Having a good diet is essential for hormonal balance and there is no better way than to eat what is in season from around the country & your local farmers market.

This months foods are:- Fruit- blueberries, a super food with the  highest antioxidant levels than any other fruit or vegetable, helping fight heart disease, cancer and lowering cholesterol levels. Strawberries at there best now , just seven a day count towards your 5 a day fruit and vegetable,  low in calories, high in fibre and taste delicious

Salad - watercress,  its green leaves are a great source of iron and zinc as well as containing  vitamin C and magnesium.  Fennel, with its distinctive aniseed flavour can be eaten cooked, roasted or braised  or shaved thinly into salads for a change,   carrots young and tender are  delicious grated with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Vegetables - Jersey new potatoes are at there best, full of vitamins and minerals, no need to peel,steam and serve with a dot of butter. Long Runner Beans, these are high in Vitamin C and folic acid  which aid blood cell and nervous system development

Fish - Mackerel, British mackerel is in season from June to October, an oily fish, rich in healthy Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids vitamins and selenium, which boost the immune system and the endocrine system. Ideal for the  BBQ or bake

 Meat - Try lean  English and Welsh lamb  studded with rosemary and garlic serve  with new potatoes and green beans.

Question:-Is mango good for diabetics and what are the fruits good for diabetics

Reply:- Mango and  melons are high in sugar or Glycemic Index, therefore it is advisable not to eat frequently and in large amounts, but include in your daily 5 any of the following

low GI  fruits include, apples pears peaches plums and grapes

medium Raisins bananas apricots.kiwi pineapple papaya

Melons come in various shapes and sizes, there seasons vary,but are normally available year round from Costa Rica and Spain to Morocco.

An easy and convenient fruit, largely comprising of water, it is an excellent quick snack, starter or dessert, especially for those watching their calorie intake. A variety of dishes can be served according to variety.

Honey dew : is a bright yellow, thick skinned melon, which is juicy and sweet. Normally eaten in slices as a snack or a starter.

Galia : A small round green fruit, ideal for sweet and savoury dishes.

Cantaloup : A fragrant pale orange flesh, it is sweet and good for sorbets or desserts.

Watermelon : A large green flesh with vibrant red seeds inside, in can be slice and eaten anywhere any time.

Packed with Vitamins A, B and C the Honeydew melon has around 13kcal per 100g and negligible fat content.

Serving suggestions

A combination of melons is eye catching and refreshing - with berry fruits, packed with vitamins.

Parma ham slices served with Gallia or Honeydew, accompanied with fig preserve or chutney.

A sorbet made from Cantaloup is clean and refreshing to the palette and is good to serve between spicy meals.

Fresh melon balls and a dash of port, or melon scoops with sparkling wine make an excellent finish to a meal.

Seedless melon smoothie - blend melon with lemon and caster sugar to taste and serve over ice cubes.

Although a fruit and not a vegetable, the tomato is often classified this way.

An excellent source of vitamins A and C, the uncooked fruit is a good source of vitamin E.

The tomato is an antioxidant and has a high mineral content, containing potassium, calcium and other trace elements.

Tomatoes are low in calories, containing only 14 calories per 100g. Ripe tomatoes can be 1.5% fibre.

Oranges are the one of the most popular citrus fruits available today.

It comes ready packaged to protect the juicy flesh, packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They are high in vitamin C which is essential to the health of our immune system, strengthening the action of the white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses, also protecting cell and tissue growth.

Eat 1-2 daily or especially in the winter have a Juice boost :

Juice 2 oranges and add either lime, carrot, banana or kiwi fruit to make a healthy, home made boost for your immune system. A drink of 3 freshly juiced fruits is ideal way of getting your recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C

Kiwi Fruit (Chinese Gooseberry) is an excellent source of Vitamin C and contains a useful amount of potassium, to counteract sodium, excess sodium can result in fluid retention

Kiwi fruit supplies the Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) of Vitamin C and approximately 30 calories, with 0.5g per 100g of fat. Vitamin C aides the absorption of Iron which in-turn, can maintain a good hemoglobin level.

Highly versatile, not just for eating out of the hand, slice it into salads or blend into fruit smoothies. Cheesecakes, tarts and sorbets - make stunning deserts.

Kiwis are harvested before they are fully ripe. Select firm fruit that yield to gentle pressure and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks

To ripen, let kiwis stand at room temperature in a plastic bag. Placing a ripe apple or banana in the bag will hasten ripening. The fruit is fully ripe when it feels slightly soft and develops a distinctive fruity aroma and the flesh looks translucent. Ripe kiwis will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

The Banana is one of the most popular fruits, ideal for any age group.They are natural no fuss, sealed in their own wrapper providing a versitile fruit for a snack, dessert, cooking or for blending into nutritional milk shakes.

Delicate and easily damaged, there are various varieties now available; Cavendish is the most popular, Apple bananas are small and honey coloured whilst Red are mild and creamy. Plantains are suitable for cooking only.

Nutritional Value (per 100gm)

A source rich in vitamins and minerals Bananas can help maintain a good body balance.

With vitamin C they can help the immune system and act as an antioxidant, there is vitamin B2 for healthy eyes and skin, and converting protein, fat and carbohydrates to energy. Vitamin B6 supports the nervous system and aids in regulating hormones. Bananas are high in potassium aiding circulation, whilst low in fat and sugar. Bananas are a source of instant and sustained energy.

Why not try?

• Sliced to accompany breakfast cereal
• Milk shakes for a potassium and calcium boost
• Baked in their skins or added to low fat fruit cakes

Serving suggestion

2 Bananas
1/2 pint of skimmed milk
1 teaspoon of honey

Blend together and serve as a nutritional drink.

Strawberries

The strawberry plant is part of the rose family and was first cultivated for food during the 13th century when they where used as a beauty treatment by the rich, being crushed in abundance and used for facials and bathing.

Available throughout the year from Europe and the States, but in England traditionally available mid June at the start of Wimbledon tennis fortnight, but according to the weather they are usually widely available from mid July and August.

Local sources are the best, either pick your own or farmers markets when they are at their freshest, select the firmest and average size fruits, eaten on their own or with champagne brings out the full flavour.

Fact profile per 100g

High in iron to combat anaemia and proanthocyanidins, strawberries help to strengthen blood capillaries and improve blood flow, thus reducing the risk of heart disease and easing cramps and restless legs. They also are beneficial to healthy skin, Vitamin C strengthens the immune system and helps cleanse the body of toxins, and aids absorption of iron.

Serving suggestions

Start the day with Strawberries and Banana on Bran flakes.
Summer fruit smoothie’s - Liquidise your favourite fruits with strawberries adding plan yoghurt and a small amount of milk serve immediately

Raspberries

A soft summer fruit that is associated with the lowlands of Scotland has a reputation for the best-flavoured fruits. A popular fruit to grow at home, it is harvested from the end of July into August, it is also available all year, but can be expensive, from New Zealand and Chile

Raspberries are a rich source of potassium, magnesium and calcium as well as high levels of vitamin A, which are required for healthy skin, good vision and bone development and growth.

Gently wipe fruits over to clean, as soft fruits loose their flavour once washed and are best eaten on their own or served with fresh cream or fromage fries with meringue, topped with mint

The avocado pear is a New World fruit native to Mexico, but now popular with fruit growers in California, South Africa and Australia,
it is now available world wide.

A stoned creamy textured fruit with a pleasant flavour is a available in 4 varieties:

• The Hass, has a small purple knobbly skin and a pale green to yellow flesh.
• The E Hinger and Fuerte are pear shaped with a smooth green skin, and golden yellow flesh.
• The Nabel is a smaller rounder fruit.

Nutritional Value (per 100gm)

Avocados contain no cholesterol, and our an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, with unusually high protein, fat and carbohydrate
levels.

With Vitamin C to boost the immune system, Vitamin B thiamin and riboflavin needed to boost metabolic rate, its vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, with the potassium aiding circulation.

The avocado is an excellent fuel and energy booster which will help maintain a good body balance.

A ripe avocado should have a clean unblemished skin, it should give when squeezed. The avocado is usually eaten raw, but may be baked or grilled.

Once cut sprinkle the avocado with lemon juice to stop discoloration.

Why not try avocado:

• with prawns and vinaigrette
• with finely chopped tomatoes and cucumber
• use in dips, garnishes, soups and tacos
• in the dip Mexican Guacamole

Rich in Vitamin E as an added bonus avocado can be used in your beauty routine, for facials and hair care.