As nature moves through the seasons, a variety of seasonal fruits join our diet. Summer is the richest time, when markets fill with sweet, juicy mangoes, jamun, lychees, jackfruit, watermelons and melons. These fruits are not only tasty but also very good for health. But the real benefit comes only when they are eaten in the right season. Artificially ripened or preserved fruit can often do the body harm instead of good.

In summer the body tires from the heat and loses a lot of water and minerals through sweat. It then needs foods that keep it cool and make up nutritional shortfalls, and nature itself provides seasonal fruit to meet that need.

Mangoes contain vitamins A and C, which keep the eyes and skin healthy and help boost immunity. Jamun has antioxidants and fibre, which aid digestion and help control diabetes. Lychees keep the body cool and supply high levels of vitamin C. Watermelon and melon make up the body's water shortfall, and jackfruit gives energy and helps digestion.

These fruits ripen naturally in season, so the risk of chemical use is usually lower. Many fruits that reach the market before their season, however, are ripened with calcium carbide and other chemicals, which can be seriously harmful. These chemicals can cause cancer, digestive disorders, liver and kidney problems, and can even hamper children's normal growth. Naturally ripened seasonal fruit is therefore healthy and safe.

Another important point is that these fruits are generally grown by local farmers. Mangoes or lychees from Rajshahi, Naogaon or Dinajpur easily reach Dhaka, so there is no need for extra chemicals for preservation. Because they come straight from the field to the market, we can eat fresh, nutritious fruit.

Local seasonal fruit is also environmentally friendly. Importing fruit from distant countries increases fuel use for transport, and chemicals are used for fear of the fruit rotting, which causes pollution. Locally produced fruit helps protect the environment and sustains the country's agriculture.

Each fruit has a particular "peak time". For mangoes, mid-June to July is the best time. Mangoes eaten outside that period may not taste as good and may be less nutritious. Jamun, lychees and melons each have their own season too.

The habit of eating seasonal fruit refreshes the mind as well as the body. A cold watermelon on a summer afternoon, a lychee picked from the tree, the sweet-sour taste of jamrul or the light scent of a melon shake off fatigue and bring back freshness. It is not just about eating but a culture, a piece of the scent of rural Bengal, nature's gentle touch amid the concrete of the city.

Remember, though, that seasonal fruit must be eaten in moderation, clean and with care. Eating too much, eating unwashed fruit or eating rotten fruit can cause vomiting, stomach problems or fever. Extra care is needed for children and the elderly.

All in all, seasonal fruit is nature's timely gift. It is not only a source of nutrition but a natural way to keep the body in tune with the season. Eating seasonal fruit safeguards health and builds a deep bond with our roots, with farmers and with nature.

So let us eat these fruits consciously, at the right time and in the right way.

The article draws on publications of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, the Institute of Public Health Nutrition, the Department of Agricultural Extension and the Directorate General of Health Services.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.