In today’s world, you can find just about any food in stores year-round. And while there are certainly benefits to the widespread distribution of produce—like being able to make avocado toast on any given Sunday of the year (YUM!)—these food distribution networks have also had other unintended consequences, some good, some bad.

One such consequence is the disappearance of seasonal eating. Throughout the world, many people have access to the same foods throughout the year. This, in turn, means that many people keep their diet consistent regardless of the season. While there’s not necessarily anything wrong with this, it does raise another question: should we be adjusting our diets based on the season?

The short answer is yes—and there are a variety of reasons why.

What is seasonal food?

Seasonal food is produce that is purchased and consumed around the time that it is harvested. This also implies, locality as well (meaning close to where you purchase is where it is grown and harvested).

Summer Seasonal Eating and Nutrition

A varied diet can help you get a good balance of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your body needs to thrive. Additionally, some studies suggest that locally grown produce is more nutrient-rich than its imported counterparts. This is because the longer some produce is stored, the more some antioxidants can break down. This isn’t to say imported produce is inherently bad, just some food for thought.

Summer Produce is Antioxidant Rich

As we all know, antioxidants are important for so many health reasons most notably the health of the millions of cells in our body (including our skin) – they help prevent cell damage. Research suggests that antioxidants can help improve cognitive function (love this) and have a role in the prevention of cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses (we want to live long and die short right?).

Antioxidants are plentiful fruits, vegetables and even spices and herbs like turmeric, cumin, parsley, basil, etc. If you want a signal on how rich in antioxidants your diet is, check out the color in your plate. The more color and variety, the more antioxidants you’re likely consuming (eat the rainbow)!

Fruits and veggies get their flavor and nutrients from the sun and earth – right up until the moment they’re ripe. Pick them early, ship to far away places and they never reach their full potential (even if they look like they are ripe).

And now we have that new coating they are putting on but that comes with health concerns all its own, another blog post coming on that soon.

Local produce from a local farmer at a farmers market or store that sources locally allows you to enjoy all the benefits of healthy, seasonal eating – good for your tastebuds and your body!

Fresh Summer Slushie Recipe

Aligning Seasonal Nutrition with Your Nutritional Goals

There’s no “right” way to approach seasonal eating and seasonal nutrition—it all depends on what your nutritional goals are. If you’re trying to eat a varied diet that includes many fresh fruits and vegetables, you may want to try the wide variety of locally-grown produce available each season in your area.

Where can I find what is seasonal in my area?

I found this site that provides seasonal foods by local and it helps me a lot. Click here for the early July seasonal fruits and veggies in my home state of Michigan. Don’t worry, you can change to your state and your time of year. https://seasonalfoodguide.org/michigan/early-july

Happy Summer Eating!

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