Are you Peelin' Peachy this summer?
It takes two to Mango. 😍😍😍

What images do you conjure up when you think of the summer months?

Sunshine and warmth; lazy days at the beach squeezing sand between your toes; enjoying a picnic in an idyllic part of the countryside?
Best of all - Eating beautifully flavoursome fruit. Which is also an excellent way to improve your overall health and reduce the risk of disease.

There are so many ways to eat your fruit, including of course raw! Let's take a look at a couple of interesting and delicious fruits to prepare - using your Excalibur dehydrator.

Dried fruits may be a convenient alternative to fresh fruit, but they are significantly higher in sugar and calories - so keep that in mind as you munch away.

Fruits are an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, and they are high in fibre. Fruits also provide a wide range of health-boosting antioxidants, including flavonoids. Eating a diet high in fruits (and vegetables) can reduce a person’s risk of developing heart disease, cancer, inflammation, and diabetes.

Whether you are fortunate enough to grow your own yummy  fruit, or whether you buy from your local Farmer's Market, the fruit picking season in Australia can often differ due to changes in weather patterns and temperatures. However, generally speaking the picking season usually starts in December and finishes in May.

These are some of the fruits that are in season during Australia's summer:

Summer: December – February Fruits    

    apple
    apricot
    banana
    blackberries
    blueberries
    boysenberries
    cantaloupe
    cherries
    currants
    fig
    grapefruit
    grapes
    honeydew
    lemon
    loganberries
    lychee
    mango
    mulberries
    nectarine
    orange
    passionfruit
    peach
    pear
    plum
    pineapple
    rambutan
    raspberries
    rhubarb
    strawberries
    tamarillo
    watermelon


 Let's take a look at two of the most loved fruits, shall we.

MANGO

Perhaps number one is the Mango.

Refreshing, juicy and delicious, like most fruit, this tropical favourite has some great nutritional benefits.

Mango is a low-calorie fruit that is high in fibre, and is a great source of vitamins A and C. It also contains folate, B6, iron and a little calcium, zinc and vitamin E. Mangoes are a good source of antioxidants.

From September through to April each year, there are nine common mango varieties grown in Australian. The mango season spreads southward throughout these months. Beginning near Darwin and Katherine in late September, it ends by early December. Queensland varieties (from such locations as Mareeba, Dimbulah, Townsville, Bowen and Yeppoon) then enter the market around this time.

PEACHES

Peaches are low in calories and are packed with numerous health promoting compounds, minerals, and vitamins. Fresh peaches are a moderate source of antioxidants. They are rich in vitamin A, for maintaining healthy mucous membranes and healthy skin, and vitamin C which is required for the building of connective tissue inside the body, and helps develop resistance against infections.

It provides 6% of your daily vitamin A needs and 15% of daily vitamin C needs. One medium peach also contains 2% or more daily value of vitamins E and K, niacin, folate, iron, choline, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc and copper.

Peaches are a summer Stonefruit, grown in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and parts of South Australia and Western Australia.  They are harvested between October and April each year, and are at their peak between November and March.

Summer is certainly a time when people think about fruit, but it isn't the only season when fruit is available. The table below shows when each fruit in the list is in season in Australia in general.

So, make sure you are doing your best to eat sufficient fruit each day. Try one of our delicious recipes today - you won't be able to resit making them over and over again!