
Add these unique stone fruits to your salad today
What's the story
Stone fruits, with their juicy flesh and hard pits, can add a delicious twist to salads. These fruits are not only tasty but also loaded with nutrients. Adding them into salads can amp up flavor profiles and provide a refreshing break from traditional ingredients. Here are five unique stone fruits that can amp up your salad game.
Peach delight
Peaches: Sweet and juicy addition
Peaches add a sweet and juicy touch to salads, which is why they make for a perfect summer salad ingredient. The natural sweetness of peaches pairs well with greens like arugula or spinach. Peaches are also a great source of vitamins A and C, which promote skin and immune health. Thinly slicing the fruit adds texture and flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.
Plum punch
Plums: Tartness with a twist
Plums add a tartness that contrasts so beautifully with the savory elements of a salad. They are available in different colors, each giving some varying degree of sweetness or tartness. Plums are rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C and phenolic compounds which help fight oxidative stress in our body. Adding plums to your salad can bring an unexpected yet pleasant zing.
Apricot accent
Apricots: Subtle sweetness
With their subtle sweetness, apricots serve as the perfect addition to sweet as well as savory dishes. They are smaller than peaches but are packed with nutrients such as fiber, potassium, and vitamin A. Fresh apricots can be halved or sliced into salads to add color and taste without overpowering the other flavors present.
Cherry charm
Cherries: Bold flavor boost
Cherries bring bold flavors to the table and elevate any salad mix. Their natural sugars form an ideal combination with tangy dressings or creamy cheeses (feta or goat cheese). These fruits are packed with anthocyanins, strong antioxidants that aid in reducing inflammation. They also have melatonin, which regulates sleep when consumed regularly. This combination of taste and health benefits makes cherries an amazing addition to your salads, giving them a colorful, healthy twist.
Nectarine Note
Nectarines: Crisp texture contrast
Along with their sweet-tart taste profile (like peaches), nectarines provide the element of a crisp texture but with slightly firmer flesh (due to the absence of fuzz on the skin surface) making them perfect candidates to add crunchiness along with juiciness in the same bite experience. They're rich in dietary fiber and vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, folate, etc., so nutrition-wise, you're covered too!