Eating with the Seasons: Spring Time
Updated: May 13, 2021
Eating locally, seasonally, and sustainably is extremely beneficial to the body and mind. We have to remember that we ARE nature and the further we move from that natural flow, the more we open ourselves up to illness. If you cannot or do not have your own garden, then try to eat locally by finding farmers’ markets, Co-Ops (Food Cooperatives) and CSAs (Community-Supported Agriculture) so you can consume foods that are fresh and grown in your city, state, or region.
Eating seasonally means eating the foods that naturally grow within a certain time frame. Nature is smart – it gives your body what it needs when it’s needed. By eating locally and seasonally, you are eating sustainably which minimalizes the impact of your food choices on the environment.
Eating locally and seasonally grown foods gives you the best diversity of phytonutrients, which are vital for cellular health and the prevention of chronic disease. The less time the food takes to travel to you, the fresher it will be, the more vitamins and nutrients it will retain, and the more vitality it will offer.
When you eat food that’s in season, you’ll notice that it’s much more flavorful than out-of-season foods. It is more vibrant, and therefore transfers that healthy energy to you! Produce consumed out of season is usually picked before it’s ripe in order to survive the trip to your local grocery store from wherever in the world it was grown. Some out-of-season foods are also frozen before ripening, and thawed at the grocery store as they are needed in later months.
By shopping at your local farmers’ market or food co-op, joining a CSA, or buying directly from local farms, you are also putting more of your money back into the hands of the people in your community who are growing your food for you.
How To Eat For Spring:
From March through June, we want to eat more foods that are Pungent (Spicy), Bitter, Astringent and Light like chilies, garlic, onions, ginger, brussel sprouts, dandelion greens, broccoli and cranberries. We want to eat less foods that are Sweet, Sour, Salty, Heavy, Cold, and Oily like fried foods, ice cream, heavy dairy, breads. Choose Organic and non-GMO whenever possible.
Here is your Spring Grocery List (March – June) - * = Spring Superfood.
Vegetables:
*Alfalfa Sprouts
Artichokes
*Asparagus
*Bean Sprouts
Beets
*Bell Peppers
*Bitter Melon
Broccoli
*Brussels Sprouts
*Cabbage
*Carrots
*Cauliflower
*Celery
*Chicory
*Chilies, dried
Cilantro
*Collard Greens
*Corn
*Dandelion
*Endive
Fennel
*Garlic
Ginger
*Green Beans
*Hot Peppers
Jicama
*Kale
Leeks
*Lettuce
*Mushrooms
*Mustard Greens
*Onions
*Parsley
*Peas
*Potatoes, baked
*Radishes
Seaweed
Snow Peas
*Spinach
*Swiss Chard
*Turnips
Watercress
Fruits: Eat fruit separately from other foods.
Apples
Blueberries
*Dried Fruit (all)
Grapefruit
Lemons, Limes
Papayas
Pears
Pomegranates (sour)
Raspberries
Strawberries
All Berries
Dairy: Favor raw or vat pasteurized.
Ghee (moderation)
Yogurt (moderation)
Rice milk
*Goat milk
Oils:
Flax
Hemp
Coconut Oil
Sweeteners: Favor natural whole foods sweeteners, in moderation:
*Honey - Raw
Maple Syrup
Molasses
Spices:
Anise
Basil
Bay Leaf
*Black Pepper
Chamomile
Caraway
Cardamom
*Cayenne
Cinnamon
*Clove
Coriander
Cumin
Dill
Fennel
Fenugreek
Garlic
Ginger
Horseradish
Marjoram
Mustard
Nutmeg
Oregano
Peppermint
Poppy Seeds
Rosemary
Saffron
Sage
Spearmint
Thyme
Turmeric
Condiments:
Carob
Pickles
Mustard
All Sprouted Beans: *All Sprouted Beans
Adzuki
Black
Gram
Garbanzo
Fava
*Kidney
*Lentils
*Lima
*Mung
Split Pea