Eating Your Way to Spring
By Sara Butler
Spring is a time for renewal -- and it’s a time when a bunch of foods you’ve been missing all winter come into season! Eating seasonally is a good idea for your wallet and your bank account. Fresh foods that are in season tend to cost less and be at their nutritional peak, so go ahead and add a few of these foods to your spring shopping list.
Arugula
Leafy greens such as arugula, red leaf lettuce, and romaine are coming into season in the spring. They’re a great source of Vitamin K, Vitamin A, and folate -- not to mention fiber and water. They can also help to reduce inflammation in your body.
You can eat these greens raw with a drizzle of olive oil. Or you can toss them together with a few other veggies, seeds, nuts, and some balsamic vinegar for a bright salad on a warm spring day.
Beets
Just beet it! Beets are great for your circulatory system. They can help lower your blood pressure and boost your stamina because they are a great source of a phytonutrient called betalains.
Don’t worry, if you’re having flashbacks to the pickled beets your grandmother made you eat; beets can definitely be prepared in a more delicious way. You can add them to a smoothie or roast them, or shave some beets to add to your salad raw. Give them another go and you’ll probably be surprised!
Peas
Even though you can technically find peas all year long, peas actually have a pretty short growing season. Fresh peas contain a bunch of minerals and vitamins, such as Vitamin K and Vitamin C. They also are a great source of protein, manganese, and phosphorus. Peas are just good for you when they’re at their best in the spring.
Sugar snap peas make a great snack since they can be eaten raw. You can also add them to salads, noodles, smoothies -- just about anything.
Just about anything growing in your area will make a good choice to benefit your health. It really just depends on where you’re at in the world. So don’t be shy, head to your local farmer’s market and see what’s fresh. Use these months to take advantage of all that spring has to offer. And make that something you do every season for the freshest product you can find!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Durham, N.C.