We were busy planning Halloween and meanwhile winter hit! In fact, Pumpkins bring all the winter packed in their tummies. Suddenly the colorful market has shrunk its rainbow colors down to purple, green, and orange tones. If you are in France or Monaco, you couldn’t deny but relate to this. 

The season of snow, the season of blankets and tales, the season of cuddles and love is also the season of apples, pears, cabbage (of both shades), and pumpkins. Gone are the summer stock of the tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, all the red shades basically. 

Have you noticed the shift in your local stores? Eating seasonally has always been widely practiced in Mediterranean countries. Across the world, it has been gaining more notice recently for its positive impact on the climate crisis. Could there be more benefits to eating according to the time of year?

Here’s a list of fruits and vegetables that are naturally available from November to December in Western Europe:

What’s the difference?

For first thing you may notice when you eat an item on the list is the taste. Vegetables especially when eaten in their peak season taste far better. Ever eating a tomato in January? Well a pumpkin in July will disappoint just as much. Each vegetable has an optimal growing condition which effects its flavour. What else does the optimal growing practice effect?

Nutrient density

Multiple studies have shown that produce when harvested during it’s peak period, will have higher concentration of nutrients which support our health and wellbeing. Peak season gives the growing process optimal soil temperature, pH, air temperature and also impact the soil microbes. All of this together gives the perfect environment to boost the produces nutrient profile when allowed to ripen naturally.

What happens then when produce is artificially ripened out of season? 

Multiple practices and chemical ripening agents have been developed in order to give us the option of variety and also to help produce survive the long transportation to the stores. Eating seasonally means the transport cost and distance is greatly shortened. This also means seasonal produce is cheaper. More importantly, this accelerated artificial harvest has a negative impact on the nutritional value of the produce.

Natural instinct of what the body needs

As a natural health practitioner, we believe that nature always provides for us. This concept is very much seen in the practice of eating in season. As mentioned above, vegetables that are harvested at their peak period are far more nutrient dense. An example of this is broccoli. When left to harvest naturally in Autumn and Winter, will have a higher value of vitamin C. Citrus fruit is naturally a winter fruit. Again well-known for its high vitamin C content. What does are body need in winter? Immune supporting practices, such as high doses of vitamin C. What else do we need for our immune system need during viral season? The mineral sulphur! Guess where we find sulphur? In all the green winter vegetables! Finally, zinc is well known and essential to protect us against infection. Where do we get zinc? Shellfish, which should only be eaten in cooler months. It’s like our body and nature has it all planned out.

How do I eat seasonally?

First, you need to research what grows in your area naturally and then break it down for each season. There can be charts or books available locally to you which will also provide this information.

Next, you will need to see how you eat? What meals do you prepare often? How do these meals compare to the produce available? You can have basic recipes and adapt them for the season. For example, in summer I prepare a tomato tart but in winter it becomes a blette tart.

How bad is it to eat off season?

It is no harm to eat the occasional item out of season but follow the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time you eat in season and 20% the occasional off season item. Trust me, once you taste how good a item tastes in season, you won’t go back.