Seasonal Health: A Guide to August's In-Season Fruits

August is the height of summer, and eating more fruits can help beat the heat. So, what are the seasonal fruits in August? Besides the common watermelon, many other fruits are in season. Below, the editor will introduce 6 major seasonal fruits for August. Let's take a look.

1. Peach

Peaches are ripe from mid-June to early October. Peaches are rich in various vitamins, minerals, and fruit acids, and their iron content is the highest among fruits. Iron is a primary raw material for blood production in the human body and is very beneficial to health. However, it should be noted that even ripe peaches should not be eaten in excess, as too many can cause internal heat and "fire" in the body. People with a tendency for internal heat or who are prone to sores and abscesses should not eat too many. It is best not to feed peaches to infants and young children because they contain a large amount of macromolecules. The digestive systems of infants and young children are not well-developed and cannot digest these substances, which can easily cause allergic reactions.

2. Watermelon

August is also the peak season for watermelons. Watermelons are rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, glucose, sucrose, malic acid, glutamic acid, and arginine. They have the effects of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, promoting urination, and lowering blood pressure. They also have a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect on high fever, thirst, excessive sweating in summer, nephritis with little urination, and high blood pressure. Watermelons should not be eaten after being refrigerated; it is best to buy and eat them fresh. If the watermelon you bought is warm, it needs to be cooled. You can place the watermelon in the refrigerator to lower its temperature. The temperature should be set to 15°C, and the watermelon should not be in the refrigerator for more than two hours. This way, you can both cool off and not harm your spleen and stomach, while still enjoying the sweet and delicious taste of the watermelon.

Freshly squeezed watermelon juice

3. Sweet Melon

As the weather gets hotter, fruits with high water content, like sweet melons, are particularly popular in summer for their sweet taste and thirst-quenching properties. Sweet melon is sweet in taste, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It affects the heart and stomach meridians, and has the effects of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, relieving restlessness and thirst, and promoting urination. It is used for symptoms such as chest tightness and discomfort caused by summer heat, loss of appetite, vexation and fever, thirst, heat accumulation in the bladder, and difficult urination. The flesh of the melon can be eaten raw and has a refreshing taste, but the melon stem is toxic. Eating too much of it can cause poisoning, so be careful not to eat the stem. It can be eaten by most people, but those with bleeding, a weak constitution, or a cold spleen and stomach with bloating and loose stools should avoid it.

4. Hami Melon

Hami melons ripen in August and September. Hami melons have a cooling effect to relieve summer heat, clear away vexation and heat, and promote the production of body fluids to quench thirst. They are an excellent choice for beating the summer heat. Eating Hami melons has a significant promoting effect on the body's blood production function and can be used as a dietary therapy for anemia. Hami melon is cool in nature, so it should not be eaten in excess to avoid causing diarrhea. People with beriberi, jaundice, bloating, loose stools, a cold cough, or who are postpartum or recovering from illness should not eat too much. Hami melon is high in sugar, so diabetics should eat it with caution.

Hami melon ice cream

5. Longan

Summer is a good season for longans to ripen. Longan has the effects of nourishing the heart and spleen, replenishing blood to calm the mind, promoting the production of body fluids, and moistening the five organs. It is a good tonic. Research has found that eating an appropriate amount of longan pulp in daily life can effectively enhance memory. Longan can easily cause "internal heat." Eating too much can lead to diarrhea, nosebleeds, and mouth ulcers. Children and the elderly should especially not eat too much. In addition, fresh longans should not be refrigerated because at low temperatures of 1°C to 2°C, the peel will darken, and the flesh will develop spots like scalding, leading to spoilage. They can be stored in a cool, dark place.

6. Plum

Early-maturing plum varieties go on the market in early June, but the most delicious varieties ripen in August and September. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, plums are sweet and sour in taste and cool in nature. They have the effects of clearing heat and promoting body fluids, purging the liver of heat, activating blood and detoxifying, and promoting urination to reduce swelling. They are suitable for treating symptoms such as insufficient stomach yin, thirst and a dry throat, ascites, and difficult urination. They can also be used for internal injuries from chronic heat, liver disease with ascites, and other conditions. As the saying goes, "A peach fills you up, an apricot harms you, and a plum tree will kill you." This actually refers to hydrogen cyanide poisoning caused by eating too many apricots, plums, and other fruits. Unripe and bitter green plums should not be eaten as they contain hydrogen cyanide, which is dangerous to consume. Plums should be eaten when fully ripe. They can be stewed with rock sugar to moisten the throat and clear the voice.

Plum jam flower plate bread