Eating seasonal vegetables: 4 reasons why you should!
Fall has begun again, and that means we can once again enjoy the delicious seasonal vegetables this time of year has to offer. But what benefits does eating seasonal vegetables actually bring? In this blog, we share a few reasons why it's a good choice!
Seasonal vegetables contain more nutrients
Fruits and vegetables gradually lose their nutritional value after harvest. Therefore, it is beneficial to eat them as soon as possible after they come off the land. With fruits and vegetables in the supermarket, however, they may not be sold until two weeks after harvest, so some of their nutrients have already been lost. Seasonal vegetables, which are often fresher, therefore retain more of their nutritional value.
Reduced 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 disease, pests and stress. This means less artificial intervention is needed, reducing use of pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers.
More biodiversity
When vegetables are grown out of season, especially on a large scale, it can often lead to monocultures (where a single crop is grown over large areas). This can be detrimental to the soil health and biodiversity of the land. Seasonal farming, especially among small-scale farmers, often encourages more diverse cultivation that is better for 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 to the wallet. This is because factors such as supply and demand come into play, but also because transportation costs are lower when produce is grown locally. As a result, they do not have to be transported long distances, which reduces costs a bit. You can also look into buying fruits and vegetables directly from the farmer. To find out where farmers are in your area, 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. Microbial diversity has been shown to decrease when less UV-B light is present. This suggests that it may be beneficial to consume seasonal foods so that our microbiome is not unnecessarily burdened with hard-to-digest foods during periods of less sunlight.
So which fruits and vegetables can you eat in what season (in the Netherlands)?
January: Brussels sprouts, kale, parsnips, leeks, carrots, red cabbage, chicory, potatoes, apples and pears
February: Brussels sprouts, kale, parsnips, leeks, carrots, red cabbage, chicory, potatoes, apples and pears
March: Kale, Brussels sprouts, leeks, carrots, chicory, potatoes, apples and pears
April: Asparagus, radishes, spinach, cress, lettuce, potatoes, apples and pears
May: Asparagus, spinach, lettuce, radishes, strawberries, peas
June: green beans, broad beans, lettuce, endive, spinach, radishes, peas, zucchini, strawberries, cherries, raspberries
July: Green beans, zucchini, eggplant, cucumber, tomatoes, peas, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, endive, leeks, cauliflower, strawberries, cherries, plums, raspberries, blackcurrants.
August: Green beans, zucchini, eggplant, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, spinach, endive, strawberries, cherries, plums, raspberries, blackcurrants
September: Pumpkin, zucchini, green beans, bell bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, leeks, kale, apples, pears, plums, grapes, blackberries
October: Pumpkin, kale, Brussels sprouts, leeks, celeriac, parsnips, carrots, potatoes, red cabbage, chicory, apples, pears, grapes, blackberries
November: Brussels sprouts, kale, leeks, carrots, red cabbage, celeriac, chicory, parsnips, potatoes, apples and pears
December: Brussels sprouts, kale, winter carrots, celeriac, parsnips, leeks, 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. In addition, they are good for crops and for the environment. So eat more out of season!