KAWARTHA LAKES-Spring is finally here and I couldn’t be more thrilled for the farmer’s market to start!
I am a huge fan of fresh, local food to keep my household healthy and to stay connected with the community. Plus it’s fun to see what local produce and artisan goods are available each year. Eating seasonally is ideal because it keeps us in tune with our bodies’ natural rhythms. After a long winter of hearty root vegetables, our bodies are craving something fresher and lighter.
I’ve compiled a list of my favourite spring vegetables and their nutrition benefits. Why not try something new this week!
1.) Asapargus:
Asparagus is fully in season between April to May and is readily available for you to take home and enjoy. This delicious vegetable is abundant in fibre, Vitamin C, A, K, Folate, and Beta Carotene and can be enjoyed steamed, as a soup, or roasted with olive oil and garlic. Add some asparagus to your diet and reap the potential benefits of better digestion, lower blood pressure and weight loss.
2.) Radishes
This pungent and spicy food is fast growing and starts coming up this time of year. It can be added to salads, sandwiches or just enjoyed raw with hummus. Radishes are rich in Vitamin C and potassium, but what’s more interesting is that by eating bitter and pungent foods, like radishes, you can balance out your digestive system. The Standard Amercian Diet contains so many sweet and salty foods, it is important to add different tastes like bitter, pungent, and astringent to your diet to improve digestion.
3.) Artichokes
Artichokes might seem a little intimidating to cook at first, but once you embrace it, they are delicious and have a really satisfying texture. Artichokes boast many health benefits including lowering blood sugar, improving liver health, and contain minerals like phosphorus, magnesium and potassium.
4.) Spring Greens
Spring greens are something I love to enjoy year-round, but, as their name suggests, they are best enjoyed fresh in the springtime! There are many spring greens but three of my favourites are arugula, dandelion and mustard greens. These greens add very interesting new flavours to salads and can be described as “spicy” or “nutty”. They also supply our body with high levels of phytonutrients, help to cleanse the blood, and are super low calories so you can enjoy them as often as you wish!
5.) Sprouts
Sprouts are super easy to grow at home and add a super tasty crunch to salads, sandwiches, and on top of anything, really!
I like to use brocolli sprouts, mung bean sprouts, and pea shoots as my salad toppers. Sprouts alkalize the body, and because they are a tiny micro green, they are a nutrition powerhouse! Some studies even suggest that sprouts can even fight against cancer cells!
Now that the days are longer and the sun in starting to shine, get out there and start your own little spring garden! Growing your own food is nutritious because you get to eat the freshest food possible, but it’s also really fun and connects you with nature and the outdoors.
If this isn’t accessible to you, head over to your local farmer’s market and see what kind of spring vegetables they have and get experimenting!
Becky Sheehey is a Holistic Health Coach, and a Pilates and Movement Expert with a background in Kinesiology. She lives in Lindsay.
