Introduction
Hello friend!
This post is all about eating in season during cancer treatment! As we have discussed previously in 8 Ways to Reduce Cancer Risk Part 1, consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is one of the top recommendations for reducing your cancer risk. Plants provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that all work to keep your body functioning at its best!
“Okay, eat more fruits and vegetables . . . But how do I actually do that? Which ones do I buy?”
Does this sound like you? It can be so easy to feel overwhelmed when facing the produce section of a grocery store. You may feel pressured to forgo conveniently canned or frozen goods; maybe you have been told to go organic to reduce your cancer risk. But is this really necessary? NOPE! However, when it comes to choosing fresh fruits and vegetables, looking for the seasonal items can be highly beneficial!
3 Reasons to eat Seasonally
More Affordable
Have you ever tried to buy fresh blueberries in the middle of winter? They cost far more! This all comes down to simple supply and demand. When your area has the ideal growing condition for something, they have a short trip from farm to shelf. Grocery stores fill up with these items and often even feature produce from local farms! As the supply goes up, the price goes down. Generally, items are their cheapest when they are in their peak season. On the flip-side, if they aren’t in season, grocery stores will need to ship the produce in from an area with more favorable growing conditions which means it will be more expensive!
Tastes better/More Nutritious
Remember those blueberries we talked about earlier? After paying an exorbitant price for your tiny box of berries, you are struck with the disappointment that they are seriously lacking in the flavor department. This is because when items are picked at peak ripeness, they have their highest level of nutrients and flavor, which gradually diminishes overtime as it sits in storage. For a cancer prevention lifestyle, it’s important that we get the most bang for our buck. A higher antioxidant level in our food can help our body neutralize harmful free radicals. Since seasonal produce is grown in ideal conditions and picked at peak ripeness, it tastes better and is better for you! The short trip it takes from the farm to your table means less nutrient losses and more flavor!
Better for the Environment
When you support locally grown produce, you are cutting down on your carbon footprint since it requires less shipping! Bonus points if you bring your own bag or hit up a farmers market to get the goods with minimal packaging!
How Do I Know What’s in Season?
As a general rule of thumb, local farmers markets exclusively specialize in seasonal produce! Unlike a grocery store that has pretty much everything since it can import goods from 1000s of miles away, local farmers can only sell what they grow in their area.
Another way to determine what’s in season is doing some research! The USDA Snap-Ed page has food lists that show you when certain plants are in-season. Make sure you also look for websites and sources that are specific to where you live since growing conditions can vary greatly depending on the region!
Next time you go shopping, keep an eye out for these summer produce items! It can be a fun opportunity to try more food outside of your comfort zone!
In-Season Produce for Summer
- Apples
- Apricots
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Beets
- Bell Peppers
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cherries
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Garlic
- Green Beans
- Herbs
- Honeydew Melon
- Lemons
- Lima Beans
- Limes
- Mangos
- Okra
- Peaches
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Summer Squash
- Tomatillos
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
- Zucchini
Seasonal Summer Pink Lemonade
Here’s a recipe that is a big go-to of mine. I will whip this up on a hot summer day when I have made the overly-ambitious mistake of purchasing an entire watermelon and then have to race against the clock to finish it before it passes its prime. You can enjoy this as a mocktail by adding some herbs or sparkling water!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice (or about a quarter of a lemon, peeled and seeds removed)
- 1 cup of watermelon, cubed
- 1 cup of strawberries, stems and leaves removed
- 1 tbsp of honey
- 1/2-1 cup of water
Directions:
- Add your ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth!
- Pour the drink through a strainer to remove the fiber.
- Add ice and enjoy!
**Notes: You can make this more of a smoothie by using frozen ingredients and skipping step 2 to keep all that beautiful fiber!**
Closing
Eating seasonally can be great for your wallet, body, taste-buds, and the environment! If seasonal eating is new to you, I challenge you to pick up one seasonal item the next time you go grocery shopping! And remember, at the end of the day, the best fruits and vegetables are the ones you will actually eat!
Want to learn more about eating well during treatment? Click here for my downloadable FREEBIE!
Navigating all the do’s and don’t around cancer and nutrition can be a headache. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through it alone. You can have the support of fellow survivors and a readily available cancer-nutrition expert in my Small Group Cancer Nutrition & Lifestyle Program. Inside, you get access to live zoom Q&As, interactive lectures, private chat support, weekly workouts, and more! In my program, you learn how to fit cancer prevention into your life, not the other way around. If you are ready to join a team with similar experiences and goals, then you would be a great fit for my program. It runs from July 26th-Sept 20th. Click here to join!
This blog is not intended as medical nutrition therapy, medical advice, or diagnosis and should in no way replace consultation or recommendations from your medical professional.
