4 Health Benefits of Eating Locally Harvested Food

Springtime is here! This time of year is often synonymous with cleaning house. It's a great time to check in with yourself, the goals and affirmations you may have set for the new year, and assess your progress. Spring is the ideal moment for fresh starts in your personal life, and it's a perfect opportunity to recommit to your values, evaluate your diet and health, and look for potential areas for improvement.  

When thinking about our health goals, we often consider eating more whole foods, but many forget to incorporate seasonally harvested and local produce into our diet. It's understandable. Your average grocery store, for example, probably stocks blueberries all year round. But did you know blueberries are only in season during the summer months? That means when you buy blueberries in December, you're getting temperature-treated berries that don't taste as sweet and don't offer the same health benefits as their fresh counterparts. 

So, what can you do to ensure you're getting the most health benefits from your food? We're here to break down a few big ways local food can support your health and the health of our planet. Read on to learn the benefits of eating locally sourced and seasonally picked fruits and vegetables.  

1. Nurture your health

You probably know that eating fruits and vegetables is good for you. But did you know there's a way to make them even better for you? When you consume fruits and vegetables harvested in season, they've been picked at peak ripeness, aka peak antioxidants for you—like vitamin C, folate, and beta-Carotene. It also means they're fresher. 

Plus, when you eat seasonally, you're eating in alignment with our ancestors. Our bodies naturally gravitate towards specific foods in the season because those are what's meant to be available to us. In the spring, we crave greens, like spinach, to help us alkalize our bodies. We also crave gorgeous leafy greens in the spring because it's a active time of year; we need extra protein to function at our highest capacity and can find it in the active part of all green vegetables—chlorophyll. Likewise, hydrating foods like watermelon and cucumber are the go-to during summer. 

2. Help the environment

When discussing eating seasonally, we're mainly focusing on fruits and vegetables. A primarily plant-rich diet is a great way to address green gas emissions. But, if you want to take it a step further, another way to address gas emissions is to eat seasonally harvested and locally grown produce. By eating local in season foods, you create less demand for out-of-season produce and reduce pollution related to food manufacturing and transportation.

3. Food tastes better  

Ripe, fresh produce tastes sweeter and more flavorful. Simple as that. Seasonal fruit and vegetables don't have to travel as far or endure extreme temperature changes. Chilling fruits and vegetables affects the flavor negatively and results in dull, drier-tasting fruits and bland vegetables. No thanks.   

4. Support your community 

Eating in season often means getting the freshest produce from local farms. It's an excellent way to nourish your body with healthy, organic foods and uplift the local economy—it helps keep money circulating in your community. When you support your neighbors, they can thrive and invest more money in local businesses and services. 

Keep in mind, there are numerous benefits to eating fresh, locally grown foods. We've gone over a few to get you started on your journey— but there's always more to learn. Spring is the perfect time to begin something new, so if you've been looking for a way to feel better, eat healthier, and support the planet, head to your local farmers market, farm fresh produce store, or even consider signing up for a CSA. 

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