The healthy seasonal foods you should be eating throughout the year! A ripe summer peach. A crisp Autumn apple. And a delicate bunch of spring asparagus. These are examples of foods and the seasons during which they’re at their peak.
Why Healthy Seasonal Foods Are Important?
It’s finally pumpkin season! Autumn is in full swing and just like our wardrobe selection changes with the seasons, so should our diet! Why? Because our bodies need to change throughout the seasons, so, eating a salad in winter would be the equivalent of wearing a bikini when the temperatures are cold. Unless you’re living in a tropical country, the idea of wearing swimwear in winter sounds crazy. So should eating salads and tropical fruits!
So what should one be eating at this time of year? As the temperatures drop, we need to nourish and warm the body from the inside, to balance the yin and the yang. If we’re eating ‘cold’ foods, also known as yin foods, such as fruits, raw vegetables, salads and cold drinks, we’re overpowering the yin, leaving us feeling cold from the inside out and more prone to falling ill. Therefore, the colder months are all about eating the grounding and nourishing yang foods that are going to balance our hormones, strengthen our immune system, boost our energy and feel well all round.
Autumn/Winter Seasons: Veggies and Fruits
The autumn harvest brings forth a variety of root vegetables and crisp fruits, perfect for creating comforting meals to enjoy as the weather begins to cool. And good news for you: Those same delicious fall vegetables and fruits come loaded with health perks, so you’ll want to eat up.
• Root vegetables: carrots, squash, pumpkin, and sweet potato
• Whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, oats, and millet
• Legumes: beans, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans.
• Green vegetables: broccoli, spinach, kale, celery, rocket, and artichokes
• Fruit: apples, pomegranates, citrus fruits, and pears
• Fish: sea bass, cod, sole, and haddock
• Herbs: ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme, basil, and dill
Benefits Of Seasonal Food
• When fruits and vegetables are picked for consumption that has been naturally ripened on the vine or the tree and harvested at the right time, they will have much more flavor and nutrition.
• When farmers are harvesting a large abundance of produce due to the crop being in season, the cost of the produce will go down.
• Fresher with a Higher Nutritional Value
• Avoids Overseas Contaminates
• Supports Your Body’s Natural Nutritional Needs
• More Environmentally-Friendly
Conclusion
If you choose healthy seasonal foods options, you’ll ramp up the benefits not only for yourself but for the environment. Seasonal produce is often at peak freshness and nutritional value, and if it’s from a local farm, that reduces your carbon footprint.
Depending on where you live, during the autumn, some end-of-summer foods like blueberries and raspberries may have an encore, while others, like parsnips, make their first appearance of the year.
Try shopping locally to get the freshest in-season produce in your area. Farmers markets are a good place to start, and they typically stay open into the fall months.
Adapting your diet to the seasons is crucial for your health and wellbeing, both physical and mental. Feel energized throughout the day and avoid getting sick this autumn-winter!
