The Benefits of Seasonal Eating
We’re pretty lucky here in Australia – we can walk into a supermarket and we’re spoiled for choice with an abundance of brightly coloured fruit and vegetables. But despite the variety we have access to all year round, we should try to purchase seasonal fruit and veg; changing our choices with the changing weather.
Not only does purchasing seasonal produce often make for a more affordable weekly shop, but there are also many health and environmental benefits associated with purchasing in season fruit and veg:
- Dietary variety
Eating with the seasons encourages us to include an array of different fruits and vegetables on our plates, as we experiment and include different fresh produce in our diets. Eating a varied diet increases the vitamins and minerals we consume, improving our general health and wellbeing and potentially having positive effects on our gut health. - Quality & nutrient profile
Unlike out of season produce, which is often picked early so that it can be shipped and distributed from around the world, seasonal produce is picked at its peak, making it fresher, tastier and more nutrient dense. When the quality of our fruit and veg is better, so too is the effect it has on our bodies and health! - Good for the environment
In order to access our favourite fruit and veg all year round, we have to interfere with natural growing seasons and source produce from around the world. This means that produce that seasonally grows in the Australian summer must be picked and shipped from across the world if we want to enjoy it in winter! To meet this demand, our food is often farmed in altered and controlled environments to speed up the growing and ripening process. By eating local, seasonal produce we are actively reducing food miles, whilst supporting natural and local farming practices, as well as local Aussie farmers.
