Why seasonal eating is better for you – and the planet
With winter on the horizon, it might be a good time to swap out your usual fruit and veggies in favour of seasonal eating. Here’s why.
When was the last time you hit the supermarket and didn’t see apples for sale?
Thanks to cold storage, it’s a safe bet the answer is “not lately”.
Yet apples aren’t actually in season all year round, with apple-picking season running from February to June in Australia.
“We’re pretty lucky in Australia in that we can walk around a supermarket and find most things year round,” The Fast 800 nutritionist Gabrielle Newman says, adding that buying in-season food tends to be less expensive than produce that’s out of season where you live.
“After all, it doesn’t have to travel halfway across the country or from other parts of the world – all of which gets expensive,” Gabrielle says.
“However, while we’re spoilt for choice, eating seasonally has far more benefits than just a cheaper food shop.”
The perks of seasonal eating
As well as the potential savings, here are a few other benefits of tweaking your diet to match the seasons.
In-season fruit and veggies taste better
“If you’ve tried a tomato from your local farmers’ market in the summer and another from the grocery store in the dead of winter, you’ll notice they taste completely different,” Gabrielle says.
“Consuming food as close to harvest as possible means you’re going to have better quality and the best-tasting produce.”
Seasonal food is more nutrient-dense
Nutritionist Madeline Calfas explains that when food is out of season locally, it needs to be picked when it’s not ripe to allow for transport time.
“The downside here is that the longer the food is stored, the more nutritional value is lost,” Madeline says.
“Allowing foods to naturally ripen means there is a higher concentration of phytonutrients and antioxidants.”
In-season produce is more in sync with your nutritional needs
“You’ll often find that, nutritionally, in-season produce is more in line with what your body needs,” Madeline says.
“For example, citrus fruits tend to come into season at a time when our bodies have a greater need for vitamin C as we come into cold and flu season.”
Seasonal eating is good for your gut
Gabrielle says eating a variety of fresh produce enhances the gut’s microbiome diversity.
“This is one of the many reasons I like to include a broad range of vegetables in The Fast 800 meal plans,” she says.
“Changing these fibre sources throughout the year by eating different fruits and vegetables in season means we’re able to diversify our microbiome.”
Seasonal eating is better for the environment
Eating seasonally typically means eating locally, which is a plus for the planet, with a recent University of Sydney study finding a fifth of global food-related emissions is due to transport.
As a result, the researchers behind the study say eating locally grown and produced food should be a priority in affluent countries, including Australia.
How to make seasonal eating work
The gold standard when it comes to eating seasonally is shopping at farmers’ markets because the produce is locally grown, too.
“The vendors will have a variety of fruits and vegetables that are in season and will also be able to run you through what’s in season when,” Gabrielle says.
If you don’t have a farmers’ market near you, check online to find out which fruits and vegetables are in season in your area.
“Some supermarkets will also promote what’s in season – then, before you go shopping, plan your meals for the week based on what’s in season,” Gabrielle suggests.
“This will help you avoid buying produce that could be more expensive.”
More on seasonal eating:
- Why seasonal fruit and veggies taste better
- What’s the best-value fresh produce?
- Best foods to supercharge your winter diet
Written by Karen Fittall.
