Fabulous Autumn Fruit An Immunity Boost

The shorter days and cooler nights of autumn bring with them the start of an exciting new season of fresh New Zealand fruit.

A range of new season apples, pears, limes and feijoas are available now and mandarins and persimmons will come in later in autumn.

These vibrantly coloured autumn fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants as they get their eye-catching hues from phytochemicals – natural bioactive compounds which promote good health. With health top-of-mind for consumers right now, fresh autumn fruit provides numerous immunity-boosting benefits.

New Zealand pipfruit is available in good quantities this month and are sweet and crunchy. The early arrivals include Gala, Braeburn and Jazz with Pacific Rose, lemonade and Granny Smith coming later in the season. The main variety of pears available this season include Beurré Bosc and Packham which are on the shelves now, and look out for Winter Nelis, Winter Cole and Doyenne du Comice. New Zealand-grown Nashi pears have a short 6-8 week season during autumn. Apples, pears and Nashi are all a source of dietary fibre and Vitamin C.

New Zealand-grown limes are in season in autumn too and are available from March to May. Fruit that is heavy for its size has good juice content. Limes are picked green and will turn yellow as they ripen, and they store well in the fridge. One lime provides almost 20 percent of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C which is great for immunity.

Feijoas, the great Kiwi favourite, make their first appearance in March. Warm and wet weather patterns this growing season provided good ripening conditions for feijoas, so expect a great supply of top quality feijoas throughout the season. These versatile and aromatic fruits provide dietary fibre and are a good source of Vitamin C.

Hugely popular mandarins will be available later in autumn and run through until September. Fragrant and juicy mandarins are one of the sweetest citrus varieties. Again, heavy fruit for its size provides good juice content. Easy-to-peel, they are perfect for lunchboxes. As well as providing a good source of Vitamin C, mandarins also provide folate, dietary fibre and potassium making them great for kids’ growth and development.

Persimmons have seen a growth in popularity in recent years. These bright oranges, honey-sweet fruit ripen on the shelf. They are versatile and can be enjoyed crispy fresh or roasted in salads and desserts. Persimmons pack a nutrition punch boasting a good source of Vitamins A and C, a source of dietary fibre and they contain potassium.

Autumn fruit makes for beautiful, colourful displays in produce departments. Make the most of its availability!

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