Seasonal Fruits And Vegetables For A Healthier You
With the vast range of produce now available in our supermarkets year-round, it can be easy to forget about the seasonal nature of most fruits and vegetables. However, with concerns about the environmental impact of our food habits at an all-time high, shopping, cooking, and eating seasonally is one of the easiest ways we can make a positive impact.
What’s more, eating seasonal produce doesn;t have to mean you are missing out. There are always plenty of options to keep your mind and body healthy, regardless of the time of year.
Seasonal eating can help to revitalise our interest in food and make cooking and eating more enjoyable! Even better, eating seasonally is often cheaper than buying produce out of season as the costs associated with growing and transporting them are lower!
But let’s face it, when we find ourselves on the brink of yet another season, it can be difficult to know which fruits and vegetables are at their peak in our local area. Thankfully, resources are readily available online to guide you on your mission to eat seasonally for your health – including this article!
So, let’s take a look at what produce is in season at different times of the year…
The variety of springtime
Springtime is typically associated with the months from March to May in the UK. In these weeks, the trees are regrowing their foliage, flowers are starting to bloom, and many vegetables and fruits are ready to be harvested.
Spring vegetables that you should keep an eye out for in these months include:
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Broad beans
- Carrots and parsnips
- Kale
- Leeks
- Rocket
- Peppers
- Spring greens
- Mushrooms
- Peas
- And many more!
If Spring fruits are more to your taste, you should prioritise products such as rhubarb, cherries, and strawberries which often start becoming available towards the end of the season.
Many of these fruits and vegetables are beneficial to the health of our eyes and overall well-being. For example, leafy greens like kale and spinach are rich in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which accumulate in the eye to filter harmful blue light! Some research suggests they may even help to protect against age-related macular degeneration.
The bountiful Summer harvest
In the summer months (June to August), the variety of harvestable produce explodes here in the UK, particularly when it comes to fruits. Eating seasonally at this time is perhaps easier than at any other time of year, as you have more options to choose from.
Summer vegetables that are abundant in these months typically include:
- Courgettes and summer squash
- Lettuce varieties
- Baby carrots
- Broad beans
- Spring cabbage
- Cucumbers
- Peas
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Runner beans
- Celery
- Sweetcorn
- Broccoli
Summer fruits are one of the many perks of the warmer months in the UK. This season offers us the greatest variety of fruits for the whole year, including:
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Peppers and chillies
- Plums
- Currants
This is the season of the berries, many of which grow in the wild up and down the country, making for a fun family day out! These tasty fruits can also hold incredible benefits for our eyes as they are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, which protect against damage from free radicals and oxidative stress implicated in the development of cataracts!
Eating seasonally in Autumn
As we start to notice the leaves on the trees shifting to their autumn shades of oranges and reds, it can be easy to assume that the bountiful supply of summer and spring is over. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, Autumn is a fantastic time for produce in the UK, particularly when it comes to root vegetables and greens!
Autumnal vegetables include familiar favourites like carrots, parsnips, turnips, and other root vegetables, as well as squash varieties such as pumpkin, butternut squash, and marrow. Other vegetables that are coming into season at this time of year include:
- Leeks
- Cabbage
- Celeriac
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Cauliflower
- Beetroot
- And many more!
Autumn fruits aren’t as varied as they are in the spring and summer months, but apples and Autumn-fruiting raspberries and blueberries, as well as figs, plums and damsons can still be bought in season!
Carrots – a staple of the Autumn harvest – has long been associated with good vision. But while the extent of this may have been slightly exaggerated (they won’t really help you see in the dark!), there is certainly some truth to this widely-held belief. This is largely owed to their richness in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. Studies have shown that this nutrient can help to maintain the health of the retina, potentially aiding vision in low-light conditions!
Navigating the less bountiful Winter months
While the bounty of fruits and vegetables does diminish somewhat in these months, the produce we are left with is perfect for hearty, filling meals like stews and soups! And if that’s not really your kind of thing, remember you can always freeze your summer and spring produce to be used in the Winter months!
Still, there is plenty to be chosen from in the cold of November, December, and January, including:
- Brussels sprouts
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Potatoes
- Cabbages
- Kale
- Leeks
- Parsnips
- Pears
- Apples
Eating a balanced diet including vegetables available at this time of the year can maintain your general and eye health as effectively as any other time of year. In particular, carrots and leafy greens can help to keep your eyes and vision healthy!
As you can see, eating seasonally is easier than most of us realise. While the UK might not be known for its desirable climate, we’re lucky to be able to grow delicious produce year-round, and best of all, every fruit and vegetable can contribute to a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
For more information about your eye health and how this could affect your suitability for Laser Eye Surgery, get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators or Book a Consultation today.
