In these days of haste and passing culinary fads in which we can find any ingredient in the supermarket, we do not stop to think when buying which foods are in season... However, choosing seasonal fruits and vegetables is to bet on a more sustainable, cheaper and healthier world.
Choosing seasonal fruits and vegetables is one of the best decisions you can make to improve your diet. Discover its advantages and the months to enjoy each of them.
It is important to favor the consumption of local and seasonal fruits and vegetables for their taste, but also to reduce our impact on the environment. Also, if they are organically produced, even better. However, it is not always easy to orient yourself and imagine recipes. For this reason, we have prepared a very complete practical guide.
4 reasons to consume local and seasonal fruits and vegetables:
1 . Eating seasonal foods means taking advantage of all the nutritional benefits.
In winter , with the cold and lack of sun, our body demands more nutrients and vitamin C, and it is perfect because it is the season for vegetables rich in minerals (leeks, cabbage, spinach) and citrus fruits full of vitamin C ( oranges, tangerines, persimmons, etc.). In summer , with the heat, our body uses fewer calories, but requires more water and the fruits and vegetables of the season are full of it: melons, tomatoes, zucchini, watermelons...
Another advantage of fruits and vegetables that are in season is that they are more likely to be sun-ripened and picked at their peak ripeness, and therefore more flavorful than fruits and vegetables that ripen during transport or They are produced in greenhouses. You can enjoy its flavor, its vitamins and all its benefits.
2. Consuming seasonal foods is favoring local production.
Consuming seasonal fruits and vegetables favors local production and has less impact on the planet. To know which fruits and vegetables are seasonal and locally produced, you should look at these three things:
In the supermarket , look at the origin and seasonality of fruits and vegetables . The more fruits and vegetables you buy that are organically produced, local and in season, the more you limit your carbon footprint and contribute to reducing emissions and the less likely it is that they come from large greenhouses.
Buy in organic stores and/or cooperative supermarkets . These establishments, more concerned with the environment, usually offer fresh, local food and ecological production.
Go to producer markets and consumer groups . You can associate with a consumer group closest to your home and obtain fruits and vegetables directly from the producers, thus avoiding large distribution systems and helping to break their dominance in the markets. In both cases you buy directly from the producers, helping them get a fair price for their products and reducing waste (usually these products are usually sold in bulk or with little packaging). Sometimes it can even be cheaper when you can pick them up at their farm.
3. Eating local and seasonal food is protecting the environment.
Fruit or vegetables out of season and imported are usually transported by plane or by boat (frozen products or canned goods) and then by truck , under conditions that allow their conservation (refrigeration, air conditioning). These three means of transport are very polluting for the planet . In addition, to prevent the fruits from ripening too quickly during transport or spoiling, they are coated with chemicals that allow their preservation. To this must be added the use of pesticides in industrial agriculture, products that destroy biodiversity - they even kill bees and other pollinators (essential for biodiversity and food security) - contaminate water and are usually (over)packaged for protect them during transport. Out of season products , even if they are produced in Spain, usually come from industrial crops that use pesticides and heating to guarantee production.
Eating local and seasonal products also helps to reduce the use of fuels, fertilizers, pesticides, water... - In our fields, in addition, local fruits and vegetables can be bought without any packaging , directly from the farmer or through very few intermediaries. Less packaging means less waste.
4. Eating organic, seasonal and local food is to reduce food waste.
Food waste is one of the serious consequences of our food system. For example, during the collection and selection of fruits and vegetables in industrial production for sale , part of the product is discarded because it has an appearance that is considered unattractive, even though it has the same nutritional values. In addition, during transport (especially when they travel long distances) part of the fruits and vegetables spoil and have to be discarded as well. For this reason, if you consume vegetables and fruits that are locally produced and in season or directly from the farmer, you reduce food waste .
To continue minimizing food waste, you can consume organic vegetables and fruits, which do not contain pesticides or synthetic fertilizers and allow you to take advantage of all their parts , including, for example, the skin of apples and carrots; or the leaves of cauliflower and broccoli, which have as many vitamins and minerals as the parts usually consumed, either raw or cooked.
Fruits and Vegetables of May.
We are still in the middle of the spring season and the list of fruits that you can include in your shopping cart continues to grow. Some of them are worth taking advantage of now because, as soon as the heat starts, they will disappear.
seasonal fruits
- Fruits in optimal season: apricot, cherry, plum, strawberry, lychee, lemon, mango, melon, nectarine, medlar, papaya, banana.
- Fruits in good season: avocado, date, kiwi, apple, orange, pear, grapefruit, pineapple.
Vegetables of the season
- Vegetables in optimal season: sorrel, chicory, spring garlic, watercress, zucchini, onion, asparagus, peas, spring broad bean, green bean, lettuce, new potato, leek, radish, beetroot, carrot.
- Vegetables in good season: chard, artichoke, celery, mushroom, endive, cucumber.
It is also a good month to enjoy spring mushrooms and cooking with flowers.
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