Would We Lychee to You? Five Summery Fruits Now in Season

With the heat rising with every passing day, so does our craving for cool drinks and healthy fruits to keep us hydrated and feeling refreshed. With that in mind, we've compiled five of our favorite seasonal fruits to look out for at markets right now.

Lychee (荔枝 lì zhī)

Lychees, native to China, are a pinkish-red fruit with a rough but easy-to-peel skin. Inside you'll find plump, juicy flesh with a distinctive and very fragrant flavor. Yang Yuhuan, one of the Four Beauties in ancient China and the favorite concubine of Emperor Tang Xuanzong, was renowned to be a big fan of lychees, as immortalized in a Tang-dynasty poem describing how the emperor had the southern fruit transported up north just to please his lover. It is said that Yang's fair complexion was in part thanks to all the lychees she ate, and many women still eat the fruit today in the hope of acquiring the same alluring glow.

History aside, lychees are delicious and do in fact have plenty of health benefits, including for your skin, as they are packed with nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin B6, and folate. They are also a great source of dietary fiber and protein, helping to increase blood circulation and lessen digestive issues.

Yumberry (杨梅 yáng méi)

Yumberries – also known as waxberries or bayberries – make for a compact snack thanks to the fact you can pop them in your mouth and chew around the pip. Yumberries strike a refreshing balance between sweetness and tartness which can be amplified by putting them in the freezer and eating them frozen. Darker colored berries are considered to be more flavorful and nutritious.

Rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and various organic acids, yumberries help reduce blood pressure and is especially effective for relieving stomach problems as they help with digestion. Another great use of yumberry is to make delicious yumberry wine (杨梅酒 yáng méi jiǔ) – find an easy-to-follow recipe here.

Loquat (枇杷 pí pá)

Loquats resemble something like if you spliced an apricot with a mango. That follows through with their flavor as although they do have edible skin, we prefer eating them peeled so as to not impede their juicy, sweet, and slightly sour flesh.

Loquats are low in cholesterol and calories and high in expectorant substances, therefore frequently used to make a medical syrup (枇杷膏 pí pá gāo) to treat respiratory infections.

Muskmelon (甜瓜 tián guā)

There's no better than whiling away the summer hours lazing outside and munching on slices of melon. During this time of year, we'd recommend muskmelons (also known as sweet melons) in particular. Though the Beijing variety is most often green and squat, muskmelons come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and have a rich flavor, lush fragrance, and low calory count. If you peel off the skin and discard the seeds, muskmelons are also great for juicing (click here for the instructions).

Raspberry (覆盆子 fù pén zi)

As one of the world's most popular berries, raspberries are available year-round in the markets, but they are freshest and most plentiful in June. This wonderfully delicious berry goes great on the top of your morning smoothies or simply served with fresh yogurt for a healthy afternoon snack. They are also nutrient-dense and especially rich in dietary fiber and antioxidants. Like yumberries above, raspberries are also delicious when eaten frozen.

READ: Stay Sprightly With These Five In-Season Summer Vegetables

Photos: organicfacts.net, 搜狐