“The Sicilian way of life was to embrace whatever the season gave us,” said Fiannaca, who lives near Agrigento.
Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is one of the many things that make the Mediterranean diet healthy, and it’s also rich in nuts, beans, legumes, and healthy fats found in olive oil and fish.
But nutrition experts say buying in-season produce wherever you are is a simple step toward better eating habits.
“Eating seasonal foods is one way to increase dietary diversity,” says Sharon Gray, a registered dietitian who directs the community nutrition program at the University of Connecticut.
Why is eating seasonal foods better for your health?
Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is an important part of good nutrition and helps lower the risk of heart disease, obesity and other diseases.
Picking what’s most available at the market each month is a good start, says Gray, who teaches healthy cooking classes to low-income Hartford residents. In New England, summer tomatoes, berries and peaches give way to fall pumpkins, squash and cranberries, all of which are high in antioxidants and fiber and contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and complex carbohydrates.
It helps make in-season produce taste better.
“A lot of adults don’t really like fruits and vegetables, so if you can get them to like something, they’re more likely to incorporate it into their diet,” she says, “which is leading to people moving away from processed foods and cooking at home.”
Eating seasonal foods often also means eating local foods, says Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian who specializes in disease prevention and control at the Cleveland Clinic. In addition to the environmental benefits, locally grown foods are generally more nutritious because they’re naturally ripened and consumed soon after harvest.
“This will help you maximize your intake of vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and antioxidants, which are the foundation for reducing your risk of disease,” Zumpano said.
Changing your diet requires a little open-mindedness, says cardiologist Shawn Heffron, MD, of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at NYU Langone Heart School, who advises his patients to think beyond vegetables like broccoli and onions that are available year-round.
“Just open your mind to, ‘Oh, I see lots of asparagus and peaches and artichokes,'” Heffron says. “That way, you’re exposed to more and you’re more motivated to eat more fruits and vegetables in general.”
Gray noted that farmers markets that accept food benefit programs like SNAP are becoming more common, but he also recommended shopping at local grocery chains, which are more likely to carry local produce than national retailers.
She encourages people to look at flyers and signs in stores to see what’s on sale, which are often indicators of a bountiful season. Not only can you save money, but you can also buy bigger-ticket items, like berries, that you can freeze and eat later.
Zumpano suggested signing up for a Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA), which delivers a box of produce that changes with the season. “You don’t get to pick it out, it just comes every week,” Zumpano said. “Usually you have to buy extra food, but you can use it as a great base.”
Experts warn that eating in season isn’t a panacea, and some research suggests that people living in cold climates suffer from nutritional deficiencies in the winter, meaning you should keep buying leafy greens and other vegetables year-round.
“We need seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day,” Zumpano says, “and 90 percent of us don’t eat enough of them.”
Albert Stumm writes about food, travel and health. His work can be found at https://www.albertstumm.com.
