EBN- Nutrition experts say that focusing on seasonal and locally grown vegetables and fruits contributes to creating healthier eating habits and a better lifestyle.
“Seasonal food is kind of the way to build a broader food system,” says Sharon Gray, a nutritionist who oversees the community nutrition program at the University of Connecticut.
Good nutrition includes consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables, and eating seasonal produce actually tastes better.
“A lot of adult people don’t like a lot of fruits and vegetables, so if you can get them to like something, they’ll incorporate it into their diet,” Gray adds. “This moves people away from processed foods and toward preparing more meals at home,” she continues.
Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic, says eating seasonal food often means eating locally produced food.
There are environmental benefits and more nutrients when people consume local produce.
“This gets you the most vitamins and minerals in food, as well as the polyphenols and antioxidants that are the foundations of how we reduce our risk of disease,” Zumpano says.
Sean Heffron, a cardiologist at the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at NYU Langone Hart in the US, advises his patients to be open to more than just vegetables that are available year-round.
This exposes you to more healthy foods, Heffron says, and “will make you willing to try to eat more fruits and vegetables in general.”
Experts warn that eating seasonally is not a cure-all, and some studies have found that people in cold climates suffer from nutritional deficiencies in the winter.
“We need seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day,” says expert Zumpano. “Ninety percent of us do not eat enough of them.”
