Seasonal eating means eating food when it is at its freshest and most flavourful. This article explores seasonal eating in detail, from what it means to its potential health benefits.
Every type of food has a specific time when it is best to grow and harvest it. The time to harvest these products depends on the type of plant, how long it takes for them to grow from seeds, and how long it takes for them to fully mature. When a plant reaches its peak growth, it is harvested. This is when the plant offers the most flavour and nutrition. Understanding these growing cycles can help us make better choices about eating food that is in season. This approach to eating is similar to how our ancestors would have consumed food by growing or foraging for what they needed and harvesting it at the right time. Eating seasonally today is not only about taste and nutrition, but also about sustainability and conserving our natural resources. The health benefits and positive effects of sustainability are making seasonal eating more popular.
How to find food that is in season?
The most effective method of finding seasonal foods in your area is to visit the local farmers’ market. Farmers only sell what they grow and harvest, so the markets are great places to learn about seasonal food. There, you can ask about what products are currently in season and the upcoming seasonal products. The produce changes every month, so it’s good to go often.
If you can’t go to a farmers’ market, go to a nearby grocery store. Although in-season produce may not always be explicitly labeled, it can generally be identified. In-season produce is usually ample and on sale. Due to the significant volume of such items, the store must speed up their sale to consumers before they exceed their perfect condition. Moreover, when visiting the nearby grocery store, look for canned or frozen fruits and vegetables. Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are harvested and packaged at their peak. Frozen foods generally don’t lose nutrients, and some foods may even have higher levels of nutrients after freezing. You could also learn how to preserve your food by canning, freezing, or dehydrating it. This way, you can enjoy seasonal food all year round. Furthermore, you could use online resources to find out what products are in season, and you could even grow your own food.
What are the potential benefits of seasonal eating?
Eating foods that are in season can have health benefits. Unlike crops that are bred for a long shelf life and easy transport, seasonal products are fully ripe and quickly transported to our plates. That is why seasonal foods not only taste better, but also provide more nutrition. Also, seasonality brings variety, and this variety of products provides us with a wide range of nutrients. Having a variety of nutrients is crucial for our health. It helps protect us from both nutritional deficiencies and overload.
Studies have shown that storing fresh products for a long time can cause nutrient loss and chemical changes. For example, leafy greens can lose almost 50% of their vitamin C after being transported, stored, and sitting on the grocery store shelf. Other nutrients like potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, chlorophyll, and absorbic acid also decrease when vegetables are kept in the grocery store. A study found that after 15 days of cold storage, many fruits and vegetables lose antioxidants that fight free radical damage and oxidative stress in the body.
Also, eating seasonal and locally grown foods would have a positive impact on the environment. The environmental costs of production and transportation also need to be considered. For example, it may not be more environmentally friendly to grow tomatoes in heated greenhouses in the UK compared to shipping them from Spain, where they can grow naturally under the sun. We also need to consider packaging, cost, availability, and other factors. So, while it is a good idea to eat seasonally for the environment, there are other factors to consider in real life.
When you consume food that is locally in season, you are potentially reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that come from transporting and storing the products, thereby reducing your carbon footprint. Since the food doesn’t have to travel as far, it will be fresher and may even be less expensive because there are fewer costs associated with shipping and storing it.
Overall, shopping and eating sustainably begins with being aware and willing to question our established buying habits. This includes reading labels, asking questions, doing our own research, and prioritizing the environment when making purchases. It’s not about being perfect, but being open-minded enough to make changes gradually.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/seasonal-food#foraging
https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/seasonal-eating
