THE BENEFITS OF SEASONAL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

All fruits are good for you and each brings a particular benefit because of their nutritional richness. And some fruits are ideal for athletes. Our resident expert Karina gives us the benefit of her advice so that we can stay in tip top form.

Nature offers us everything we need at the right time, respect the rhythm of nature! A variety of different fruits and vegetables are widely available every month which provides our bodies with the vitamins and nutrients it needs depending on the changing seasons.

In winter, when it’s cold and we lack sunlight, our bodies need more nutrients. Our immune system needs to be boosted to keep us warm, fight fatigue, ENT infections and depression. It’s a season when the body needs vegetables rich in minerals, such as magnesium, beta-carotene and vitamin C that are found mainly in colourful fresh fruits and vegetables: mandarins, oranges, sharon fruit, grapefruit, lemons, carrots…

In summer, with the heat, our body uses fewer calories but needs to be better hydrated: melons, watermelons, tomatoes … all are full of water for optimal hydration. Even better: peppers, apricots and peaches (ultra-concentrated carotenoids) prepare the skin for tanning, while courgettes (rich in lutein and zeaxanthin) protect the eyes, attacked by UV rays.

Seasonal fruits and vegetables naturally have more flavour because they have been left to mature in the sun and in natural conditions, far from greenhouses and hangars where products out of season are pumped full of pesticides necessary to make them mature without sunshine. Moreover, to protect themselves from the sun’s rays, plants that have adapted to their natural climatic conditions develop natural defences, producing antioxidants to defend themselves, without the help of pesticides and other chemicals. Anti-oxidants have an essential role to play in our bodies, protecting cells from day-today aggressions. By consuming seasonal vegetables, these antioxidants boost our immunity to the maximum, prevent the appearance of certain diseases and help to slow down the aging process.

Local, seasonal products, of course, require less transport and no import duty, which is reflected in their prices. They are cheaper but, in addition, you’re supporting and promoting your local economy!

So, don’t delay, hop on your bike and ride to your local market to investigate and test this month’s crop of fruits and vegetables: grapes, apples, pears, plums … salads, leeks, cabbages, pumpkins … get out of your rut, eat a varied and flavourful diet.