Seasonal health boost from fruit and veg!
Oct 13 2008 by Madeleine Brindley, Western Mail
EATING seasonal fruits and vegetables could help to boost people’s immune systems, experts have claimed.
The nutritional claims for seasonal produce come amid a growing campaign for people to eat locally grown fruits and vegetables in season.
The campaign has been gathering support amid concerns for the environment and the perceived need to reduce food miles.
But nutritionists believe that eating food in season could help our health.
Independent nutritionist, Dr Carrie Ruxton: “Your diet is essential in building up a strong, healthy immune system. Take advantage of the vast array of seasonal and nutritious produce to set you up for the winter months ahead.
“Seasonal fruit and vegetables are grown in optimum conditions, inevitably making them tastier, more nutritious and of a higher quality.
“Eating seasonal produce can be highly beneficial in boosting your immune system, setting you up for the colder months.”
Seasonal vegetables available in October include pumpkin and squash, kale and beetroot. British apples and pears are also plentiful at this time of the year.
Dr Ruxton said: “Seasonal fruit and vegetables are a brilliant on-the-run snack because they’re high in essential nutrients, which help keep you feeling energised.
“Eating seasonal fruit and vegetables can provide you with a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.
“A perfect example is beta-carotene, found in carrots, which is an anti-oxidant that may lower the risk of developing diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
“Eating in-season fruits and vegetables helps to maximise intake of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, and this cocktail of goodness can help prevent chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and hypertension.
“Experts agree that a diet rich in seasonal produce, pulses and wholegrain foods reduces the risk of developing these diseases.
“Food that ripens on the plant naturally tends to contain more nutrients and has a better taste. Eating seasonal produce means you’re eating perfectly ripe fruit and vegetables that are at their very best, nutrition-wise.”
The Soil Association, which promotes organic and seasonal eating, claims that buying local produce which is in season helps consumers to reconnect with local producers and the land.
It said that locally sourced seasonal food is good for both local communities and their economy and the environment as it reduces the need for road and air travel, cutting down on pollution and waste.
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is also championing seasonal food and has said that British restaurants should be fined if they serve fruit and vegetables which are not in season.
He believes that fruit and vegetables should be locally-sourced and only on menus when in season, in a bid to cut carbon emissions and improve standards of cooking.
The F Word chef said: “Fruit and veg should be seasonal. Chefs should be fined if they haven’t got ingredients in season on their menu.
“I don’t want to see asparagus on in the middle of December. I don’t want to see strawberries from Kenya in the middle of March. I want to see it home grown.”
Ramsay, whose London restaurants include Petrus, The Savoy Grill and Maze, added that Britain had become a nation of lazy eaters, following trends and fads, rather than substance.
He also said chefs became “lazy” and making out-of-season produce illegal would raise “levels of inspiration”.
“There should be stringent laws, licensing laws, to make sure produce is only used in season,” he added.
For more information on seasonal produce visit www.iminseason.com