All posts in Fruit Facts

Georgia Peach season is here! A ripe, juicy peach is one of the joys of summer. Not only can fresh peaches be enjoyed when eaten out of hand, peaches are can be used in both sweet (in cobblers and other baked goods) and savory (in salsas, sides and main dishes) recipes. Peach health benefits include fiber, potassium and vitamins A and C. Sweet peaches can also be beneficial for weight loss as they’re low in calories (just 60 per cup) and satisfying to your sweet tooth. The only bad thing about peaches is how short their season is! Stone Fruits…

Summer is upon us, and North American-grown Navel Oranges (which are winter oranges) have pretty much vanished from the market, not to appear again until later in the fall. In there place you’ll now find California Valencia Oranges, a summer-grown variety known for the gorgeous color and sumptuously sweet flavor of its flesh. An American Orange, an Exotic Name The Valencia Orange is named for the Spanish city, but it was actually developed in Southern California. An American-born agronomist by the name of William Wolfskill hybridized the sweet orange on his Santa Ana farm in the 19th Century. The sweetness…

Quick – what fruit pops into your mind when we say, “vitamin C?” We’re betting it’s citruses…specifically, oranges. But did you know that cherries are also a great source of vitamin C? Are cherries good for you? You may already know that sweet cherries are delicious – decadently so. But they’re also supremely good for you! The benefits of eating cherries are many. Apart from being low in calories, cherries are full of fiber, which supports a healthy digestive system. Fresh cherries are also high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that help prevent chronic illnesses (like heart disease and diabetes),…

Summertime is South Florida Mango season, and we couldn’t be more excited! If you’ve never made fresh mango a part of your summer diet, you definitely want to start – over 90% of the people who give this rare-ish, tropical fruit a try instantly fall in love with the flavor, and we’re betting you will, too. But before you head out to buy mangos at your local grocer, it might be a good idea to brush up on your mango “known how” first – just how to buy mangoes can make a big impact on your new “mango experience.” Fun…

Sweet cherry season is almost here, and how sweet it is! Some of the sweetest cherries are Bing Cherries. Bing Cherries are heart-shaped, big and juicy with dark red (almost purple) peels and dark-red flesh interiors (in most cases, the darker the flesh, the sweeter the cherry). But what is it that makes Bing Cherries such “sweethearts?” Location, Location, Location! You know how citrus trees need a warm climate with few or no extended winter freezes to thrive? The opposite is true for sweet cherry trees: many cherry trees (such as the Bing cherry tree) need significant “chill” time (between…

Oohhhh, mango! There’s nothing like the sweet-tart, juicy flesh of fresh mangoes during the spring and summer. This “fruit of queens” is not only incredibly delicious eaten fresh or when used to add a tropical flair to recipes (smoothies, salads and salsas are just a few examples of what are mangoes good for) it’s incredibly healthy, too! A nutritional powerhouse, the health benefits of mango are many: high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, a fresh mango has so much beta-carotene you can see it! (That’s what gives the succulent flesh its characteristic, dark-gold hue.) Plus, a one-cup…

Georgia peach season is upon us, and trust us – you don’t want to miss out! But maybe you’ve been wary of eating fresh peaches yourself or giving peaches as gifts because you’ve heard rumors that unpeeled peaches are toxic. Have no fear – not only are peach skins not toxic to humans, they can even provide some health benefits. So where did the toxic rumor come from? If you’ve worried that the skin of a peach might be toxic, you might be mixing it up with its pit or stone. The pits of stone fruits (such as peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries…

Remember that old commercial where the cartoon boy asks the cartoon owl how many licks it takes to get to the chocolate center of a lollipop? In case that was before your time, the answer was “three” – at least, that’s how many licks it took before the owl got impatient and chomped through the candy to get to the chocolate! Figuring out how many oranges go into an 8-ounce cup isn’t quite so nebulous, but it’s still not an exact science – the general rule of thumb is that three, medium-sized oranges equals eight ounces of juice. But depending on the…

Some of us look forward to the time of year when tangelos are in season with a passion that just may border on fanatical. But who can blame us? With a zesty fragrance and a sweet-and-tangy flavor that bursts over your tastes buds the moment you bite into it, these juicy, bell-shaped beauties are citrus perfection – virtually seedless, easy to peel, and amazingly snackable! Can it be possible that you’ve never tasted a tangelo? If so, you’re in for a treat! Allow us to introduce you to this increasingly popular citrus hybrid. A Tangelo by Any Other Name The similarity…

It’s been said that, by the time the pandemic finally peters out, each one of us will be one (or possible two) of the following: a hunk, a chunk or a drunk! If you’d prefer to be a hunk – or at least fit and healthy! – it might be a good idea to use the timeout from eating out to work on cleaning up your diet. Joining a monthly fruit club (like those offered through Hale Groves!) is a great way to start. Whole vs. Processed Foods The “clean eating” movement has gained a lot of traction in recent years, and…