Eating Seasonal Vegetables: 4 Reasons Why You Should!

Autumn has arrived, and with it, the opportunity to enjoy the delicious seasonal vegetables this time of year has to offer. But what are the actual benefits of eating seasonal vegetables? In this blog, we share several reasons why it's a good choice!

Seasonal vegetables contain more nutrients

Vegetables and fruits gradually lose their nutritional value after harvest. Therefore, it is beneficial to eat them as soon as possible after they come from the land. However, vegetables and fruits in the supermarket may not be sold until two weeks after harvest, causing some of their nutrients to have already been lost. Seasonal vegetables, which are often fresher, therefore retain more of their nutritional value.

Less use of pesticides and fertilizers

Vegetables that grow in their natural season benefit from the right combination of weather, temperature, and soil conditions. This makes them less susceptible to diseases, pests, and stress. This means that fewer artificial interventions are needed, reducing the use of pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers.

More biodiversity

When vegetables are grown out of season, especially on a large scale, this can often lead to monocultures (where a single crop is grown over large areas). This can be detrimental to soil health and the land's biodiversity. Seasonal farming, especially by small-scale farmers, often encourages more diverse cultivation that is better for the soil and local ecosystems.

Seasonal vegetables are often cheaper

In addition to the many health and environmental benefits of eating seasonal vegetables, it also offers benefits for your wallet. This is because factors such as supply and demand play a role, but also because transport costs are lower when products are grown locally. This means they don't have to be transported over long distances, which slightly reduces costs. You can also see if you can buy vegetables and fruits directly from the farmer. To find out where farmers are near you, you can use bioadressen.nl

Our microbiome adapts to UV radiation

The composition of our gut microbiome appears to adapt to UV radiation from the sun. It has been shown that the diversity of microbes decreases when there is less UV-B light present. This suggests that it may be beneficial to consume seasonal foods so that our microbiome is not unnecessarily burdened with difficult-to-digest foods during periods of less sunlight.

Which fruits and vegetables can you eat in which season (in the Netherlands)?

January: Brussels sprouts, kale, parsnip, leek, winter carrot, red cabbage, chicory, potatoes, apples, and pears

February: Brussels sprouts, kale, parsnip, leek, winter carrot, red cabbage, chicory, potatoes, apples, and pears

March: Kale, Brussels sprouts, leek, winter carrot, chicory, potatoes, apples, and pears

April: Asparagus, radish, spinach, cress, lettuce, potatoes, apples, and pears

May: Asparagus, spinach, lettuce, radish, strawberries, peas

June: Green beans, broad beans, lettuce, endive, spinach, radish, peas, zucchini, strawberries, cherries, raspberries

July: Green beans, zucchini, eggplant, cucumber, tomatoes, peas, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, endive, leek, cauliflower, strawberries, cherries, plums, raspberries, blackcurrants.

August: Green beans, zucchini, eggplant, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, spinach, endive, strawberries, cherries, plums, raspberries, blackcurrants

September: Pumpkin, zucchini, green beans, bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, leek, kale, apples, pears, plums, grapes, blackberries

October: Pumpkin, kale, Brussels sprouts, leek, celeriac, parsnip, winter carrot, potatoes, red cabbage, chicory, apples, pears, grapes, blackberries

November: Brussels sprouts, kale, leek, winter carrot, red cabbage, celeriac, chicory, parsnip, potatoes, apples, and pears

December: Brussels sprouts, kale, winter carrot, celeriac, parsnip, leek, red cabbage, chicory, potatoes, apples, and pears

Conclusion

Seasonal fruits and vegetables are better for your health, the environment, and they are cheaper. They should be an incredibly important part of your diet because they bring countless benefits. Moreover, they are good for crops and the environment. So, eat more seasonally!