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
Lean Meat and Fish:
Chicken
Duck (moderation)
Eggs (moderation)
Freshwater fish
Lamb (moderation)
Ocean fish (moderation)
Turkey
Nuts and Seeds:
Filberts
Pinons
Pumpkin
Sunflower
Whole Grains:
Amaranth
Barley
Buckwheat
Corn
Millet
Oats, dry
Quinoa
Rice, Brown, long grain
Rye
Herbal Teas:
Alfalfa
*Cardamom
*Chicory
*Cinnamon
*Cloves
*Dandelion
*Ginger
*Hibiscus
*Orange Peel
*Strawberry Leaf
Beverages:
Black Tea (moderation)
Coffee (moderation)
Water (room temp. to hot)
Herbal Teas
Seasonal Foods Per Region:
It is even easier to eat with the season when you know which foods grow in your geographic region at any given time of year. Here are your Spring foods by region in the United States.
Northeast Region:
Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Cherries, Fava beans, Fiddleheads, Garlic, Kale, Lettuce, Mushrooms (morel, button, etc.), Nettles, Parsley, Parsnip, Peas, Radish, Ramps, Rhubarb, Spinach, Strawberries.
Midwest Region:
Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Carrot, Chard, Fava beans, Garlic, Lettuce, Mushrooms (morel, button, etc.), Parsley, Parsnip, Pea greens, Pepper (bell, etc.), Radish, Rhubarb, Spinach.
Southeast Region:
Asparagus, Beets, Blueberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chard, Collard greens, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapefruit, Green beans, Fennel, Lettuce, Mango, Mushrooms (morel, wild, etc.), Nettles, Okra, Orange, Peach, Pea greens, Pepper, Plum, Pumpkin, Radish, Spinach, Squash, Sweet potato, Tomatillo, Tomato, Strawberries.
Southwest Region:
Apricot, Arugula, Asparagus, Avocado, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collard greens, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Fig, Garlic, Grapefruit, Green beans, Kale, Leek, Lemon, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Nectarine, Onion, Orange, Peach, Peas (pods, snap, etc.), Potato, Radish, Spinach, Squash, Strawberries, Tomato, Turnip, Zucchini.
West Region:
Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Avocados, Bok choy, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Garlic, Lemon, Lettuce, Lime, Mushrooms (morel, etc.), Mustard greens, Nettles, Peas, Potato, Radish, Rhubarb, Spinach, Strawberries, Sweet potato, Watercress.
**Remember: The Best Time for a Detox is Spring!
It’s time to support the liver in doing some spring cleaning. Check out the blog posts: Is Your Body Carrying A Toxic Burden? and Do-It-Yourself Detox With Therapeutic Foods. If you would like more support with your detox, give us a call for a personalized plan or check out the 14 or 21 Day Detox Program Kits we offer at Purely Rooted Nutrition and Wellness. Let us know that you purchased a full Detox Program Kit through our store, and we will send you a Detox Support Food Guide and Recipes for FREE!
Purchase your Detox Program Kit Here: Ehealth Pro - EHealthPro
References:
The Institute for Functional Medicine. (2017). Eating Locally, Seasonally, and Sustainably. Retrieved April 07, 2021, from https://www.ifm.org/
The Institute for Functional Medicine. (2017). Seasonal Foods by U.S. Region. Retrieved April 07, 2021, from https://www.ifm.org/
Doulliard, J. (2021, April 02). April 3-season Ayurvedic DIET Guide: JOHN DOUILLARD'S LIFESPA. Retrieved April 07, 2021, from https://lifespa.com/3seasondietguide/april-seasonal-guide/