Seasonal Eating

In-season fruits and vegetables are generally more nutritious and tasty than fruits and vegetables produced out of season.

There is widespread agreement among nutrition experts that the healthiest way to eat is the old way—that is, the way our distant ancestors ate. That’s because the human species coevolved with the foods available in our ancient environment, and our genetic makeup has changed very little within the past 50,000 years. So the foods that were the best match for our genes before the agricultural revolution and later the industrial revolution drastically changed our diet remain the best foods today. Fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, seeds, and fish top the list. Whole grain foods and dairy foods are acceptable in small amounts. Refined grains, including sugar; processed and fried oils; and artificial ingredients such as preservatives are not good for us in any amount. 

This is as far as most advocates of ancient eating practices go. One factor that is overlooked in this shallow advocacy of such habits is the fact that our ancient ancestors necessarily ate seasonally. Lacking modern conveniences such as rapid global shipping and food preservation techniques, they had no choice but to nourish themselves on the different types of foods that were available at different times of year. They ate spring fruits and vegetables in the spring, summer fruits and vegetables in the summer, autumn fruits and vegetables in autumn, and in cold winter environments, they turned to roots, nuts, seeds, and meats. 

There is no scientifically supported rationale to vary one’s primary food choices today as drastically as our ancient ancestors were forced to do, but there are two good reasons to at least make an effort to eat fruits and vegetables that are in season. In-season fruits and vegetables—especially those that are grown organically—are generally more nutritious and tastier than fruits and vegetables produced out of season. If you’re really hard-core, you will eat foods that are produced seasonally in your local environment. A more relaxed way to eat seasonally is to eat fresh, ripe fruit and vegetables grown locally and those that are grown far away and shipped to your area. 

For example, the citrus fruit harvest occurs in the winter. Citrus fruit trees do not grow naturally in most of the United States. But a resident of Wyoming can purchase and eat fresh, ripe Florida grapefruit just as easily as a resident of Florida can, so why not do it? 

Here are short lists of spring, summer, autumn and winter fruits and vegetables to get you started on seasonal eating. 

Spring

Asparagus
Artichoke
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Pineapple
Raspberries
Strawberries

Summer

Apricots
Cherries
Corn
Green Beans
Melon
Peaches
Peas
Plums
Summer Squash
Tomatoes
Zucchini

Autumn
Apples
Brussels sprouts
Cranberries
Corn
Dates
Figs
Onions
Pears
Pumpkin
Spinach
Sweet Potatoes

Winter

Clementines
Grapefruit
Lemon
Oranges
Satsumas
Turnip
Potatoes
White beans
Winter Squash

 

Nutrition article courtesy of PacificHealth Laboratories, makers of nutrition tools such as Accelerade, Accel Gel, Endurox R4, Endurox Excel and much more. For product information or to purchase products, please visit www.pacifichealthlabs.com.