Eating in Season
Summer is here and that means fresh fruits and delicious vegetables. But did you know some of our favorite fruits and veggies that we consider summer delicacies aren’t yet in peak-season? Eating in season is better for us, the local economy, and the planet; Here’s why:
Better for Us
By eating in season (especially in peak-season), we are receiving the most abundant amount of nutrients from those fruits and vegetables.
Let’s take pears as an example. The biggest producer of pears in the world is China¹. When we eat pears that are out of our local season, we’ll most likely be buying Chinese-grown pears. Like most shipped produce, they are picked before their peak-ripeness to ensure that once delivered, they’ll still be consumable and purchasable. However, we get the short end of the bargain, losing out on the full amount of essential micronutrients like Vitamins C, K, and Potassium. To eat in season means to eat nutrient-dense foods.
Better for the Local Economy
We are inherently eating fruits and vegetables that are closer to home when we eat in season. It is important to buy locally whenever possible, but focusing on locally-in-season produce² ³ can do a lot of the heavy lifting for us by being more likely to come from local producers. There are a lot of year-round farmers’ markets in the area (especially one close to home - Ballard Farmers’ Market). The University District Farmers’ Market is another all-season venue where you can buy directly from farmers’ and local distributors that will be more likely to carry locally-in-season produce! When money stays in the local economy, it gets used by those producers to produce more food for our local economy or spent more on jobs and equipment that are more likely to stay in WA.
Better for the Planet
When farmers grow produce that can subsist in local environments and in our local seasons, they’re less likely to use farming practices that force the environment to bend around a crop, not the other way around. This can lead to less run-off from fields, less cross-contamination from monocultured crop (like wheat & soy). Additionally, if we purchase produce that is out-of-season locally, then the shipping emissions from transporting across the world can add up to a very negative impact on our environment and planet. To reduce emissions further, buy directly from farmers’ markets, farmer co-ops, or pick-up produce straight from the farm!
If you have any questions about how to better help our health, the economy, or the planet with your dietary habits, don’t hesitate to schedule a Nutrition Coaching session or join one of our Nutrition Programs to see the results you want in the most sustainable way. Remember, eating in season helps your health, our economy, and our planet, one bite at a time.
-Kyler | kyler@ballardhealthclub.com
Cert. Nutrition Coach, CPT
Source(s)/Additional Reading:
¹Pear Production by Country -2020
²WA Produce (by color) Seasonality Chart