Eating in harmony with the seasons means you are devouring fruit and vegetables when they're at their most nutritious. It simply means choosing to make your food from fruit and vegetables that are in harvest. Ever notice the abundance of mangoes, berries and stonefruit in summer, compared to oranges and mandarins in winter?
So, what is in season for winter?
Fruit such as apples, kiwifruit and pears are in harvest in the cooler months, as well as citrus fruits. So using lemon and lime in cooking is great, and snacking on oranges and mandarins means you'll get plenty of vitamin C. Perhaps it's no coincidence this cold-combating vitamin flourishes when the virus hits.
Make the most of root vegetables during winter - vegies such as kumera and potato - as well as pumpkin. Swap salads and wraps for flavoursome roasts and lovely warm soups. Beans, broccoli, cabbage, leafy greens (such as bok choy) and beetroot are all in season. As a general rule, go for produce with good colour - it indicates there are a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Nutrition Australia recommends eating extra vegetables and fruit during winter to boost your body's defences against nasty colds and flu. It says upping your intake will give your body more vitamins and aid your body's absorption of iron and zinc, which you'll need to fight off any infection.
Eating in season means more flavour, more nutrients, more vitamins and a healthier you.
