The Ultimate List of Healthy Seasonal Foods

Changing of seasons provides us with a unique opportunity to buy nutritious foods that are only available during that season. The seasonal foods offer a natural diversity that you should take advantage and use it for your well-being. After all, what’s better than a vine-ripe heirloom tomato, juicy organic summer peach or sweet strawberries grown by your local farmer?

When you purchase local foods in the season, they are

• Cost-effective
• More delicious
• Healthier
• Greener

Cost effective: Foods are easier to grow in the proper season making it more abundant, less time intensive and more affordable for customers.

More delicious: Seasonal food is more delicious than food grown out of season. The fruits and veggies have a chance to fully and naturally ripe before you pick them.

Healthier: When you grow the produce in its correct season, under the appropriate growing climatic conditions, it possesses all its natural nutrients. Research has shown that some crop has three times more nutrients when grown in season.

Environment-friendly: Seasonal and local foods travel much shorter distances.Plus, seasonal foods have fewer chemicals. Sometimes foods are given chemical ripening agents, wax coating, and other preservatives to make them more appealing. Seasonal eating mostly reduces the need for these practices.

You can check out this link to know about the various seasonal foods. We’ve charted down some of the healthiest foods on the planet for your convenience.

January

Veggies:

Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower

Fruits:

Grapefruit
Oranges
Lemons
Tangerines

Broccoli: It helps to prevent osteoarthritis. Cellophane present in broccoli kills the cancer stem cells. Broccoli reduces blood pressure and improves kidney function.

Cabbage: Being an excellent source of vitamin K, cabbage helps in bone metabolism and prevents Alzheimer’s disease.

Cauliflower: With a delightfully fresh flavor and a satisfying crunch, cauliflower boasts anexcellent amountof vitamin C and good amounts of vitamin K, thiamin, protein, riboflavin, magnesium, niacin and phosphorous.

Grapefruit: Fresh red grapefruit positively influences your blood lipid levels, especially triglycerides.

Oranges: One orange provides a staggering amount of 130percent of vitamin C needs for the day.

Lemons: Contains more potassium than apples, lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, citric acid, calcium, B-complex vitamins, iron, copper and magnesium.

Tangerines: Also known as mandarin oranges tangerinesare packed with flavonoids, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and potassium.

February

Veggies:

Broccoli
Cauliflower

Fruits:

Grapefruit
Lemons
Oranges

Fish:

Cod
Whiting

Fish: It is high in vital nutrients, lowers your risk of heart attacks and strokes, and contains omega 3 fatty acids that are crucial during development.

It protects you from age-related brain deterioration, fights depression, is a good source of vitamin D, reduces the risk of autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes, improves sleep, and prevents asthma and macular degeneration.

March

Vegetables:

Broccoli
Lettuce

Fruits:

Mangoes
Pineapples

Fish:

Salmon

Lettuce: contains anti-inflammatory properties that help in controlling inflammation, protects neuronal cells, lowers cholesterol, induces sleep, controls anxiety, fights leukemia and breast cancer.

Mangoes: the king of the fruits helps prevent cancer, lowers your cholesterol levels, clears clogged pores, improves eye health, boosts theimmune system, fights heat stroke, improves digestion and alkalizes your whole body.

Pineapple: rich in vitamin C and manganese, pineapples supports your immune system, promotes healthy bones and connective tissue and boosts eye health and digestion. It contains bromelain that reduces severe inflammation, lowers blood clots and fights sinus inflammation.

April

Vegetables:

Artichokes
Asparagus
Broccoli
Lettuce
Rhubarb
Spring peas
Zucchini

Fruits:

Mangoes
Pineapples

Fish:

Tuna

Artichokes: Considered a superfood, artichokes are rich in dietary fiber. They support digestion, reduces cholesterol, boosts brain and liver health. Being rich in folic acid they prevent neural tube defects in babies.

Asparagus: being low in fat and calories asparagus helps in weight loss.It contains asparagine making it a natural diuretic. Asparagus isfull of antioxidants and can ease a hangover.

Rhubarb:it improves blood circulation, prevents cancer, improves bone health, prevents Alzheimer’s disease, aids digestion, treats cardiovascular diseases and promotes weightloss.

Spring peas: support blood sugar regulation, maintains a healthy heart and protects against stomach cancer.Sauté snap peas with shiitake mushrooms to make it more delicious.

Zucchini: Maintains optimal health, helps to lose weight, promotes men’s health and protects your cardiovascular health.

May

Vegetables:

Artichokes
Asparagus
Broccoli
Carrots
Lettuce
Okra
Potatoes
Radish
Rhubarb
Spring peas
Zucchini

Fruits:

Apricots
Cherries
Pineapple
Rhubarb

Carrots: this root vegetable is a good source of antioxidants. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene and fiber. They prevent heart disease, lowers blood pressure, fights macular degeneration and enhances eyesight.

Okra: potassium, vitamin B, folic acid, vitamin C, and calcium are present in okra. It helps to manage your blood sugar levels, type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes.

Potatoes: rich in vitamin B6 potatoes builds your cells, lowers your blood pressure, and boosts your brain cell and nervous system activity. They significantly improveathletic performance.

Radish: they provide 25% RDA of vitamin C, helps to rebuild your tissues and blood vessels. They keep your bones and teeth healthy.

Apricots: protects against free radical damage, has high amounts of carotenoids and xanthophyll and protects your eyesight, fights inflammation and they are an excellent source of dietary fiber.

Cherries: gives you antioxidant protection, contains cancer-preventive compounds, reduces inflammation and risk of gout, promotes healthy sleep, reduces belly fat, reduces post-exercise muscle pain and lowers risk of stroke.

June

Vegetables:

Beans
Carrots
Cucumbers
Lettuce
Potato

Fruit:

Apricot
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Peaches
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Watermelon

Beans: reduces therisk of colorectal cancer and coronary heart disease. They are a good alternative to high-fat protein sources like red meat. They significantlydecrease therisk of type 2 diabetes.

Cucumbers: they provide you with excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Cucumbers have potential anti-cancer benefits.

Blueberries: rich in iron, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, zinc and vitamin K, blueberries enhance your bone health. They lower blood pressure,managediabetes, wards off heart disease,prevent cancer, boosts brain power, improves digestion and aids in weight loss.

Cantaloupe: They have an excellent nutrient diversity, Cantaloupes are rich in vitamin C and A. They are good sources of potassium, a host of B vitamins, magnesium, fiber and vitamin K. They prevent metabolic syndrome.

Peaches: the pulp and peel possesshigh antioxidant properties. They contain potassium essential for nerve signaling and cellular functioning of your body. Peaches prevent cancer, promotes healthy skin, boosts eye health, ensures asafe pregnancy, supports digestion, calms your nerves and treats obesity.

Peaches boost overall immunity, lowers cholesterol, has anti-aging properties, promotes healthy bones and teeth, detoxifies your body, enhances cellular health and fights neurodegenerative disorders. The inner kernel of peaches treats blood stasis in which the blood becomes inactive.

Strawberries: antioxidants such as flavonoids, ellagicacid, and phenolic phytochemicals are present in berries. They improve your eye health, boost immunity, treat gout and arthritis, prevent cancer, andincrease brain function. They reduce hypertension, improve heart function, promote weight loss, preventcongenital disabilities and reduce inflammation.

Watermelon: being a delicious and refreshing fruit it pops up your hydration levels, lowers risk of heart disease, prevents chronic inflammation, encourages healthy digestive tract, promotes the growth of new collagen and elastin cells, reduces muscle soreness and improves athletic performance. The antioxidant properties help to reduce cancer risk.

July

Vegetables:

Beans
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green beans
Lettuce
Nectarines
Peppers
Potatoes
Summer squash
Tomatoes

Fruits:

Apricots
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Kiwi
Peaches
Plums
Watermelon
Strawberries

Corn: the kernels of corn helps prevent hemorrhoids, promotes growth and development, provides essential minerals, is a rich source of calories, protects your heart, prevents cancer, prevents anemia, lowers LDL cholesterol, controls diabetes and enables eye and skin care.

Eggplant: A native of the subcontinent, eggplants improves digestion, helps in weightloss, prevents cancer, improves bone health, fights anemia, boosts brain power, improves cardiovascular health, manages diabetes and prevents congenital disabilities.

Nectarines: They provide you with antioxidant defense, treat obesity, improve vision, prevent hypokalemia and improves cardiac health, Nectarine prevents cancer, boosts immunity, enhances skin care, aids digestion, promotes cellular health and prevents neural tube defects during pregnancy.

Peppers: both hot and sweet peppers improveweightloss, protects against the buildup of cholesterol, keeps arthritis at bay, lowers your risk of breast cancer, enhances your cardiovascular health and prevents stroke.

Tomatoes: they are a treasure of riches when comes to antioxidant benefits.Tomatoesreduce therisk of heart disease, supports bone health and has anti-cancer benefits.

Summer squash: the yellow squash is low in calories and carbohydrates. It contains little fat, is cholesterol free, and has generous amounts of iron, folate, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and lutein.

Kiwi: adding a dramatic tropical flavor to any fruit salad kiwi’s phytonutrients protects your DNA. Kiwi offers maximum antioxidant protection. The concentratedfiber in kiwi controls cardiovascular andcolon health. It potentially protects against asthma and macular degeneration.

Plums: possessing unique phytonutrients called neochlorogenic, and chlorogenic acid plums offer excellent antioxidant benefits. Plums help in better absorption of iron, normalizes blood sugar levels, helps in weight loss, lowers cholesterol and protects your intestines.

August

Vegetables:

Beans
Cucumber
Corn
Eggplant
Green beans
Lettuce
Peppers
Summer squash
Tomatoes

Fruits:

Apricots
Blueberries
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Early apples
Grapes
Kiwi
Nectarines
Peaches
Plums
Raspberries
Strawberries
Watermelon

Fish:

Crab
Halibut
Kipper
Mackerel
Salmon

Early apples: Being rich in fiber apple aid in digestion and prevents cancer. It improves intestinal health, treats anemia, reduces weakness, controls diabetes and promotes dental health. Apple fights Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, treats respiratory issues and rheumatism, fights heart disease, improves vision, promotes weight loss and aids in skin care.

Raspberries: They promote weight loss, reduce wrinkles and prevent macular degeneration. Raspberries fight infection and cancer, promotes optimal health, enhance feminine health, strengthens the immune system and has excellent phytonutrient content.

September

Vegetables:

Beans
Corn
Eggplant
Lettuce
Pepper
Pumpkin
Spinach
Sweet potato
Tomatoes

Fruits:

Grapes
Pomegranates
Apples
Cantaloupe
Watermelon

Pumpkin: Boosts vision, lowers blood pressure, keeps your stomach full, promotes sleep and enhances heart health.

Spinach: it is high in niacin, zinc as well as vitamins A, C, E and K. It lowers blood pressure and boosts cardiovascular health.

Sweet potato: it improves heart health, controls blood sugar and maintains energy. Sweet potatoes fight stress and enhance your immunity.

Grapes: it prevents cancer, heart disease, reduces high blood pressure and fights constipation. Grapes alleviate symptoms of allergies and fight diabetes.

October

Vegetables:

Broccoli
Pumpkin
Spinach
Sweet potatoes
Winter squash

Fruits:

Apples
Cranberries
Pomegranates

Winter squash: they are a rich source of carotenoids and contains essential antioxidants. One cup of baked winter squash will provide you with 340 milligrams of omega-3 fats in the form of alphalinoleic acid. Winter squash promotes optimal health and regulates your blood sugar levels.

Cranberries: the best-known role of cranberries is thatthey prevent urinary tract infections. They reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. The proanthocyanins in cranberriespromote oral health. They are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin E.

Pomegranates: they are an excellent source of vitamins especially vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E as well as folic acid. They contain three times the antioxidants as present in both wine or green tea. Pomegranates cure stomach disorders, heart problems, prevents cancer, helps reduce dental plaque, fights atherosclerosis and osteoarthritis. They treat anemia and improve men’s health.

November

Vegetables:

Broccoli
Mushroom
Pumpkin
Spinach
Sweet potatoes
Winter squash

Fruits:

Cranberries
Oranges
Pears
Pomegranates
Tangerines

Mushroom: if you’re vegetarian then you can get your selenium from mushrooms. They lower cholesterol levels, treats anemia, prevents breast cancer and prostate cancer. Mushroomsprevent diabetes, boost bone health, and help in nutrient absorption.

Theyoptimize your immune system, lowers blood pressure, increases iron absorption and aid in weightloss.

Pears: With a sweet taste and a fibrous center, pears are excellent sources of antioxidants, flavonoids, and dietary fiber. They pack these all in a fat-free, cholesterol free, 100 calorie packages. Pears help in treating diverticulosis and aids in weight loss, They fight cardiovascular disease and cholesterol and lower risk of diabetes. Pears substantially supports digestion and helps in detox.

December

Vegetables:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Sweet potatoes

Fruits:

Grapefruit
Oranges
Tangerines
Cauliflower: Described as a superfood cauliflower fights cancer, boosts heart health, provides anti-inflammatory benefits and increases your brain health. It provides detoxification support and promotes digestive health. Cauliflower is rich in vitamins and minerals. It provides exceptional antioxidant and phytonutrients benefits.

Conclusion

In the spring focus on leafy vegetables, represent the greening that occurs in spring by the greens on your plate. Include Swiss chard, spinach, fresh parsley, romaine lettuce, and basil.

Stick with light cooling foods during summer; they include strawberries, apples, plums, pears, and veggies like broccoli, summer squash, cauliflower, and corn.

During the fall shift your focus towards the most warming autumn harvest foods. They include sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic. Give importance to more warming spices including ginger, mustard seeds, and peppercorns.

In winter turn to even more warming foods. All the animal foods fall into the warming list including fish, chicken, lamb, and beef. Rootveggies such as carrots, squash, potatoes, onion, and garlic fall under this category.So, plan your diet according to the seasons and enjoy maximum nutritional benefits.

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