Summer vitamin bombs and fabulous recipes!

Summertime is fruit time! Berries are very popular during the warm months because they’re absolutely scrumptious and fabulously colourful. The avocado is a very special kind of berry. It has its origins in South America and is pretty unspectacular to look at. But the green-yellow flesh is deceptively full ofvitamins E and B6: 100 g of avocado covers around 20 percent of the recommended intake of those vitamins, and it also has positive effects on the cardiovascular system and skin. This special berry is also packed with vitamin C: a 100 g serving meets 10 percent of our daily needs. Avocados are additionally rich in potassium and omega 3 fatty acids, which lower cholesterol. They’re a great source of energy on a hot summer day!

Another great superfruit with sunny yellow flesh is the mango. We can enjoy mangos all year round because they are grown all over the world. This wonderful fruit is very popular in summer as a refreshing snack and an ingredient in artful recipes. It’s also full of vitamins! 100 g of mango covers almost 40 percent of daily vitamin C requirements and almost 60 percent of the recommended daily vitamin A intake. It also has a high content of vitamins E, K and B6, which are great for the immune system, skin and eyes! If you’re looking for healthy refreshment the mango is the perfect fruit for you. Check out our salads and dips – made with our Kikkoman Soy Sauce.

Sour makes you smile! It also keeps you healthy! Lemons are a popular fruit that give our immune system a powerful boost in any season - summer or winter. You don’t always have to drink it in a hot beverage! Lemon juice or zest add a flavour kick and a healthy portion of vitamins to lots of summer dishes. 100 g of fresh lemons provide you with 50 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement – and that’s difficult to top! So get out the citrus fruits and celebrate summer – with a light pasta dish or tangy chutney.

We tend to eat a lot less vegetables in summer unless we're barbecuing them or using them as ingredients in a side salad. That’s a shame because there are so many wonderful summer vegetables out there. Spinach is a great example that you can use in all kinds of recipes. It’s the perfect summer vegetable because it’s full of B-group vitamins and vitamin C, which are beneficial to the cardiovascular system and the skin. It’s also rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium to replace lost electrolytes on a hot summer day!

Bright green broccoli is another vitamin-rich vegetable. The little roses that look so appetizing on the plate are also a great source of vitamins and minerals. 100 g of broccoli provides 40 percent of daily vitamin A requirements and 60 percent of daily vitamin C requirements. And that's not all. It also contains 10 percent of the recommended daily intake of calcium. Eating a portion of broccoli in summer benefits your skin and cardiovascular system – and provides the energy you need in hot weather! Check out the fabulous broccoli pesto or the broccoli with pine nuts in our Kikkoman recipes.

Carrots are a delicious food choice at any time of the year. In summer we love to grate them into a tangy slaw or grill them on the barbecue. Carrots look delicious and taste delicious, and just 100 g cover our daily requirement of vitamin A, which is important for good vision and a healthy immune system. Carrots also contain vitamins C and E, several B-group vitamins, potassium and calcium. So they’re genuine all-round nutrient bombs! There are some fabulous recipes with carrots in the Kikkoman collection – seasoned with our delicious soy sauces.