This is why you must consume seasonal fruits regularly
Fruits make for an extremely healthy eating option as they are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. According to dietician Ambica Dandona, a diet rich in fruits can “can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar, which can help keep appetite in check”.
“Eating fruits like apples, pears, and green leafy vegetables may even promote weight loss. Fruits are also rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which are needed for a healthy life,” Dr Prem Narayan Vaish, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Max Super Specialty Hospital, Dehradun added.
While it is suggested to consume an array of colourful fruits, having seasonal fruits is recommended nutrition experts for reasons more than one. Recently, Dandona took to Instagram to share a few such benefits of including seasonal fruits in your diet.
Take a look
High nutritional value
According to the nutrition, seasonal fruits and vegetables, which naturally ripen in the sun, are fresher, taste better and have the highest amount of nutrition, antioxidants and phytonutrients. “Whereas, produce loses nutritional value the longer it is stored or sits while being transported,” she said.
Cheaper
Apart from their varied health benefits, seasonal fruits are also cheaper as farmers harvest an abundance of produce due to the crop being in season. She explained, “When the produce is locally sourced because it’s in season in your area, then travelling expenses and storage are not required, there, reducing the production costs that are then passed onto the consumer.”
Environment-friendly
Consuming seasonal fruits is also beneficial for the environment as it “reduces the demand for out-of-season produce which further supports more local produce and supports local farming in your area which means less transportation, less refrigeration, less hot houses, and less irradiation of produce.”
Agreeing, Suparna Mukherjee, Senior Dietician, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Narayana Health City, Bangalore said, “Seasonal fruits support the body’s natural needs. For example, in winter we get more fruits, including healthy soup carrots, and we can consume soups. Similarly, vitamin C-rich citrus fruits are very important as they help in preventing us from cold. Yellow fruits, common in summer, help beat the heat — like mango and more watery fruits help quench thirst. Seasonal fruits are also environmentally friendly, locally grown, and less expensive. Apart from all this, fruits are fresh, inexpensive, healthy and tasty.”
Seasonal fruits in India, according to Dr Priyanka Rohatgi, Chief Clinical Dietician, Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore, are heavily reliant on the perfect climate, temperature, and terrain, and as a result, many of these fruits get exported and we miss using them for our own benefit. “These seasonal fruits will provide you with plenty of nutrition to keep your body healthy and functioning well,” she said.
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