The Benefits of Eating with the Seasons and Why You Should Do It
“A thriving household depends on the use of seasonal produce and the application of common sense.” – Olivier de Serres
Well said, Olivier. You've heard me say that our bodies thrive on real food because the foods are in their purest form. This goes hand in hand with eating with the seasons. Nature grows and cultivates foods for different seasons so that they are harvested at the optimal time. In Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Elson Haas explains how eating seasonal food not only helps us to become more in tune with nature but with our body cycles as well (Haas, 2006, p.495).
Let's take a look at the benefits of eating food in season, which go in tandem with eating grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry, and eggs, wild-caught seafood, grass-fed dairy, etc.
Benefits of eating food in season –
It’s fresh
Food is grown during its appropriate season and harvested at the optimum time, providing produce at its freshest point.
It’s more nutrient-dense
Because the food is grown and harvested at the proper time, it’s rich with nutrients as opposed to those grown out of season. One study compared the amount of vitamin C in broccoli when it was in season (locally harvested) vs out of season (shipped from a far away place). In season broccoli had almost twice as much vitamin C as out of season broccoli.
It’s more flavorful
Reflect back on a time when you bit into a strawberry during the spring. It was juicy and sweet, just as a strawberry should be, right? Are you starting to drool like me? Now think about a time when you bit into a strawberry during the winter. Sure, it might have been tasty, but I doubt it was nearly as juicy or sweet because it had been harvested out of season.
It increases your support of local farmers and your community
Buying in-season foods means buying local foods as opposed to purchasing foods that have been transported across the country (or even farther!) after they are harvested. Your purchases support local farmers and the money from your purchase stays within the community to be reinvested. Not to mention, transporting food long distances contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions, which is something we are trying to mitigate.
It encourages a relationship with local farmers and your community
You can ask your farmers things like how they grow their food and when things are harvested. Understanding where your food came from and how it was grown will create a deeper connection with your food and increase your enjoyment of each meal you make.
Now that you know some of the wonderful benefits of buying food in season, let’s briefly touch on why each season cultivates specific foods. It's fascinating stuff, friends. Haas lays it all out for us by breaking down each season's attributes.
Spring – this is a time to cleanse, heal, and rejuvenate
What’s In season: fresh fruits and vegetables, which aid in cleansing the body.
Summer – this is a time for growth and increased movement
What’s in season: “cooling foods” – juicy fruits and hydrating fruits and vegetables. More raw foods than cooked.
Fall – time to shift in energy, climate, and how we eat
What’s in season: a combination of hydrating fruits and vegetables (transitioning out of) and root vegetables like carrots, beets, potatoes, onions and garlic, nuts and seeds, and complex carbohydrates like whole grains, legumes, squash (transitioning into). More cooked foods than raw.
Winter – time for warm, rich, hearty foods
What’s in season: “warming foods” – root vegetables like carrots, beets, potatoes, onions and garlic, nuts and seeds, and complex carbohydrates like whole grains, legumes, squashes.
As you can see, each season has a pivotal role to play. They help us adapt by producing food that will best support our body’s natural functions during that time. Have you ever noticed how you tend to crave food that's in season? That’s because your body knows what it needs and recognizes that seasonal food will help it to function optimally. Crazy stuff!
So, we transition to cleansing foods in the spring to rejuvenate, shed some weight in the summer to cool down and build on activity, change our food and movement in the fall as our energy shifts, and indulge in heartier, warmer dishes in the winter to plump up a little and retain heat.
Isn’t that cool? Did you nerd out with me a little? Eating with the seasons isn’t hard, but as you’ve heard me say before, it takes intentionality. You have to take the time to look up what’s in season in your area and what is going to be the best way for you to get your seasonal produce. Maybe it’s joining a CSA (community shared agriculture box) or going to the farmer’s market. Maybe it looks like growing your food or supporting a fellow gardener. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different options!
The point, my friend, is to support local and eat with the seasons by figuring out what will be the best option for you and your family. In this way, you will create a sustainable way of eating real food that is properly prepared, local, in season, and nutrient-dense.
Ah yes, the question of the day – what's in season? There are numerous resources at your disposal, but I recommend checking out The Seasonal Food Guide. You can select your state and month to see what’s in season. If you want to check on a specific fruit or veggie, there’s an option for that too!
Eating in season is worth it and you’ll figure that out soon enough. It's kinder to your wallet, to your body, to your community, and the environment. Can we say, win, win, win, and win? I certainly think so.
Support nature and nature will support you. Let’s learn to grow together.
Sources:
Haas, E. M., & Levin, B. (2006). Staying Healthy with Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine. Celestial Arts.
Wunderlich SM, Feldman C, Kane S, Hazhin T. Nutritional quality of organic, conventional, and seasonally grown broccoli using vitamin C as a marker. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2008 Feb;59(1):34-45. doi: 10.1080/09637480701453637. PMID: 17852499.