Similar results have been produced
when comparing seasonally picked
versus out-of-season spinach and
endive, with naturally produced
pigments indicating crops should
be picked when in season to ensure
maximum nutrient content,
including levels of antioxidants
and phytochemicals.
“Fresh, seasonal food hasn’t
been stored for long periods and
therefore generally contains a higher
amount of nutrients, particularly
antioxidants, which can decrease with
time spent in cold storage,” says Skye
Swaney, a dietitian at Shift Nutrition
(shiftnutrition.com.au).
“Seasonal produce tends to also
taste better, which encourages us to
eat more of it.”
That said, Swaney notes that many
frozen fruits and vegetables are snap
frozen immediately after picking, so
they’re generally just as nutritious as
fresh varieties.GET CREATIVE
Combining seasonal foods to create
whole meals as much as possible
is a terrific way to allow seasonal
nutrition to support your physiology,
according to Harasym. She
encourages her clients to have fun and
get creative with seasonal wholefoods
for an optimally nourishing and
enjoyable summer diet.
“A delicious, seasonal lunch might
be a fresh salad, mixed with arugula
leaves, dandelion greens, and lettuce,
sliced apricots and strawberries,” says
Harasym. “Top this with green peas,
dressed in a refreshing tahini, lime,
honey and ginger dressing, eaten
with your choice of a lean, organic
protein.”The following is a list of some of the wholefood
goodness that is now in season, and some of the ways
these offerings are nutritionally loaded to prime your
body for another stunning Aussie summer.FRUITS
Apricots, berries,
melons, nectarines,
peaches, plums,
strawberriesThese tasty summer fruits are hydrating, packed with antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory compounds such as quercetin and rutin,
as well as collagen-boosting vitamin C, to protect our skin from
sun damage and the inflammatory effects of excessive heat.
They are also naturally cooling and provide quickly absorbed
energy to fuel increased outdoor physical activity, in the form of
natural sugars. These sugars contain low GI levels and a steady
metabolism is supported by high amounts of fibre.
VEGETABLES
Asian vegetables,
celery, cucumbers,
lettuce,
mushrooms, okra,
parsley, zucchini,
radish, rhubarbBoasting high levels of water content to help quench thirst,
these summer vegetables are loaded with antioxidants such as
vitamin C and beta-carotene, and other antioxidant compounds
such as apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol, to combat oxidative
stress from outdoor activity, sun exposure and higher body
temperatures. They also induce detoxification enzymes,
stimulate the immune and digestive systems through high
amounts of fibre, regulate metabolism through an abundance of
B vitamins and effectively reduce inflammation.
Beans, beetroot,
cabbage, eggplantThis group of summer vegies are hailed for their ability to
detoxify the digestive tract with ample amounts of fibre, and for
their high levels of antioxidants that neutralise the free radicals
produced when playing in the summer sunshine. Collagen-
boosting vitamin C once again helps to keep our skin and tissue
structures formed and firm, while electrolyte minerals such as
potassium and magnesium help to keep the body hydrated.
Red capsicum,
tomatoesThese bright red beauties are loaded with high concentrations of
lycopene, an antioxidant that can combat the age-accelerating
effects of free radicals from sun exposure – with the ability
to devour more than 10 times more oxygenated free radicals
than vitamin E – and are known to protect against a variety of
cancers, including skin cancer in summertime.SUMMER-LOVING NUTRITION
SUMMER’S
BEST PICKS
“Seasonal produce
tends to also taste
better, which
encourages us to
eat more of it.”56 | AUSTRALIAN NATURAL HEALTH naturalhealthmag.com.au