Plant-based foods contain chemicals called phytochemicals that act as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents, helping to bring down levels of inflammation and to counteract inflammation’s harmful effects.
Naturally sweet fruits are particularly abundant in anti-inflammatory compounds, which are vital in protecting our bodies from heart disease, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer and bowel disease. Eating at least one-and-a-half to two cups of different fruits every day can boost antioxidant activity.
One strategy is to eat with the seasons, choosing grapes and stone fruits in the summer, apples and pears in the fall, persimmons and pomegranates in the winter, and citrus and cherries in the spring. Eating fruits this way will ensure that we derived the maximum benefits from the various fruits that adore the seasons
Below we discuss 6 commonly occurring fruits that help to fight inflammation in our bodies that you need to be consuming regularly especially during the seasons they occur.
Berries
Apples
Maybe it’s true that an apple a day keeps the Doctor away. Studies have found that consumption of this fruit—along with its relative, pears—was linked with a lower risk of death from heart disease. The star components of apples—fiber, vitamin C, pectin, and polyphenols—have been associated, primarily in animal studies, with anti-inflammatory effects and an increase in beneficial microbes in the gut.
Stone Fruits
Cherries, peaches, apricots, and plums are all examples of stone fruits, which contain fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and different types of phytochemicals associated with their colors. For example, cherries have garnered the lion’s share of the research among stone fruits, having been linked to reduced average blood sugar and improved cholesterol and blood pressure. Some studies even suggest reduced pain and soreness after exercise and reduced risk of gout attacks with cherry intake. The high levels of phenolic compounds in cherries, which have been shown to reduce inflammation, may be behind those benefits.
Grapes
These succulent fruits are bursting with fiber, vitamins C and K, and powerful phytochemicals, especially the resveratrol found in red grapes. It’s little wonder that moderate imbibing of red wine has been associated with heart health. Results from a multiethnic seven-year study of 3,300 middle-aged women linked moderate wine consumption with significantly lower levels of inflammation, compared with women who drank no or less wine. Some more recent studies, however, have called some of these benefits into question. It’s important to note, however, that even moderate consumption of alcohol (including wine) has been associated with higher cancer risk. The best advice: if you already enjoy wine, drink it in moderation (a maximum of one drink per day for women, two drinks for men), but don’t start drinking for supposed health benefits.
Citrus Fruits
Oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes are famously rich in vitamin C. They also contain fiber, potassium, calcium, B vitamins, copper, and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals such as flavonoids and carotenoids. The nutrients found in citrus fruits have been shown to have heart-protective effects, such as improvements in blood cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood vessel function.
Pomegranates
