6 Benefits Of Choosing Seasonal Fruits And Vegetables

Our ancestors knew very well that in January, in this part of the Earth, a salad was not made with romaine lettuce, but with endive. And that of putting any tomato in the middle of winter, not even dreaming about it. Similarly, in August it would not have occurred to them to make themselves an orange juice for breakfast. If only they had found oranges!

Today we have a large number of fruits and vegetables available outside of their natural season. We have become so used to it that we forget that eating food in season, grown when the climate is most conducive to them, has many advantages.

Advantages of consuming seasonal foods

If you consume fruits and vegetables in season, you make sure to consume foods that grow respecting the cycles of nature. That is reflected in many aspects.

1. They are fresh and genuine food

Natural seasonal foods provide genuine flavors, aromas and textures. The more you add to your diet, the less space you will leave for processed foods, which have largely lost them and try to imitate or reinforce them through salt, fats and chemical additives.

2. They have more flavor and nutrients

By growing in the climate that is most conducive to them and being able to complete their natural cycle, fresh seasonal foods when harvest day arrives better preserve their nutritional properties, flavor and aromas.

The cultivation has not been forced to be ready in months that are not natural to them, nor have they been enduring for a long time in chambers that detract from their juiciness, flavor and nutrients.

3. They are better priced

In order for there to be products on the market out of season, they must be imported from distant areas or countries … and the transport is paid.

Instead, farmers in the area can offer fresh seasonal produce at a good price.

4. They are more ecological

If your vegetables and fruits are not organically grown, they will surely have chemical residues from pesticides or fertilizers. But the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides becomes more necessary if it is grown against nature, forcing the plant to grow out of time, when the climate is not favorable.

If you buy directly from organic farmers or organic food stores, they will surely always offer you the fruits and vegetables of the season.

5. They are more sustainable

Buying seasonally, it is easier to bet on locally produced food, for which less energy is wasted. Transportation, distribution and storage leave their ecological footprint on the planet.

By respecting the natural cycles of plants for sowing, growing and harvesting, crop rotation can also be encouraged and the soil is less depleted.

6. You can make better preserves

In addition to eating fruits and vegetables at their best, you can prepare better homemade and dehydrated preserves. So you can continue to enjoy those fruits and vegetables for the rest of the year, when the season is over.

And you will do it knowing that you took advantage of them at the time of best flavor and best price.

If you have a garden, this form of conservation is an excellent option to take advantage of surpluses.