Why the Beetroot is Our In Season Produce Focus
Beets are having something of a moment. Named one of the top restaurant trends of 2015, the brightly colored root vegetable is a nutrient powerhouse, full of minerals and vitamins with a sweet, earthy flavor too. Moreover, beets are low in calories with zero cholesterol and a small amount of fat. However, the root is high in sugar and carbohydrates, so while you can consume the greens on top of the root in unlimited quantities, you should only have the root a few times a week.
Beets are best from early spring to late fall. Bringing them into your diet now can start a healthy habit to last you through a few seasons.
Why Eat Beets?
The beet root and its leafy greens are rich in potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron, beta-carotene, folic acid and vitamins A, B and C. Specifically, the root is the source of all forms of B vitamins as well as the potassium, magnesium, iron and manganese. The top greens offer carotenoid and flavonoid antioxidants and vitamins C and A. The greens also provide more iron than spinach. Betaine, a nutrient made from the B-complex vitamin choline, is also a notable nutrient in beets.
The health benefits of this number of nutrients are many. In addition to the well-documented perks of a nutrient-rich diet, beets offer in particular the following benefits.
- The mineral silica helps the body utilize calcium, which boosts bone strength and helps prevent osteoporosis.
- Folic acid helps new cell growth in pregnant women.
- Betalain supports the body’s natural detox process.
- Betalain can reduce cancer risk.
- Tryptophan and betalain help relax the mind and provide a sense of well-being.
- Betaine can help support emotional health.
- Betaine stimulates function of liver cells, protecting the liver from disease.
- Betaine fights inflammation.
- Carotenoid and flavonoid antioxidants can limit the harm of bad cholesterol.
- Potassium in diet can reduce risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Potassium and nitrate lower blood pressure.
- Nitrates can help muscles work more efficiently, increasing energy and stamina.
All About the Betalains
Betalains are phytonutrients found in plants that give beets their red color. They have also been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support. Studies have also associated betalains with reducing cancer risk and lessening tumor cell growth. Betalains are highly concentrated in the peel and flesh of the beet, however, beets do undergo a steady loss of nutritional value with heat, so to get the most betalain benefit, beets should be steamed for no more than 15 minutes, if at all.
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KALE, COLLARDS, MUSTARD, AND TURNIP GREENS
The cool temperatures of spring keep bitter greens tender and sweet. April, May, and June are also prime season for baby versions of these leafy greens. Check out our individual guides to collard greens and kale for more tips and tricks.
Why is it good to buy produce in season? ›
Seasonal produce is higher quality. Fruits and vegetables are fresher and higher quality when they're in season. They also tend to have richer flavor. Fruits and vegetables that are grown out of season are modified with chemicals and may lose some of their nutritional benefits.
What is the diet that follows the seasons? ›
Seasonal eating encourages you to focus on in-season fruits and vegetables. This lifestyle can include eating certain fish or meat during specific parts of the year, but the focus of the diet is on fruits and vegetables because their growth depends on season-specific weather.
What produce grows best in spring? ›
If timed carefully, the vegetable gardener can reap the rewards of frost-tolerant spring vegetables—peas, broccoli, kale, arugula, cabbage, spinach, carrots, radishes, scallions, cilantro, and lettuce, to name a few—before even thinking about planting heat-loving crops like tomatoes or peppers.
What food do we eat in spring season? ›
Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables: Spring is the season of fresh produce! Stock up on colorful fruits and vegetables like strawberries, mangoes, kiwis, oranges, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and leafy greens. They are not only nutritious but also taste delicious.
What is a spring vegetable? ›
As we emerge from the gloomy frost of winter, it's the perfect season to incorporate some of the tender green vegetables that are just starting to be harvested. Spring is when asparagus, peas, and foraged veg with short availability like ramps and fiddlehead ferns, start showing up at local grocery stores.
What is produce season? ›
Hotspots for Produce Season
California sees its peak from May to August, overlapping with the table grape season, which runs from May to January, and the beginning of the wine grape harvest from late summer through the winter months.
Is seasonal produce healthier? ›
Food that's in season tastes better—and it's healthier.
Food that's harvested at its peak season will inevitably be fresher and tastier. Also, crops harvested in season have gotten more sun, which means more antioxidants.
What is the best season for diet? ›
Summer is the season of fresh, juicy fruits and veggies, which are rich in water and dietary fiber. These nutrients help keep you satiated, while also providing a range of health benefits. You can make a fun activity out of picking your own fruit at a U-pick farm, which can also burn some extra calories.
What are the 3 F's of diet? ›
Adjusting food, fluid and fitness to achieve your goals
You control energy balance through the food and fluid you consume (energy intake) and physical activity that you do (energy expenditure). I refer to these as the '3F's' — food, fluid and fitness — the levers for managing body composition.
Firmness, sweetness, starch content, dry matter content and acidity are typical quality aspects that are measured to determine if a fruit crop has the optimal maturity to be harvested.
What fruit is in season in May and June? ›
Cherries, which are tasty and nutritious, start to emerge in May and are at their peak from June to August. But May also brings sweet, delicious fruits like apricots and pineapples. Plus, rhubarb and strawberries are still in season.
What foods come out in spring? ›
2. Vegetables. Brussel's sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, chicory, purple-sprouted broccoli, artichoke, leek, pak choi, parsnip, pepper, swede, sweet potato and turnip are at their best this time of year, though they start to drop offseason come April.
