Fall, the season of abundance, is a time for harvesting. As a result, our tables are more plentiful than ever with foods that are in season. Many fruits are exceptionally flavorful and nutritious in the fall. These fruits taste delicious anytime but are incredibly tasty and healthy in the fall, marking their seasonal fruits. Let’s look at the fall seasonal fruits that are especially good to eat as the weather gets colder.
Persimmons
Persimmons can be astringent if not fully ripe, but they offer a sweet taste when properly ripened. They are a quintessential fall fruit and can be eaten in various forms like dried, soft, and fresh persimmons. They are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and tannins, which can help prevent high blood pressure. However, eating too many can cause constipation, so moderation is recommended.
Quinces
Often called the ‘ugly fruit,’ people in Korea primarily use quinces for their fragrance rather than for consumption. However, in addition to their aroma, quinces are rich in various nutrients, making them a healthy fruit. They are abundant in vitamin C, tannins and saponins, potassium, iron, and calcium and can prevent throat inflammation and vascular diseases. They also aid in digestion and are effective in relieving thirst and hangovers.
Jujubes
Jujubes, a type of fruit from the jujube tree, is rich in essential minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc, as well as vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, thiamine, vitamin A, and vitamin K, and various water-soluble dietary fibers. However, they contain a lot of fructose, resulting in a strong sweet and sour taste. Since they have a high sugar content, they can result in a high-calorie intake; thus, people should eat them cautiously, especially when dieting.
Wild Grapes
‘Wild grapes,’ which grow on a vine of the grape family, are one of the wild grape species in Korea. The harvest season is quite late, starting in October, compared to regular grapes. Wild grapes are rich in anthocyanin, vitamin A, crude protein, crude fat, reducing sugar, catechin, polyphenol, resveratrol, hopephenol, hainanol, isohopephenol, citicin, vitisifuran, etc. This fruit is believed to have anti-cancer, tonic, and blood circulation-improving effects.
Tangerines
As the weather turns cold, ‘tangerines’ naturally come to mind. Juicy with a sweet and sour taste, tangerines are a fruit commonly found from fall to winter. Tangerines are rich in perillyl alcohol, hesperidin, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamin C, and vitamin P. As a result, we can expect effects such as blood circulation improvement, digestion improvement, skin aging prevention, inhibition of prostate cancer cells, osteoporosis cholesterol inhibition, etc.
Yuzu
Yuzu, a type of citrus fruit, is a bright yellow fruit with a pleasant aroma and soft flesh. In Korea, yuzu is mainly consumed as a tea rather than eaten directly. Yuzu contains vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin C, iron, potassium, calcium, limonene, and hesperidin. Through yuzu, we can expect blood circulation and digestion improvement. It also effectively prevents cerebrovascular disorders, osteoporosis, cold hands and feet, and colds, enhances appetite, and relieves hangovers.
Pomegranates
Pomegranates were rare in the past, but now they are common. This fruit, filled with tiny angular seeds within its leathery skin, is typically consumed by removing the skin and eating the seeds. Pomegranates contain many nutrients, including vitamins A through E, natural estrogen, tannins, minerals, calcium, etc. Consuming pomegranates in moderation can alleviate menopausal symptoms and strengthen our immune systems.
Figs
Figs, which Cleopatra often consumed in ancient Egypt, are sometimes referred to as the ‘queen’s fruit.’ Figs are rich in potassium, which can improve blood pressure control and strengthen blood vessels. The protein-breaking enzyme aids digestion and can prevent neutral fats from accumulating in the body. Above all, it is an excellent fruit to consume during a diet because it is low in calories.
Apples
Apples are a fruit that can be found at any time of the year. The apples mainly consumed in Korea are sweet and have a firm flesh that crunches when bitten. The most delicious season for apples is late summer to fall, and in fall, seasonal apples are high in sugar and rich in pectin and vitamin C. By consuming apples, you can prevent colds, excrete cholesterol, and prevent asthma.
Pears
Farmers typically harvest pears in early to mid-October, making the peak season around the Korean Thanksgiving. Pears are sweet and delicious and contain a lot of moisture, making them particularly good for quenching thirst. They are rich in dietary fiber, luteolin, aspartic acid, vitamin C, and potassium, which can improve constipation and cholesterol levels. They can also effectively treat coughs, bronchial disorders, hangovers, and blood pressure regulation.
By. Choi Deok-soo (press@daily.co.kr)
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