list, you might wonder why it’s important to source fruit locally There’s a lot of reasons, and a most of them comes from the fact that there’s less shipping involved. Since they’re not being transported for as long:

• They are picked at peak ripeness and can be consumed immediately. This usually means that foods that aren’t imported overseas are a lot riper, and a lot more flavourful.
• Since the fruits also don’t degrade from shipping, they’re full of all kinds of vitamins and minerals, so they’re a lot more nutritious. This means they’re a lot healthier to consume.
• Consuming fruits (or produce as a whole) from the UK is a lot more sustainable. The environmental impact of transportation and storage is a lot less than having it imported from overseas.

Finally, and arguably most importantly, is that the practice supports local farmers. Though this might seem a little bit more expensive, it is important to do since it boosts the health of your local communities; you see a direct positive impact to those closest to you.

But what fruit are grown in the UK that are delicious, and require minimal preparation?

Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes are a cultivar (or type) of Tomatoes. They’re a lot smaller and sweeter. They’re usually red, but can range from yellow, orange, and green. All though Cherry Tomatoes are used in a wide variety of dishes, they’re just as nice to have as a quick snack. All you need to do is wash them under the tap and you’re good to take a bite into them! These tasty round fruits (and yes, they are botanically a fruit!) aren’t just tasty, but provide a great deal of health benefits.

They’re low in calories and fat, which means they’re really good in weight-loss diets.

They’re  full of Vitamins A and C. Vitamins A (or Retinol) helps defend your body, by strengthening the immune system. It also helps you see in dimmer lighting, whilst also keeping the skin healthy.

Vitamin C helps protect cells, keeping them healthy; as well as ensuring the skin, blood  vessels and cartilage stay healthy.

Strawberries

Now this is my personal favourite. Everyone knows what a strawberry is, but once you take a bite into fresh, local Strawberries; you’ll be introduced to a whole new world. Big, ripe-red and juicy strawberries truly are some of the best fruits you can get. They also provide a lot of Vitamin C and K.

Vitamin K is essential to keep blood clotting normally, which helps wounds to heal. Furthermore, there’s early evidence of Vitamin K helping your bones stay healthy. Strawberries are also high in antioxidants, which helps protect against cell damage and some chronic disease.

Raspberries

Raspberries are native to Europe and Asia. They’re small red berries, and can be enjoyed fresh, cooked, or frozen. Raspberries are Tart, Sweet and can be quite juicy. Since they’re small, they’re easy to just throw in your mouth and snack on. Like strawberries, they’re full of Vitamin C, K and Antioxidants, so they provide the same benefits.