6/22/12-- Eating with the Seasons
In our global economy, when we can buy anything at any time, is there any good reason to eat seasonally? In fact, there is.
1. Buying seasonal fruits and vegetables is more economical. Have you ever looked at the price of asparagus in the fall? And then in the spring when it is in season? Obviously spring is the time to buy those tender stalks.
2. Local, seasonal produce provides us with optimal flavor and maximum nutrients. The reasons are multifold.
4. Our bodies are designed to obtain the maximum benefits of eating foods that are in season. Have you ever noticed that you crave certain foods during certain times of the year? Our family loves all the summertime fruits (right now) that are sweet and juicy. But usually during winter, we want warming foods that can be classified as “comfort foods”. Let me explain.
In future columns, I will focus on various aspects of good, wholesome food ranging from specific foods to generalized nutrition tips. A whole foods diet provides us with the building blocks to health and wellness.
10/8/14--"Bartlett Beauties"
9/24/14--"Heirloom Treasures"
9/10/14--"Tantalizing Dry Farmed Tomatoes"
8/27/14--"Staying Cool as a Cucumber"
8/13/14--"Avoid the Vacation Pitfalls"
7/30/14--"Taking Easy Steps for Better Fitness"
7/16/14--"Heirloom Cantaloupe Delight"
7/2/14--"Nectar of the Gods"
6/18/14--"Stone Fruit Straight From the Farm"
6/4/14--"Chock Full of Cherries"
5/21/14--"The Root of All That's Ginger"
5/7/14--"Egg Facts Unscrambled"
4/23/14--"To Juice or To Blend"
4/9/14--"Spring Garlic Health Benefits"
3/26/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Exercise and Sleep"
3/12/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Wonders of Water"
2/26/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Portion Control"
2/12/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Look at the Label"
1/29/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Skip the Sugar"
1/15/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Go For the Unrefined"
1/2/14--"New You for the New Year"
12/18/13--"Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday"
12/4/13--"Cauliflower--Tree of Life"
11/20/13--"Thankful Thanksgiving"
10/23/13--"Gourds and Goblins"
10/7/13--"Don't Fall for Fall's Bugs"
9/11/13--"Grass-fed Beef vs. Grain-fed Beef"
8/28/13--"Sensational Salmon"
8/14/13--"Super Summertime Skin"
7/31/13--"Fruit of the Vine"
7/17/13--"Kernels of Corn"
7/3/13--"Fearful Fats"
6/19/13--"Nectarine Nutrition"
6/5/13--"Scrumptious Strawberries"
5/22/13--"Fabulous Favas"
5/8/13--"Spice it Up"
4/24/13--"Exercise Nutrition"
4/15/13--" 20 Important Facts to Know about the Thyroid"
4/11/13--"Seasonal Allergies and You"
3/28/13--"Artichokes--From Leaf to Heart"
3/12/13--"Spring Forward with Asparagus"
2/27/13--"Not Just Dijon"
2/13/13--"13 Health Benefits of Avocados"
1/30/13--"The Health Benefits of Fennel"
1/14/13--"The Skinny on Mixed Salad Greens"
12/31/12--"Tea Time"
12/11/12--"It's Good to Be Green"
11/27/12--"Wild for Mushrooms"
11/13/12--"Gobble Gobble"
10/31/12--"The Bees Do it"
10/17/12--"Wine and Wellness"
10/3/12--"Fall Fitness Tips II"
9/18/12--"The ABCs of Apples"
9/5/12--"Staying Fit for Fall"
8/21/12--"Food for Thought"
8/8/12--"Melon Mania"
7/24/12--"The Benefits of Breakfast"
7/9/12--"A Peach a Day Keeps the Doctor Away"
6/22/12--"Eating with the Seasons"
In our global economy, when we can buy anything at any time, is there any good reason to eat seasonally? In fact, there is.
1. Buying seasonal fruits and vegetables is more economical. Have you ever looked at the price of asparagus in the fall? And then in the spring when it is in season? Obviously spring is the time to buy those tender stalks.
2. Local, seasonal produce provides us with optimal flavor and maximum nutrients. The reasons are multifold.
- The produce is harvested when it's at its peak of readiness. The ripened produce has the full complement of vitamins and minerals that allow our bodies to thrive! In contrast, food grown remotely has to be picked well before ripeness, to account for extra transit time. By picking too early, the produce doesn't develop its full array of nutrients.
- The length of time for food shipment affects the vitamins and minerals by allowing break down. Once produce arrives at a typical supermarker after being shipped across the country, it has lost about half of its vitamin C levels, as an example.
- Seasonal foods taste better. Have you ever bit into a tomato (shipped from South America) in the winter? It has no taste and it is usually mealy. Compare that to local tomatoes picked at the height of summer when their natural flavors are at their maximum. Delicious! The reason is the same as before —produce picked too early hasn’t had the time to develop all nutrients. These nutrients give the produce the flavor that we all cherish.
- Buying seasonally and locally allows us more variety of plants species. We can buy varieties that are optimized for flavor and nutrition rather than transit robustness.
4. Our bodies are designed to obtain the maximum benefits of eating foods that are in season. Have you ever noticed that you crave certain foods during certain times of the year? Our family loves all the summertime fruits (right now) that are sweet and juicy. But usually during winter, we want warming foods that can be classified as “comfort foods”. Let me explain.
- As the seasons rotate, so too do our bodies need to adjust. Before refrigeration, our ancestors had to rely on what was seasonal because they had no means of storing foods for long periods of time.
- During the fall (which is a transition period), the body is preparing for winter. The body will start to transition to wanting more warming foods (think soup for those cooler nights). You will most likely be eating fruits and vegetables that are orange or yellow in color. These foods, high in vitamin A, will support our immune systems for the upcoming winter colds.
- Winter is a time when the earth takes a rest. With the cold temperatures, our bodies look for warming foods (i.e. stews & hearty soups). Most fruits are not as available. Root veggies (carrots, potatoes, turnips, and parsnips, for example) are at their peak and provide us with their stored energy supplies.
- With spring comes the rebirth of the earth, and to a degree, our own rebirth. The body needs to be cleansed of the heavier winter foods. Fortunately, the springtime bounty is full of light, green, leafy veggies (examples include lettuces, kale, spinach, chard, and dandelion greens) that will cleanse us and prepare us for the coming hot, summer months.
- And finally we have summer. The warm summer days encourage us to be outside. Foods that will nourish us are ones that are refreshing and have a high water content. These replenishing fruits and veggies will cool us down from the hot summer days. It is also the perfect season to enjoy fruits and veggies in their raw states, which will provide us with a full complement of nutrients. So now that the summer solstice has just past, stock up your favorite summer produce and enjoy. For a few summer recipes, click on the link http://www.bettereatingcoach.com/recipes
In future columns, I will focus on various aspects of good, wholesome food ranging from specific foods to generalized nutrition tips. A whole foods diet provides us with the building blocks to health and wellness.
10/8/14--"Bartlett Beauties"
9/24/14--"Heirloom Treasures"
9/10/14--"Tantalizing Dry Farmed Tomatoes"
8/27/14--"Staying Cool as a Cucumber"
8/13/14--"Avoid the Vacation Pitfalls"
7/30/14--"Taking Easy Steps for Better Fitness"
7/16/14--"Heirloom Cantaloupe Delight"
7/2/14--"Nectar of the Gods"
6/18/14--"Stone Fruit Straight From the Farm"
6/4/14--"Chock Full of Cherries"
5/21/14--"The Root of All That's Ginger"
5/7/14--"Egg Facts Unscrambled"
4/23/14--"To Juice or To Blend"
4/9/14--"Spring Garlic Health Benefits"
3/26/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Exercise and Sleep"
3/12/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Wonders of Water"
2/26/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Portion Control"
2/12/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Look at the Label"
1/29/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Skip the Sugar"
1/15/14--"Eating Well to Lose Weight: Go For the Unrefined"
1/2/14--"New You for the New Year"
12/18/13--"Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday"
12/4/13--"Cauliflower--Tree of Life"
11/20/13--"Thankful Thanksgiving"
10/23/13--"Gourds and Goblins"
10/7/13--"Don't Fall for Fall's Bugs"
9/11/13--"Grass-fed Beef vs. Grain-fed Beef"
8/28/13--"Sensational Salmon"
8/14/13--"Super Summertime Skin"
7/31/13--"Fruit of the Vine"
7/17/13--"Kernels of Corn"
7/3/13--"Fearful Fats"
6/19/13--"Nectarine Nutrition"
6/5/13--"Scrumptious Strawberries"
5/22/13--"Fabulous Favas"
5/8/13--"Spice it Up"
4/24/13--"Exercise Nutrition"
4/15/13--" 20 Important Facts to Know about the Thyroid"
4/11/13--"Seasonal Allergies and You"
3/28/13--"Artichokes--From Leaf to Heart"
3/12/13--"Spring Forward with Asparagus"
2/27/13--"Not Just Dijon"
2/13/13--"13 Health Benefits of Avocados"
1/30/13--"The Health Benefits of Fennel"
1/14/13--"The Skinny on Mixed Salad Greens"
12/31/12--"Tea Time"
12/11/12--"It's Good to Be Green"
11/27/12--"Wild for Mushrooms"
11/13/12--"Gobble Gobble"
10/31/12--"The Bees Do it"
10/17/12--"Wine and Wellness"
10/3/12--"Fall Fitness Tips II"
9/18/12--"The ABCs of Apples"
9/5/12--"Staying Fit for Fall"
8/21/12--"Food for Thought"
8/8/12--"Melon Mania"
7/24/12--"The Benefits of Breakfast"
7/9/12--"A Peach a Day Keeps the Doctor Away"
6/22/12--"Eating with the Seasons"