These Are the Seasonal Vegetables You Should Include in Your Spring Diet

Eating the foods that nature offers us in every season of the year has great benefits for both our health and the planet.

International Mother Earth Day is celebrated on 22 April to remind society of the importance of caring for and respecting our planet, and to emphasise the interdependent relationship between all living beings and the environment. The most sustainable and healthy way to join this cause and minimise our ecological footprint is to opt for a diet based on seasonal and, whenever possible, local food. In this way, we ensure that its flavour, freshness, and nutritional value remain intact, we avoid the pollution caused by the transportation of goods, and we reduce the energy consumption involved in cold storage.

During each season of the year, the body has certain needs, and nature provides us with the most appropriate nutrients to meet them. During the cold months, we spend little time outdoors, lead a more sedentary lifestyle and consume dense, heavy foods that help us to warm up and combat the low temperatures. This causes the body to accumulate excess fats and toxins, which can lead to fatigue, headaches, digestive problems, low mood and a generally weakened immune system. All these factors cause our vital energy to stagnate, preventing our organs from working at their optimum level.

However, with the arrival of spring, the hours of sunshine gradually increase, and the body begins to activate. To attune ourselves to the cycles of nature, we must adapt our diet to the changes brought about by the new season and start preparing for the summer heat. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, spring represents rebirth and renewal and is associated with childhood, the stage of life when we grow most rapidly and have the most energy at our disposal. It is therefore the perfect time to include in our diet foods that help the body’s natural purification mechanisms to eliminate the toxins and fats accumulated over the winter months. It is therefore not surprising that the liver is the dominant organ of this season and strengthening it now will determine the physical, mental, and emotional health we will have for the rest of the year.

Spring vegetables such as celery, artichokes, onions, asparagus, spinach, lettuce, radishes, turnips, broccoli, kale, chard, garlic, and leeks speed up the body’s cleansing processes, improve digestion, strengthen the immune system, increase energy, improve concentration and memory, and promote both rest and weight loss.

To find out more about SHA’s Advanced Detox Programme, Click here