April 4, 2021: Eating for the Season
My weekly Get Your Stuff Together Sunday email series gives you one actionable focus for the week that will make your life a little easier.
{Did you miss last week’s GYSTS email? No prob! Go here and scroll to the bottom for a complete archive of all GYSTS emails}
You just can’t beat fresh, local produce - it really does taste better. This week, we’re going to talk about the benefits of eating in season.
They are Budget Friendly
When produce is in season in your local area, the abundance of the crop makes it less expensive. Take berries, for example. In the middle of January, you could pay $6-$7 for a half a pint of fresh blueberries. But when berries are in season, you will likely find pints or even bigger containers for $3-$4.
It’s the basic law of supply and demand, when crops are in season you are rewarded financially by purchasing what’s growing now.
They Have Better Flavor
We all want the food that we eat to taste good - especially our vegetables and fruits! When food is not in season locally, it’s either grown in a hothouse or shipped from other parts of the world, and both will affect the taste. When crops are transported, they must be harvested early and refrigerated so they don’t rot during transportation. Therefore, they might not ripen as effectively as they would in their natural environment. As a result, they don’t develop their full flavor.
For example, compare a dark red, vine-ripened tomato still warm from the summer sun with a winter hothouse tomato that’s barely red, somewhat mealy, and lacking in flavor. Really there is no comparison, the summer tomato’s flavor is much more robust and appealing for your salad or tomato sandwich.
They Have More Nutrients
According to Brian Halweil, author of Eat Here: Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket, “If you harvest something early so that it can endure a long distance shipping experience, it’s not going to have the full complement of nutrients it might have had.”
Transporting produce also sometimes requires irradiation (zapping the produce with a burst of radiation to kill germs) and preservatives (such as wax) to protect the produce which is subsequently refrigerated during the trip. Those can affect the quality, too.
There is a Wider Variety
When we eat for the season, we have variety all year round:
In the spring, focus on tender, leafy vegetables that represent the fresh new growth of the season. Think lots of greens with Swiss chard, spinach, Romaine lettuce, fresh parsley, and basil in season.
In the summer, focus on light, cooling foods, including fruit like strawberries, apples, pears, and plums; vegetables like summer squash, broccoli, cauliflower, and corn; and spices and seasonings like peppermint and cilantro.
In the fall, shift to heartier produce, including carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, and garlic. Enjoy warming spices and seasonings including ginger, peppercorns, and mustard seeds.
In the winter, it’s time for the heartiest produce, like most root vegetables, carrots, potatoes, onions, and garlic.
What if you live somewhere that has limited growing seasons, making it virtually impossible to eat locally and in season 100% of the time?
The best scenario is to grow it and pick it yourself, that way you know exactly what went into growing those vegetables and you can enjoy them at their peak the day they are harvested. But I get that’s not for everyone! You can visit a local farmers’ market weekly or join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).
While it isn’t always possible to purchase your seasonal produce locally, a good option is to purchase what’s in season somewhere else. Hopefully that isn’t too far away to minimize shipping time and the need to pick it early is reduced.
Determine what’s in season right now, you will benefit from high quality produce, packed with nutrition, and it will be at a lower cost. To find out what is harvested seasonally in your area, go to www.localharvest.org to find farmers’ markets near you and seasonal produce guides. Your taste buds, health, and body will thank you!!!
Next Sunday, we’ll talk about reducing stress - especially with Tax Day coming up.
Want some expert help with reaching your health goals painlessly? Check out my programs! We’ll get everything taken care of in a way that fits into your current lifestyle so you never have to think about your health again.
Do you have a friend who could stand to G(her)ST? Feel free to forward this!
I hope you have a wonderful week,
Kelly
Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.
Tsirona - www.tsirona.com
My weekly GYSTS email give you one actionable thing to do for the week that will make you life a little easier. As "they" say, "Fail to plan; plan to fail." Get these emails (and more!) delivered right to your inbox by clicking HERE.