Why fruit is simply super in summer!

Most athletes try to eat healthy all year round. Regular training makes it easy for many body-conscious contemporaries to keep fit with the right diet. This also usually results in faster success when it comes to losing weight. Fresh and crunchy fruits and vegetables have an absolute high season in the warm months in Central Europe. Organic products are not only excellent companions for dieting. They are also ideal suppliers of fiber, minerals, trace elements, vitamins and secondary plant substances for the human organism.

Life consists to a large extent, usually without any comprehensible reason, of the interplay of taking and giving. And that's exactly how it is with the human body. Anyone who challenges his body through various training methods or generally by practicing an exercise-oriented sport should also pay meticulous attention to supplying his body with all the nutrients it needs. Every human being by nature needs a certain amount of life-sustaining plant foods to survive.

If you consume fresh fruit from your region in the warm season, you will give your organism all the indispensable nutrients. For most people who like to exercise, the short and hot summer offers the best opportunity to let off steam in the outdoors. Running and walking in the woods, along with many other sports activities, are perfect for clearing your head. With the help of a healthy diet, your body will get everything it needs to do what you have in mind or what you ask it to do during functional exercises or sports. In addition to healthy fats and whole grain products, a sports-oriented diet also includes fresh fruits and vegetables.

In the summer, fresh fruit will help you overcome your cravings with ease. When shopping, make sure that the vegetable foods satisfy your taste and meet your needs. Furthermore, it is worth paying attention to the quality of the fruit and vegetables on offer, especially in the summertime. Make sure, however, that too much fruit is just as inadvisable as going completely without. Athletes are not seldom calorie-oriented on the way. The perfect fruit is in the vast majority of cases decidedly low in calories and you can find it close to home. Fruit is ideal as a refreshing snack between meals.

Fresh fruit is both a source of energy and a thirst quencher, especially for people who are fit and mobile. If the temperature rises towards 25 degrees Celsius, it is extremely important to drink enough water, especially during your training sessions. No matter how you plan to keep your body fit, whether it's CrossFit, sports training or HIIT (high-intensity interval training): plant-based foods provide you with plenty of water and all the essential vitamins and minerals.

Not to be forgotten, of course, is the fructose, which equally per 100 grams has 400 calories, the same as the refined sugar. The serious difference, however, is that unlike industrial sugar, fructose is about 20 percent sweeter. So if you want to replace industrial sugar with fructose in one of your tasty summer recipes, you use about 80 grams of fructose instead of 100 grams of industrial sugar. This way, you not only save on the amount of food, but also eat more calorie-conscious.

The following five types of fruit in their summer freshness are the purest medicine for all exercise-active nature lovers. Providing your body with enormous strength and energy is of utmost relevance, especially on hot summer days. Stone fruits and tropical fruits (bananas, pineapples and figs) as well as berries are particularly suitable for this purpose. Ideal for you would be fruits such as:

- Apples

- cherries

- plums

- watermelons

- Berries (e.g. strawberries, blueberries, currants, raspberries and gooseberries)

There is a lot of nutritional value in this popular fruit. Not only does an apple taste delicious, the nutrients it contains are generally beneficial to your health. If you simply eat the apple pure, then pay attention to the organic quality and wash it thoroughly with tap water before eating. You should definitely eat the peel as well. The apple peel contains almost 70 percent of the vitamins. In addition, the skin of the apple is rich in bioactive substances, unsaturated fats, magnesium and iron. Some also consume the core, which contains iodine. Generally speaking, both a strengthened immune system and a healthy intestine are a blessing for any person who is able to exercise. Regular, moderate consumption of fresh apples from your region can be of benefit to you.

If you put a lot of stress on your body during the long days of the year, the daily consumption of a handful of cherries is optimal. The secondary plant compounds and antioxidants contained in cherries can reduce the pain of sore muscles. Despite high training intensities, the ingredients of the cherry can repair damage caused to the muscles. Therefore, you often hear people say: cherries get you going or revved up.

Towards the end of summer, plums and damsons are the ideal fitness fruits. Especially in fitness sports, many athletes use plums to quickly replenish their energy stores. In addition, plums and co act as ideal thirst quenchers. Like many other fruits, they are rich in minerals and vitamins. The high potassium content is particularly important for active people, because it stimulates the nerves and muscles. In addition, potassium keeps the fluid balance in equilibrium. The easily digestible carbohydrates in the fitness fruit optimally prepare your entire organism for your athletic challenges.

If you are thinking about weight loss and slimming while doing functional exercises, watermelons are the perfect support for your plans. According to nutrition experts, watermelon is considered the most figure-friendly fruit par excellence. The high water content of the melon helps you to remove excess uric acid and salts from your body. Botanically, watermelon is a berry that belongs to the gourd family.

Berry fruits are low in calories and make a great summer snack for athletes. Because regional strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and currants are available in German-speaking countries only in the warm season. The berries not only make you full, they are also a brilliant treat for the palate. Many athletically active people find berries to be a perfect fitness food. Berries are indeed true multi-talents in their effectiveness. The micronutrients and secondary plant compounds contained in them, such as flavonoids, act against free radicals, strengthen your immune system and are considered the best life insurance for all cells in the body. With a regular consumption you get yourself physically in top shape and also protect yourself from various diseases. Therefore, berries should definitely be on your menu in the summer.