This week, Beach Bum Bakery sold strawberry shortcake cups. Featuring freshly sliced strawberries, the cups also had layers of whipped cream and moist layers of flavorful vanilla cake. Although the offering is a sugary sweet treat, the use of fresh strawberries in a fun way to incorporate fruit into your diet. During spring, eating fruits can be an extremely beneficial way to maximize your health. As they become more seasonally available, they can also provide a multitude of advantages- while still being delicious!
In spring, a variety of fruits become more widely available. Some of the most common spring fruit offerings include strawberries, cherries, citrus fruits, mangoes, kiwis, bananas, and pineapples. Often these fruits are the result of lots of rain, which promotes growth in warmer climates. The diverse selection allows can keep tastebuds happy, as there are many different flavors and types to choose from. Many of these choices are at the peak of their freshness and flavor during the months of April through late May and early June.
While taste is an important part of the case for eating more fruit in spring, there are also a number of health benefits. With the dry and fluctuating weather of spring, there is usually a higher risk for colds and other mild diseases to spread. Because of this, it can be crucially important to incorporate foods that are rich in vitamins to help support and boost the body’s immune system. Many fruits, especially citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and oranges, are extremely packed with vitamin C.
Strawberries and cherries are also very rich in antioxidants. These can help reduce inflammation in the body, and may allow for further immunity against short term colds and long term chronic diseases. The addition of the vitamins found in fruits can preserve and sustain health through improving quality of life. Ensuring that the body receives enough of the proper vitamins may lead to a boost in energy. Further, it can lead to better quality of sleep at night.
Fruits can be enjoyed in a multitude of different ways. Beach Bum’s creative use of them in strawberry shortcake cups is on par for bakery. However, they can also be used in smoothies. Local spots such as NONA in Pewaukee and Delafield, or Fresh Spoon Grab and Go in Oconomowoc offer smoothies made from real fruit. As the sun begins to come out, a little extra fruit can go a long way.
