Winters are here and despite global warming, the temperatures are dropping. The nature has its way to deal with both the change in the environment and human body. Seasonal foods provided in bounty are a way to keep the body fit in every season. What are seasonal foods? The foods that are grown fresh in the fields or farms during the current fresh season are known as seasonal food. For example, in summers peaches, plums, avocados, apples are available while in winters, you can relish on beans, potatoes, cabbage, snow peas, cauliflower and zucchinis.
Seasonal foods in or out
It is matter of great debate to seek the relevancy of seasonal foods to the health. Not withstanding what are the results, some of the age-old beliefs stand true to the test of the time. This includes different eating food habits for different seasons such as spring, summer, autumn and winter. Since all the seasons have their associated characteristics which makes the special such as temperature and humidity.
Why warm food in winters?
Winters perhaps, have the lowest temperature and high humidity in the air. One could safeguard against the declining temperature by wearing good quality of warm clothes. It is however, suggested that warm foods are good for intake. You still have to talk, breathe and see through sense organs which cannot be protected by any other means. Warm foods such as root vegetables which are also fresh produce of the market are very popular. Carrots, spinach, sweet potato, fenugreek leaves, garlic, turnips, ginger and nuts such as peanut, almonds, kishmish are some of the most popular winter seasonal foods.
The benefits of warm food
The good thing is that most of the warm foods are fresh produce that puts them in the category of seasonal foods. They are not required to be imported from another place and their nutritional value is high. The produce is less expensive. It is more beneficial if they are organic in nature. Most of the food departmental stores are now specifically dealing with wide variety of organic foods. Organic seasonal foods are produced without the use of fertilizers using some of the best framing techniques and natural methods to improve soil nutrient level. This prevents adulteration of food cycle which does not only comprise of humans but also plants and animals. The seasonal food is rich in all sources of nutrients. You could find rich sources of Vitamin A in carrot, Iron in spinach, mustard leaves and fenugreek leaves, dietary fibre in turnip, Vitamin C in oranges, potassium in radishes. This makes a balanced diet. Our body is constantly rejuvenating while we can easily insulate it from the outside cold temperature with help of various mineral rich and flavonoids-based winter foods.
Therapeutic reasons for seasonal food
Many of the diseases such as cold, sore throat, scurvy (a type of skin disease) can be checked with proper intake of Vitamin C with use of orange as mid-day treat and eating methi (fenugreek leaves ) is good for people having high cholesterol as well as helps the diabetic person to check one's insulin levels. Milk and milk products based dishes are good for people with bone diseases.
These winter seasonal foods can be enjoyed in many ways such as soups, salads, appetizers, main course menus, desserts, hot beverages and snacks. Relish on the hot steaming sweet potatoes or drink kanji made up of red carrots in the coming cool winters with benefits of good health.
I am an avid blogger and IT tech news critic. Self-employed as web designer works with open source technologies such as PHP, Java, MySQL to build up websites using Dreamweaver as platform. In spare time, I like to write about the topics of my interest which includes food, lifestyle, recreation and tech. Weekends are spend creating something meaningful and beautiful craft and life is fun.
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