A balanced diet is one that ensures the intake of at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. However, does this ensure that it is still a healthy diet?
We address the importance of eating seasonal fruits , not only for the health of our body, but also for the planet. We also expose which are the most recommended fruits for each time of the year as they are seasonal fruits. We assure you that in this way you can incorporate healthier nutrients into your diet without the need for a high budget.
The benefits of consuming seasonal fruits
The Food Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has repeatedly warned that the continued consumption of certain foods out of season can be related to some of the most common diseases, especially in the developed world.
In its various guides and recommendations, it includes a series of benefits of seasonal foods that gives us a clearer idea of the importance of consuming seasonal fruits. We list some of the main reasons:
1. They are more ecological
Being ecological does not only imply reducing the consumption of plastics or promoting the non-use of polluting agents, it also implies a more responsible consumption .
The demand for fruits all year ONSUMPTION c generates extra energy, and the resulting increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental organizations have been warning for years of the paradoxes and the ecological footprint that the massive transport of fruits implies throughout the year from some parts of the planet to others. Thus, in 2011, the environmental association ‘Friends of the Earth’ published its report Food kilometers. According to their studies, the transport necessary for a banana from Central or South America to reach Spanish kitchens generates 4.2 million tons of CO2.
But its effect on ecology goes much further. The commitment to seasonal crops , because the market demands it, will create a new agricultural dynamic, outside the circles of intensive monocultures, which are capable of absorbing global demand. And this translates into greater sustainability for the planet.
2. They are tastier fruits
Food import and export circles (including fruits) collect food before it has fully matured to subject it to preservation processes and ensure that it reaches any table in perfect condition, although not with the same flavor, as it has not matured. fully.
However, seasonal fruits, which are consumed locally, have all the flavor and all the nutrients, typical of having matured naturally.
3. Nature is wise
In winter, we need more doses of vitamin C , necessary to strengthen the immune system in the face of low temperatures and their contrasts.
What fruits are the usual in winter? Oranges, grapefruits, kiwis … all of them characterized by a high content of vitamin C. On the contrary, in summer our body needs fluids, such as watermelon, melon or pear.
And it is that nature, which is very wise, offers in each season the most suitable fruits to strengthen the body .
3 reasons to eat seasonal fruits
We have already detailed and explained what are the benefits for the planet of prioritizing the consumption (and demand) of seasonal fruits. Now is the time to analyze the importance of eating seasonal fruits from a health point of view.
1. It is healthier and cheaper
Have you ever wondered why in each season there is a fruit that seems to be well below the price of the rest? Indeed, seasonal fruits and vegetables are cheaper because at that time there is a greater supply; while the most expensive pieces are those that are out of season the most or have suffered some agricultural setback that makes their supply limited.
This on the economic plane, or how to fill the basket for much less money. As for health itself, seasonal fruits, being ripe and at their point, have developed all their components for the health of the individual, so that their intake is healthier for our body. Its nutritional wealth is at its optimum.
And is that consuming seasonal fruits implies eating healthier and saving more money.
2. It makes our diet more varied
When we talk about the importance of eating seasonal fruits, we must also bear in mind that we increase the variety of foods and nutrients that enter our body at the end of the year. In this way, in addition to never getting tired of the same flavors as always, and comparing if better or worse this or that fruit, we introduce a greater variety of fruits in our diet , with important components for the proper functioning of the body.
3. Local producers are supported
Local producers are the most overlooked. Your work is not always valued. However, with the purchase of seasonal fruit , in addition to saving, you allow that person and their family to stay in their locality.
What are the seasonal fruits of each season?
Each season favors the appearance of some fruits over others. The The importance of eating seasonal fruits within each season is determined by the nutritional contributions that each fruit adds to the diet.
1. Autumn-winter fruits that cannot be missing on your table
1.1 Avocado
Avocado is a fruit that is in fashion. Reasons are not lacking. Its high concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids, as well as fiber and antioxidants, have made it a superfood for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (among other functions, it controls and regulates the level of cholesterol in the blood).
The best time to enjoy this fruit is autumn.
1.2 Persimmon
Persimmons must be consumed when they are perfectly ripe if we want to obtain all the fiber, and vitamin E. In fact, if you eat an immature persimmon , it can cause constipation.
1.3 The pomegranate
Pomegranates are a magnificent source of antioxidants, so their consumption prevents us from premature aging of cells.
1.4 Cherimoya
Cherimoya is also low in fat, but rich in vitamins C and B. To really appreciate its flavor, it must be eaten ripe. The time when it ripens is autumn.
1.5 Kiwi
Kiwi is one of the autumn fruits with the most benefits for the body : it provides a lot of vitamin C, helps absorb iron, has a lot of fiber and, in addition, it is low in calories.
1.6 Other autumn-winter fruits
Other seasonal fruits that are important to introduce into our fall diet are apples, pears, grapes, and figs.
2. Seasonal fruits in spring and summer
Some of the fruits that we have seen that are typical of winter, they last until mid-May, as is the case with oranges. On the other hand, loquats, strawberries and blueberries are specific fruits of spring. They all have in common that they provide the body with vitamins and basic components that improve the body’s immune system.
Starting in May and June, peaches, apricots, cherries, melons or watermelons become the kings of the table. Their greatest contribution is the liquid they contain, which helps the body feel hydrated at all times, a key element to guarantee the well-being of the organism.
Conclution
We have already seen the importance of eating seasonal fruits compared to the dynamics of eating the same thing throughout the year (and the collateral effects that this implies). The changes in habits are not immediate, but they must be initiated to achieve a responsible and sustainable consumption of seasonal fruits .
Having certain fruits and vegetables throughout the year implies that the production processes do not respect the natural ripening cycles, and, in the worst case scenario, it results in the freezing and chemical treatment of the food for its presentation to the market at the most appropriate time (when demand is greater than supply and prices rise). Therefore, we recommend consuming the most suitable fruit according to the seasonal period.
