Benefits to Seasonal Eating

What are the benefits to eating food items that are in season?

Seasonal eating refers to eating fruits and vegetables that are “in season” or at the peak of their freshness and flavour during a specific time of year. Items are more likely to be fresher and higher in nutritional value. Antioxidants such as vitamin C, folate and caratones can rapidly decline when food items are stored away for a period of time, like the transportation period. Eating seasonally supports our gut microbiome which is the good bacteria that resides in our intestines. It is so easy to forget about seasonal eating due to the high volume of processed foods we consume. Which is why I put a strong emphasis on eating a variety of different food groups and colourful plates. Not only does seasonally eating add a variety of nutrients to our diets but this also supports local farmers and harvesting! Eating seasonally encourages us to try new food items and to eat fruits and vegetables when they are grown seasonally, rather than all year round. This is because local seasonal produce is more nutritious, fresher and more cost-effective.

Seasonal produce is typically fresher and more flavorsome. This is because the conditions to grow the produce are optimal, which ensures quality produce. Food has the greatest nutritional content at its peak ripeness. If it is grown and delivered to the supermarket in the same season, it will provide the maximum amount of nutrients the produce has to offer. Which is why seasonal eating supports your body’s nutritional needs. Plants are in tune with nature’s seasons. Foods help us connect with seasonal cycles of nature and provide us with the nourishment we need at a particular time of the year. For example, root vegetables like sweet potatoes, turnips, carrots, and potatoes are harvested in late summer and early fall. They are rich in complex carbohydrates and extremely nourishing. When we eat root vegetables our bodies prepare for the long cold. In early spring it’s the green leafy vegetables like lettuce that sprout first. These vegetables stimulate our digestive and liver function encouraging detox after winter’s wholesome eating. When you eat food that’s been harvested recently, the vitamins and phytonutrients are still preserved. The longer vegetables and fruits sit around, the more vitamin loss occurs and quality deteriorates. Eating seasonally adds a variety of nutrients to your diet. Instead of eating apples all year round, you may opt for apples in the fall/winter months and fresh berries come spring and summer time. As we know every food has a benefit which means that different fruits and vegetables all have a vast variety of vitamins, minerals and nutrients to offer.

It is usually cheaper to eat seasonally. Seasonal produce requires less travel time, and therefore lower transport costs. It is also a more affordable way to eat organic by shopping at your local farmers markets and grocery stores. Eating seasonally reduces the demand for out of season produce which further supports more local produce and supports local farming in your area which means less transportation, less refrigeration, reduces the use of green houses and promotes the use of natural sunlight exposure. The longer food spends in storage and transit, the higher the chance of it spoiling and becoming waste. More than half of all food waste occurs along the supply chain. Buying locally and in season can help reduce the risk of food becoming waste before it reaches the shelves. We can all play a part in supporting seasonal nutrition, local farming and reducing food waste.