The weather changes all across the world, and in the same way the variety of fresh fruit and vegetables changes too. Each season offers the growth of different produce.
For example, in the summer, we get seasonal fruits that are rich in vitamins, such as cherries, blackberries, and peaches and tomatoes. In the winter, we get fruit and vegetables that help boost our immune system and prepare us for the cold seasons and winter such as oranges, persimmons, kale and sweet potatoes.
While it is always a great idea to buy in-season produce, there are also several reasons why you should eat more in-season produce.
1. They taste better
Seasonal produce are fresh and usually have a more sweet flavor. This gives them a natural and amazing taste. Fresh picked produce has the best flavor. In-season produce is juicy, colorful and fragrant. Because they taste better, you can pick them and eat them right off of the vine or tree.
2. They are organic
In-season produce is organic and are free from pesticides. This is because the produce is grown in their natural environment and usually requires less assistance from humans. This assistance can be in form of chemicals, waxes and preservatives. When you choose to eat an in-season produce you are getting a cleaner, healthier fruit or vegetable.
3. They have higher nutrition value
Fresh produce is full of nutrition because of the total nourishment they get from the sun. Additionally, they are only picked when fully developed and ripe. Due to a huge amount of sun exposure, these fruits have higher levels of antioxidants that are beneficial to our body.
4. They are environmentally friendly
Consuming seasonal produce decreases the demand to the out of season produce. This supports local produce and local farming in areas around us. This implies that there will be less transportation and less refrigeration of produce.
5. They are easy on our pockets
When a produce is in the season, farmers usually harvest a large amount of produce, meaning that there is an abundance of the produce. Its abundance makes the price go down because there is less of a demand. For example, during summer, watermelons are in plenty in the market and their price usually goes down.
6. Wide variety all year long
There quite a number of season foods available all through the year. Quite a number of products available in the fall include; apples, squash, garlic, figs, grapes and radishes. On winter, we get citrus, radishes, turnips, leeks and kale. Products associated with summer include corn, sweet peas, tomatoes and peaches, among others. This makes sure we get a constant supply of fresh foods.
7. They enhance your creativity
Eating seasonally enables us to have a variety of recipes during our meals. Changing our diet according to what is available allows us be creative by preparing different dishes with different ingredients. An since variety is key to keeping your body healthy, changing the foods that you put in your body also helps in reducing your chance of developing a food intolerance.
Article sources
http://www.gaiam.com/discover/272/article/benefits-eating-whats-season/
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4807/10-Reasons-to-Eat-Whats-In-Season.html
http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/benefits-of-eating-seasonally/