5 of the most nutritious fruit salad ingredients

If you’re looking to up the diet ante this summer, add our pick of 5 of the most nutritious fruit salad ingredients to your dessert bowl. They’ll take your tastebuds travelling to exotic climes, and they come with some awesome health benefits. Tuck in!

1. Blueberries

With a wide range of health benefits, blueberries are a true superfood. Rich in blood-boosting vitamin K, these little purple gems are also a source of vitamin C and manganese. A 2012 study found that women who ate three or more portions of blueberries a week had a 32 per cent lower risk of a heart attack compared with those who ate the fruit once a month or less.

How to use: Start your day the healthy way and spruce up a bowl of porridge with a handful of blueberries.

2. Peaches

This furry-skinned fruit tastes utterly delish and it’s super healthy too. According to a 2012 study by American communication company Texas A&M, peaches may help to stave off obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Peaches are also a good source of vitamin C, which helps to improve skin by warding off environmental damage.

How to use: Nosh on baked peaches for a healthy dessert alternative. Halve a peach and take out the stone. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 180°C and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

3. Mango

Nothing says summer like a ripe, juicy mango and this good-for-you fruit offers a variety of surprising health benefits. Mangoes are rich in carotenoids – antioxidants thought to help protect against several types of cancer. The exotic fruit is also rich in vitamin A, which has powerful skin-perfecting properties. Sounds good to us!

How to eat: Enjoy a mango smoothie as a healthy snack. Whizz together almond milk with half a mango, dates, strawberries and ground flaxseed.

4. Strawberries

Succulent, sweet strawberries are at their best right now and they’re a nutritional powerhouse too. One serving of the British fruit contains more vitamin C than an orange along with a variety of other nutrients including potassium which helps to keep blood pressure in check, fibre, a nutrient which keeps you feeling full, and folate, which is an important pre-conception vitamin. This vibrant red berry is also an excellent choice for dieters as it has a low sugar and high fibre content.

‘One serving of strawberries contains more vitamin C than an orange’

How to use: Make a healthy strawberry parfait by layering Greek yoghurt in a tall glass, and adding crushed strawberries, a drizzle of honey and a crushed oatcake.

5. Cherries

Ruby red cherries are undeniably irresistible and packed with lots of health-giving goodies too. Their intense red colour is due to antioxidants called anthocyanins, which have been linked to a lower risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It’s also worth noting that a cup of cherries contains a similar amount of potassium as a banana.

How to use: Pull together a healthy lunch. Pit your cherries and pop them into salads with quinoa, spinach, walnuts, parsley and a light mustard dressing.