In a time when we can have everything we could possibly ask for delivered to our doorsteps, we often keep with the same eating habits year-round. When berries are just as prevalent at the grocery store in December as they are in June, why not get them? Now, there’s nothing wrong with eating things out of season, but there are actually benefits to changing up your diet to reflect what’s growing at the current time.
First, produce usually tastes better when it’s in season. Instead of being picked early and refrigerated as it makes the long journey to your store, produce is allowed to ripen naturally, still on the plant, meaning you’re getting peak flavor.
Secondly, it’s cheaper. When a crop is in season in your area, there’s no shipping across the country or expensive storage needs, so the cost to you is also going to be much lower. Buying out-of-season produce means it has to be sourced from far away, and each step to get it to your local store adds a bit more to the end cost for you.
Thirdly, it’s healthier for you. The closer to harvest you can eat the product, the more nutrition it retains. Some antioxidants such as Vitamin C, folate, and carotenes rapidly decline when stored, so being able to eat something that was only picked a day or two before means the food is still retaining much of its high nutritional value.
And lastly, it supports your seasonal nutritional needs. Did you know you likely need different nutrients in higher concentrations at different times of the year? Winter vegetables and citrus fruits give us an extra boost of Vitamin C and antioxidants needed to fend off colds and cases of flu, while summer stone fruits provide extra beta carotene which can help protect us from sun damage. While most produce is good for us year-round, there may be nutritional benefits to changing our diets with the seasons.
So next time you go grocery shopping, consider what’s growing in your area right now and fill your basket with it. It’s better for you and your wallet.
Recent Comments