The 14 Carrots Guide To Seasonal Eating: Fall Edition
A seasonal approach is one of the pillars of the 14 Carrots ethos as the benefits can go way beyond fresh, local produce—if you’re lucky enough to have access to it. Getting in tune with the environment around you can actually help you connect with your own personal and internal seasons and cycles.
Fall has started to cool off the evenings here in Vancouver, B.C., and our local farmer’s markets are starting to get stocked with fresh local produce like Delicata squash, pumpkin, apples, swiss chard, rutabagas, beets, and more. You’ll notice some changing colours across the website to mark each season on the Northern Hemisphere. This will also be reflected in the stories shared here on The Side Dish, as well as the personal approach created for each client—no matter the hemisphere you’re in. Eating seasonally has a ton of benefits from a nutrition standpoint—and I’m a big believer that using this approach holistically is the easiest way to tap into the idea of seasons and cycles in your own personal life. Sometimes life just doesn’t call for a salad every single damn day for lunch, you know? What does your body really need from you at that moment in time to feel truly nourished?
5 Benefits Of Seasonal Eating
Vegetables last longer in the crisper. Ultimately, the idea of seasonal eating is to consume fresh, local produce at the time of year it’s naturally being harvested. Because those greens haven’t had a very long life of the in-between from harvest to your hands, they’re going to stay fresher, longer. This, I find, is particularly handy when plans inevitably change and you delay that veggie stir fry.
Nutrient loss is reduced. The longer produce sits around, the more likely it is to have some chemical changes that can result in a loss of nutritional value. By eating seasonally, you’re truly getting the most out of your food.
Nature knows best and provides nutrients our bodies need. Leaning into what’s seasonal in your area can be a great way to get the types of foods your body craves most during that time of year. That way we’re fuelling our energy in a way that protects our health in the specific climate and keeps us in balance. Think cleansing greens in the springtime, juicy fruits in the summer.
Your diet will ultimately include variety. One of the largest studies on gut health in recent years provided one key to supporting a balanced microbiome: get 30+ different plants into your diet every single week. Simply by adjusting to what’s in season locally and new at your local farmer’s market can help get you there.
It’s good for the economy and the earth. Supporting local agriculture, especially the small organic and biodynamic farms in your area, is a great way to spend mindfully. Plus, greenhouse gas emissions will naturally be lower for food that has less distance to travel to your plate.
So what about the other impacts of a seasonal approach?
A perspective shift can naturally happen when you start thinking about your food according to the seasons. Eating seasonally can keep us tuned into the Earth, its elements, and the cycles of nature. You’ll start searching for the seasonal produce calendar for your area, get grounded in your environment’s natural cycles. This can help you tune into nature—even from the 12th story on a big city block. And snowball from there because, stay with me: we are nature. We’re not separate from it! Our lives have natural seasons to them that ebb and flow—and benefit from an adjustment in how you’re nourishing yourself with food, sleep, rest, movement, and more. For those with a menstrual cycle, those rhythms and needs get even more focused throughout the month.
Eating seasonally can be the first step into using food as a support system for the season and rhythms of your life—and appreciating the reasons why you need something a little different today than you did two weeks or five years ago.
How To Eat With The Seasons
Here’s a simplified guide to seasonal eating with a few key tips on how to approach persistent fatigue a little differently with each one.
Spring
Rejuvenation is the name of the game during the springtime harvest. It’s the time of year where cleansing, chlorophyll-rich greens are plentiful and we’re thinking about clearing out the clutter of our lives. From dandelion greens to fresh herbs, it’s the perfect time to refresh your diet with a high volume of vitamins and minerals after winter’s heavier foods. Citrus fruits are also in season for many climates this time of year and these foods can support our liver in its natural detoxification process. Sprouted seeds and beans are also a nutritious addition to meals this time of year where nature is sprouting and beginning to bloom.
It’s probably the toughest transition of the year, however, as it always take a little too long for days to warm up. Plus, with daylight savings time it can be a bit of a harsh adjustment from hibernation to invigorating sunlight. Take it easy at the beginning of the season. Jumping into a 10-day cleanse or something similar can shock your system in a way that may result in more fatigue, not less. Slowly adjust your diet as the season changes and keep warming foods on hand for the days that continue to bring a chill.
Summer
A time of growth and activity in nature, we’re often more active than ever in the summertime as things heat up. Bring in more raw foods and salads and all those juicy and water fruits to support cooling your body during the summer. It’s a natural time for us to lighten things up at our meals, but be sure to continue eating adequate amounts of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats to support the extra energy expenditure for days at the park, on the patio, and travelling.
Staying hydrated is particularly important during this time of year as we’ll naturally be a little sweaty in the summer heat, even if we don’t realize it. Fatigue is one of the cardinal signs of dehydration, so to support feeling energetic for all those activities aim to have 2-3L of water each day (you can get some of this from water-rich foods!), and don’t forget your electrolytes. Consuming adequate sodium (not too much!), chloride, potassium, magnesium, and calcium is important for fluid balance.
Fall
The official harvest season is another major transition for the environment and for our bodies. Fall, or autumn, is generally a time of bountiful harvest when the types of foods naturally available overlap with juicy tomatoes and peaches colliding with hearty squash and root vegetables. (And pumpkin spice season just gets earlier and earlier each year.) This allows for a nice, organic adjustment as we naturally begin to eat more foods that require cooking and are a little heartier. Soups are a perfect option for this transition as they can be a perfect blend of everything on offer in the fall—and are easier on our digestion as we start to welcome more concentrated foods back into our diet.
Consider making lunch your heartiest meal of the day during the fall. We naturally get back into some rhythms of our life at this time, so making a habit of having a full and balanced lunch can make or break those late afternoon energy slumps. Plus, you’ll have more time throughout the day to naturally digest and utilize all those hearty nutrients.
Winter
As the days get cooler, and darker, in the winter we naturally crave rich, warming foods. It’s one way our body shows us that we need a bit more fuel to generate the energy required to stay warm. As we become more indoorsy, and often more sedentary, it’s a time of natural rest and hibernation. If we can lean into that vibe and really honour the fact that we might need additional rest and recuperation for a few months, it can make the transition back into spring even more meaningful and energizing. Slow-braising and slow-cooker stews are great when we need to move a little slower for a while.
Try to avoid hijacking your energy with the sweets and treats that appear on our shelves during the holiday season—eat them with and after all those rich, nourishing and savoury winter meals. This can help soften the spike in glucose and reduce the sugar crash afterwards.