In-Season, Nutritious Fruits That Are Truly Texan
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Admittedly, I used to pop one or two supplements daily. This was to augment my potential vitamin deficiencies because of my lop-sided diet regimen. With the passing of time and more creases on my face, I finally decided to switch to fruits (What wine goes well with fruits?) as a source of vitamins. Nothing beats ingesting vitamins from fruits since it is way more natural compared to the most organic, vegan supplement tablet out there.
Nowadays, after a long day of working the fields, I always make sure there is a fresh basket of fruits to cool me down. But what fruits are in-season this January that you can locally source in Texas? To help you put together your own countertop Texan fruit basket, here are nutritious Texas-grown fruits that are currently in season.
Pomegranates
I remember the very first drink I drank when visiting Tel Aviv was freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. Good thing this fruit is also locally grown in Texas. Pomegranates are circular and hard fruits that are filled with juicy aril-coated seeds. Their colors can range from ruby red to yellow. This fruit is packed with seeds that are bursting with flavor.
This fruit is refreshing because of its juice that could be either sweet, tart, or a mix of the two depending on the variety. Each pomegranate is packed with Vitamin C, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, and Phosphorous. This fruit is in season from January to February, and from September to December.
Guavas
Guavas are commonly grown in sub-tropical and tropical regions. This fruit is hard and has seeds with a flavor profile, when ripe, that is a cross between strawberries and pears. Personally, this fruit is quite exotic and I get it whenever it’s in season from January through April and from November to December.
This is because it has quadruple the amount of Vitamin C compared to oranges or lemons. It also has a generous amount of potassium. The guava is indeed an immune system booster that is very important in the middle of a pandemic.
Kumquats
The Kumquat is a tasty fruit that looks like small oranges in the size of olives. It tastes quite like oranges without the bitterness that comes with it because it does not have an inner skin. This fruit is in season from January through April and from November to December.
It is packed with immune system strengthening Vitamin C, Potassium, and Calcium. I handful of Kumquats is what I call a refreshing snack any time of the day.
Meyer Lemons
A cross between citron and pomelos, the Meyer lemon has the same taste as conventional lemons that are sweet without acidity. They were imported into China in 1908 by USDA Employee Frank Meyer. By the 1940s, almost all of the Meyer Lemon plants in the U.S. were banned because they turned out to be a carrier of the Citrus Tristeza Virus. This proved to be a threat to the local citrus industry.
And by 1975, they were re-introduced thanks to the efforts of the University of California working to come up with a new strain. These lemons are in-season from January to March and November through December. Each lemon is packed with Vitamin C, Iron, and Fiber.
Lemons
The classic lemon is one of the most popular citrus fruits in the whole world. Genetic studies on this famous fruit have revealed that it is a cross between citron and bitter orange. This is why it is acidic and quite acidic. The lemon is rarely eaten as a fruit unless you are a masochist.
But, despite its taste, it makes for a nice cold glass of lemonade that has been the go-to classic drink that refreshes and gives a powerful immune system boost. This fruit is in season from January to April and September through December.
Your vitamin intake is a vital aspect of one’s diet and should not depend on being augmented by processed food supplements. A more natural way to balance out the nutrient in our respective diets is to eat fruits. This proves to be a natural and rich source of vitamins that are sure to build our immune systems and help our bodies thrive from naturally occurring nutrients in fruits. Next time if you ever shop at your local farmers markets, grab a fruit or two. Your body will thank you.
