Nothing says summer quite like the taste of fresh, in-season produce. From colorful berries to leafy greens, buying fruits and vegetables at their peak from your local farmer's market or grocery store is good for both your health and your wallet.

    Studies have shown over and over that fruits and veggies can help reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases, including strokes, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

    All fruits and vegetables stand out because they're loaded with water - and pack in relatively few calories - and have little fat and no cholesterol. But some shine brighter than others this time of year.

    These seven foods are at their nutritious and flavorful best during the warm months, making them a must-have in your summer diet.

    Corn

    Nutritional punch: It's often maligned for being starchy, but corn is a whole grain that can reduce the risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

    One-half cup of raw kernels, slightly less than a medium ear, is 66 calories and provides 2.1 grams of fiber. One-half cup cooked is 88 calories with 2.3 grams of fiber. Corn also contains some B vitamins, including folate, that help the body produce energy, as well as vitamin C and phosphorus.

    The bran component of corn contains a cornucopia of compounds, including ferulic acid, that act as antioxidants. These potent compounds also protect the heart and help maintain your vision.

    Cooking corn activates its disease-fighting compounds, studies show.

    Quick fixes: "Unwrapped from its natural packaging, corn tastes great right off the cob - no utensils required" says Jackie Newgent, R.D., author of "Big Green Cookbook."

    Raw or cooked kernels add sweetness and crunch to green salads, traditional mac-and-cheese or cold pasta salads. Lightly sautéing corn kernels with olive oil and chopped peppers, onions, and tomatoes also makes a flavorful side dish or topper for meat, chicken, or fish. Corn on the cob also tastes great grilled plain or brushed with a mixture of olive oil and grated parmesan cheese.

    Peak: May through September.

    Cherries

    Nutritional punch: One cup, about 17 cherries, is 87 calories and provides 2.9 grams of fiber. They're loaded with beta-carotene, a carotenoid that turns into the usable form of vitamin A in the body and can protect your heart and vision. A one-cup serving also gives you 26 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C, as well as manganese, which helps form cartilage that lays the foundation for bones and skin, and potassium, which blunts the effects of a high-sodium diet.

    Cherries are most notable for their heart-healthy phytochemicals, also known as flavonoids, according to Joan Salge Blake, R.D., a clinical associate professor at Boston University and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Studies suggest that diets abundant in flavonoid-rich foods can lower heart disease risk.

    Preliminary animal studies have shown that cherry-enriched diets can boost immunity and reduce the risk for the flu and other respiratory infections, lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and reduce risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

    Quick fixes: Cherries can be eaten alone or in a fresh fruit salad, or pureed into jam or a fill for pancakes, pies or tarts.

    Peak: June through July

    Blueberries

    Nutritional punch: One cup of raw blueberries is 84 calories and boasts 3.6 grams of fiber, specifically pectin, a soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol and possibly protect against cancer. Blueberries are also rich in vitamin K （important for bones）, manganese and the antioxidant vitamin E.

    "They stain, which is an asset when it comes to nutrition," according to Newgent.

    That's because blueberries contain anthocyanins, antioxidant pigments that give blueberries their blue hue and have been shown to promote a healthy vascular system and fight inflammation.

    "Blueberries consistently stand out for their high antioxidant content," says Charles Stuart Platkin, host of the show "I Can Save Your Life" on the cable network We. They're so naturally delicious, "if they were sold in a colorful box at the movies, you'd mistake them for candy!" says Platkin.

    Wild blueberries won top honors among 25 commonly consumed fruits in the U.S. for their antioxidant activity, a recent study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found. Other berries, including cultivated blueberries, also ranked high on the list. Most supermarket blueberries are cultivated.

    Quick fixes: Blueberries can be poured over whole grain cereal, low-fat yogurt, used to make smoothies, or added to whole grain batter to put a nutritious spin on pancakes, muffins or waffles. Newgent suggests pouring pureed blueberries into molds to make ice pops, or combining equal parts blueberries, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar in a blender to make salad dressing.

    Peak: Mid-June through Mid-August. July is National Blueberry Month.

    Okra

    Nutritional punch: "One cup of cooked okra packs in as much fiber as a bowl of oatmeal," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a Chicago-based registered dietitian and author of "The Flexitarian Diet." One cup boiled and sliced has 35 calories, 4 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. "The unique combination of fiber and protein make okra particularly satiating," says Jackson Blatner. Okra is also chock full of vitamins and minerals, including 80 percent of the daily allowance of vitamin K, as well as vitamins C and B6 （important for energy production）.

    Quick fixes: Stir chopped okra into corn muffin batter for a nutritious, tasty variation on a classic. You can also add raw chopped slices to a colorful vegetable salad with sweet onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. Sliced okra works well on a mozzarella and tomato sandwich, or dipped in egg and coated with cornmeal or corn flake cereal before baking. It can also be chopped and added to tuna, egg, chicken salad, or a stir fry.

    Peak: July through October

    Strawberries

    Nutritional punch: One cup of strawberries contains 46 calories, 2.9 grams of fiber, and 50 percent more vitamin C than you need in a day. Other notable nutrients include manganese, folate （important to protect against birth defects and promote heart health）, and vitamin B6, an energy booster.

    Strawberries overflow with phytochemicals, including flavonoids （such as anthocyanins, antioxidants that give them their ruby red color） and ellagic acid, a phenolic compound （also found in blueberries, raspberries, and other plant foods） shown in laboratory and animal studies to have anti-cancer properties. Recent animal studies suggest that strawberries may protect and maintain your cognitive function by enhancing learning and memory in aging animals.

    Quick fixes: Strawberries dipped in chocolate are a family favorite, says Jeannie Gazzaniga-Moloo, R.D., a California-based spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and mother of three. Dark chocolate provides additional flavonols which make this sweet treat even more heart-healthy.

    Peak: April through July.

    Eggplant

    Nutritional punch: One cup cubed and cooked provides 35 calories and 2-1/2 grams of fiber. Eggplant also contains several vitamins and minerals including potassium, manganese, copper, and the B vitamins thiamin, vitamin B6 and folate.

    Eggplant boasts a variety of important phytonutrients believed to have antioxidant properties. These include several compounds that may protect against cancer and microbes such as bacteria and viruses.

    "The benefits of eggplant occur not only in the flesh, but in the peel," according to David Grotto, R.D., author of "101 Foods That Can Save Your Life." Recent research found an anthocyanin unique to eggplant peels that appear to protect the heart.

    Quick fixes: Try a stir fry with cubed eggplant, or lightly sautéing it with olive oil to fill a lasagna or top pasta, Grotto recommends. It can be roasted, pureed, and mixed with olive oil and garlic to make dip. With grilling season in full swing, eggplant definitely deserves to be front and center. Or you can cut eggplant into semi-thin slices, brushing on some olive oil, and adding a sprinkle of kosher salt before grilling.

    Peak: August through October.

    習慣上，夏天是品嘗新鮮和當令食品的季節。從五彩繽紛的漿果到綠色菜蔬，在當地農產市場或食雜店，銷售旺季購買瓜果蔬菜既有利大家的身體健康又經濟實惠。

    反復研究顯示瓜果時蔬能有效減少得心血管疾病的風險，避免中風、糖尿病和某些癌癥。

    這個時節一切瓜果時蔬因其含有水份和相對較少的卡路里，少量脂肪和膽固醇而備受推崇。并且此時的陽光照射更勝一年當中的其它時間。

    有7種食物在夏季擁有最佳營養成份和可口程度，應在大家的夏季食譜中位列其上。

    玉米

    營養快報：經常錯誤宣傳玉米含大量淀粉，事實上這是一種能減少得心血管疾病、糖尿病和心臟病風險的谷物。

    半杯生玉米粒，即一小段中等玉米穗，含有66卡路里和2.1克纖維，而半杯經過燒煮的含有88卡路里和2.3克纖維。玉米含有維生素B及維生素C和磷，其中的葉酸能幫助身體產生能量。

    玉米的麩皮含有豐富的抗氧化作用的阿魏酸，這些有效的化合物能保護心臟和維護視覺。

    研究顯示經過燒煮的玉米更具有抗疾病成份。

    快速菜譜："去除外殼和玉米穗軸后的玉米粒滋味鮮美，即便沒有必需的烹調。"杰姬·紐根特說--《大綠色食譜》的作者。

    生的或煮燒過的玉米粒給綠色沙拉，傳統布拉科芝士通心粉或冷意面沙拉增加了甜味和咬嚼。加入微炒過的玉米粒配上橄欖油、青甜椒粒、洋蔥、蕃茄會使菜的滋味更加可口或讓肉類、雞或魚的美味更上一層。烤玉米棒或涂上混合了橄欖油和碎巴馬干酪后，滋味也是極美。

    盛產期：五月至九月間

    櫻桃

    營養快報：

    一杯大約17顆櫻桃含有87卡路里和2.9克纖維。它們含有胡蘿卜素，一種能轉化成有用維生素A的類胡羅卜素，可以保護心臟和視覺。一杯櫻桃能滿足每日推薦的營養攝入維C量的26%,錳有助于生長在皮膚和骨頭間的軟骨，以及減弱高納飲食影響的鉀。

    櫻桃最值得推崇的是其有益于心臟健康的植物性化合物，著名的類黃酮，按照波斯頓大學臨床副教授瓊·索吉·布萊克和美國飲食協會發言人所薦。研究建議食用大量富含類黃酮的食物來降低得病率。

    初始動物研究顯示富含櫻桃的飲食能提升免疫力和減少得流感和其它呼吸道感染疾病的風險，低膽固醇，減少炎癥和糖尿病發病系數。

    快速菜譜：櫻桃單獨食用或放在水果沙拉中，或打成水果泥或放在薄餅、派、果餡餅上。

    盛產期：六月至七月間

    藍莓

    營養快報：

    一杯新鮮藍莓含有84卡路里和3.6克纖維，特別是膠質，一種易溶解的纖維有助于降低膽固醇和防癌。藍莓有豐富的維生素K（特別有益于骨骼）,錳和抗氧化的維生素E.

    "其長處在于富含豐富的營養成份。"紐根特說。

    因為藍莓含有花青素和抗氧化素，這才使果實成為藍色并有利于軟化血管和增加抵抗力。

    "藍莓有突出的高抗氧化劑成份，"查爾斯·斯圖爾特·普拉特金說，在網絡上主編《我能拯救你的生命》。它們是如此的美味，"如果在電影中把它們裝入一個彩色的盒子，大家都會誤以為是糖果。"普拉特金說。

    野生藍莓在美國25種日常消費水果中奪冠，因為其抗氧化活性，最近在農業和食品化學日報上的一項研究顯示。

    快速菜譜：藍莓加入谷類、 低脂奶酪中，使口感更加柔和，或打碎加到烙餅、松餅或華夫餅中。紐根特建議藍莓泥倒入模具中制做冰棒，或混合等量的藍莓、橄欖油和蘋果醋到攪拌機中制做出沙拉味調料。

    盛產期：六月中到八月中，其中七月是國家藍莓月。

    秋癸

    營養快報："一杯熟的秋癸含有的纖維等于一碗燕麥片。"道恩·杰克遜·布拉特納說，芝加哥注冊營養師和《彈性飲食》的作者。"一杯切片煮熟的秋癸有35卡路里，4克纖維和3克蛋白質。""秋癸富含纖維和蛋白質組合，"杰克遜·布拉特納說。秋癸也富含維生素和礦物質，維生素K占日攝入量80%,以及維生素C和B6（主要用于產生能量）.

    快速菜譜： 攪拌切好的秋癸加入谷類松餅中增加營養變換味道。或者將切好的生秋癸加入混合沙拉和甜洋蔥、蕃茄、黃瓜和甜椒中。也可將切好的秋癸將到意大利干酪和蕃茄三明治中，或蘸雞蛋，或在烘焙前涂上玉米粉或玉米片。也可以切碎加到金槍魚、蛋、雞肉沙拉中，或是用火炒食。

    盛產期：七月到十月間

    草莓

    營養快報：一杯草莓含有46卡路里，2.9克纖維和超過50%的日需維生素C量。其它營養包括錳、葉酸（防止出生缺陷和促進心臟健康）,和能量增強劑維生素B6.

    草莓充滿植物性化合物 ,如類黃酮（花青素、深紅寶石色的抗氧化劑）和酚類化合物鞣花酸（在藍莓、山莓和其它植物中也有發現）,在實驗室和動物研究中顯示有抗癌性能。最近的動物研究提出通過在成熟動物上強化學習和記憶實驗，證實藍莓能保護和維持認識機能。

    快速菜譜：草莓加入巧克力中是家族愛好，簡妮·嘉薩尼加-莫露說，一位美國飲食協會的加利福尼亞發言人和三個孩子的母親。黑巧克力提供額外的黃酮醇增加甜味更有利于心臟健康。

    盛產期：四月到七月間

    茄子

    營養快報：一杯丁狀的燒熟的茄子提供35卡路里和2.5克纖維。茄子富含幾種維生素和礦物質，如鉀、錳、銅和維生素B1、B6、葉酸。

    茄子有植物性營養素抽出物的抗氧化性質。這包括幾種抗癌和抗細菌病毒化合物。

    茄子不只果肉，皮也有用。根據戴維·格羅特指出，《101種可以拯救您生命的食品》的作者。最近研究發現茄皮上的花青素對保護心臟有益。

    快速菜譜：試著炒切成丁狀的茄子，或用橄欖油嫩煎加到烤寬面條或面食上，格羅特推薦。或燒烤茄子后倒入橄欖油和大蒜混合物中信用。燒烤時不停擺動，讓茄子內外充分受熱。或在烤前切成細丁用橄欖油涂抹，再撒上適當的鹽。

    盛產期：八月到十月間