April is coming to a close. The temperature has been up and down and the rain has been coming pretty steady this month. But they say those showers bring May flowers! What else can it bring? Seasonal foods! We talked last month about all of the benefits that come with buying and eating food that is in season. Now that it’s almost May, we have a lot of things coming up and ready for harvest! The farmers markets are going to start filling up with a solid variety of different veggies.
LIKE WHAT?
There is a list of over 40 different things coming into season this May. Here are some of the office favorites:
Beets: Look for heavy and firm beets. They shouldn’t have wilted greens or soft spots anywhere. These are great for getting a lot of nutrition and vitamins and minerals without adding a lot of calories. They have also been known to help with inflammation and even improve athletic performance. Some distance runners swear by their pre-run beet juices.
Broccoli: This is super high in Vitamins A, K, and C. This means that it supports healthy tissue creation, eyesight health, and with immune system function. Look for tight bunches of florets with no mold, bruising, or yellowing. You should see a deep green color and even some purple.
Brussel sprouts: These are pretty special. They get a bad rap in the media and a lot of people think they are gross because of that. Give them a shot though. They can be amazing if coked well. Not only that, what makes them the most special is that they contain omega-3s. These aren’t quite the same as the fish oil omega-3s, but work the same way. Adding these into your diet if you aren’t getting much seafood could help your brain and nerves stay healthy.
Green onions: These are onions that are harvested before the full bulb forms in most cases. We like these because of their versatility in a lot of different dishes and in different genres of food. They are also good for people that suffer from IBS or indigestion issues, since they are low in the things that flare up those conditions.
Oregano & Rosemary: These are both really high in antioxidants, which fight off cancer causing free-radicals. There are also some natural anti-bacterial properties of these spices and could help your body deal with certain infections.
Spinach: This is really high in iron and in vitamin K. Iron is essential to your body’s function and can even help stave off a potential cause of hair loss in women. Vitamin K is important for your body’s ability to clot blood.
Tomatoes: There are high in a lot of different phytonutrients. They aren’t considered “essential” like other nutrients, but are still really good for you. The biggest being lycopene. This nutrient has been linked to prevention of cervical cancer and in helping with the symptoms of asthma. There is some evidence that points towards it being a natural anti-depressant as well.
