All About Stone Fruit

Tis the season! And by that we mean Stone Fruit Season! Known by botanists as ‘drupes’, stone fruits grow their seeds inside a ‘stone’ that's surround ed by the juicy deliciousness we love to eat. So the pit of an apricot is not a seed itself, but it contains and protects a seed. There are two basic types: ‘freestone’ and ‘clingstone’, which are pretty self explanatory. With freestone drupes the flesh of the fruit is not attached to the stone, which is helpful for making pies, etc., and with clingstone fruits, it is attached. Surprisingly, raspberries are also a form aggregate stone fruit, with each little tiny section being what’s referred to as a ‘drupelet’!

Stone fruits have all kinds of valuable nutritional benefits. Peaches, plums and nectarines are all good sources of  vitamins A, C and E, as well as dietary fibre, potassium and antioxidants. Aside from it’s well known immune boosting benefits, Vitamin C plays a key role in the production of collagen, which helps keep your skin healthy. One cup of sliced plums or apricots contains around a quarter of your daily vitamin C needs. Potassium is essential for keeping your nerves and muscles in good condition; a deficiency can cause fatigue, irritability and increased blood pressure. Bananas are the most common go-to fruit for potassium, but stone fruits are also a great source—two peaches have roughly the same amount of potassium as a banana. And, as with carrots, the vibrant orange colour of apricots, peaches and nectarines comes from their rich supply of carotenoids, a type of antioxidant that can help strengthen your eyesight, skin membranes and immune function. Cherries also have a number of significant health benefits. For a fruit they have a really low glycemic index score of 22, making them easy on your blood sugar levels. (0-55 is considered low.) They have quercetin, a flavonoid with anti-carcinogenic activity, and last but not necessarily least, for anyone struggling with sleep disorders, they are one of the few dietary sources of melatonin! 

Most stone fruits are a fantastically versatile food, appearing in cereals, salads, desserts and savoury dishes of all sorts while being perfect to eat just as they are, easily accompanying you on picnics in the park and hikes through the woods, or to be eaten as a wonderful snack right in your kitchen :)  Enjoy the abundance of summer!