How To Eat Seasonally For Spring

Our modern lifestyles have favoured the convenience of a global food supply chain and access to foods grown from all over the world all year round. Sadly, this way of eating is not the most sustainable option for our long-term health or the planet's health and has caused us to lose touch with eating in harmony with the seasons. Foods grown out of season are less nutrient-dense. They contain fewer vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from being artificially ripened using chemical treatments. Most produce grown out of season has to be transported for thousands of miles and sit in storage before reaching our plates. On the flip side, naturally grown seasonal produce is far superior to those picked early and stored for sale due to the enzyme activity and bioavailability of vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds beneficial for our health. Plus, you can't beat the flavour of fresh produce that's in season!

Our bodies' nutritional requirements shift with the seasons. Nature has blessed us with an abundance of medicinal fruits and vegetables rich in the required nutrients and properties we need to support our bodies at specific times of the year. Eating in season encourages variety, which the microbes in our gut love—those with a healthy and diverse gut microbiome experience better overall health. Understanding how to eat seasonally will profoundly affect our digestion, skin health, immunity, energy, mood, and overall vitality. 

Embrace fresh, raw, alkaline and antioxidant-rich foods.

During winter, we embraced warm, grounding, and nourishing root vegetables and spices in the form of soups, stews and curries, and fruits rich in vitamin C to support our bodies in building immunity, energy, and reserves for the seasons ahead. Spring is the season of renewal and cleansing. Nature provides us foods that assist our bodies naturalbodies' natural transition from the heavier foods of winter, stimulate digestion and support our detoxification pathways. Embrace the abundance of fresh alkaline-rich vegetables and leafy greens, including swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, kale, parsley, and basil, along with antioxidant-rich fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, and rhubarb. Giving the liver and kidneys some extra support with herbs such as nettle, dandelion, red clover, and holy basil (Tulsi), which are all found in our Cleanse tea, may also be beneficial.

Support your local farmers.

Buy your fruit and veg from your local farmer's markets or sign up for a weekly organic delivery box. These are great ways to support your local farming community, get access to fresh and nutritious produce, and discover what's in season near you. Local produce tends to be more nutrient-dense as small farms are more likely to rotate their crops regularly, preventing nutrient-depleted soil. Local farmers are also generally more environmentally conscious and use fewer chemicals. Shopping for your seasonal produce this way is more beneficial for your health and the health of our planet.

Choose organic where possible. 

Choosing organic is always the best option for our health, but it's not always feasible. Get familiar with the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen to prioritise which produce you should be mindful of purchasing 100% organic.

So, why not challenge yourself this spring and try and eat only seasonal, fresh, local produce that supports your digestion and liver? By doing this, you will improve your mood, energy, immunity, digestion, skin health and overall vitality.