Ancient cultures from the polar snows to the equator and everywhere in-between worshipped the sun for its energy and power—especially for its ability to bring food from the earth through photosynthesis. Today, we take care to shield our own skin from the UV rays, but the sun remains essential to our life-force. So enjoy organically grown, energizing fruits and vegetables in season from your local farmers market, or grow your own—even if your garden is only a clay pot set on a sunny balcony.

Strawberries are packed with flavonoids which not only make the berry juicy-red—they also reduce arterial cholesterol for a healthier heart, as well as cancer-fighting ellagic acid. Eight strawberries contain more Vitamin C than an orange—about 150% of your daily requirement. Skip the sugar and heavy cream, and eat your berries Roman-style, sprinkled with cracked black pepper, or with a splash of red wine or even balsamic vinegar.

The eggplant is one of the world’s most versatile vegetables, instantly recognizable by its glossy, inky-purple skin. First cultivated thousands of years ago in India, then China, the eggplant is a staple of Middle Eastern and Italian cuisine—served baked, grilled, steamed, sautéed and fried. This relative of peppers and potatoes contains nasunin, a potent  antioxidant, as well as chlorogenic acid, which fights cancer and lowers LDL or “bad” cholesterol.

The artichoke’s brilliant azure-purple flower resembles that of the thistle, to which it is related botanically. What we eat is technically the flower bud of the plant. The “heart” of the artichoke is substantial enough to substitute for meat in many recipes. Just snip off the thorned tips of the  leaves, steam until the leaves may be pulled off easily (about an hour),  remove the fuzzy “choke”, and enjoy the fleshy center warm or cold.

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