Celebrate spring with farm-fresh foods that usher in the season. They’re low in calories, have fresh flavor and are the perfect way to energize for warmer weather. Enjoying vegetables and fruits during their peak season has many benefits.
Seasonal produce:
- Has more nutrients because it often doesn’t have to be transported as far (produce begins losing nutrients as soon as it’s harvested).
- Is better for the environment because it travels shorter distances to reach you and often is sprayed with fewer pesticides.
- Supports local businesses and farmers because you can find locally grown seasonal produce at farmers markets, CSAs, and even your grocery store.
- Naturally adds variety to your diet by adjusting your grocery list seasonally.
- Locally grown, fresh produce tastes better when it’s grown in its ideal season.
- Saves you money because you’re eating produce at its peak availability.
Some of the Most Nutrient-Rich and Healthiest Spring Veggies
Asparagus — Long Shoots with Paintbrush-Looking Tops.
Asparagus is the quintessential spring vegetable, high in iron, folate and vitamins K and A. In fact, May is National Asparagus Month! Quick to cook and easy to pair with flavorful ingredients, asparagus can be a tasty side dish or the starring ingredient in a risotto or pasta main course. Asparagus is also great for digestive health, because it’s a pre-biotic, meaning it feeds the helpful bacteria that live in your gut. These good bacteria are responsible for everything from signaling your immune system and keeping digestion in check to producing vital B vitamins. When shopping for asparagus, look for spears that are free of blemishes and dry spots, and tips that are closed and firm. Use asparagus promptly — it can spoil quickly.
Artichokes — A Unique, Elegant Vegetable with A Smooth, Buttery Flavor
Artichokes aren’t as common in our homes as say, bananas and apples, so this spring could be a great time to get to know this unique food. They’re a species of thistle that is part of the sunflower family. Artichokes are among the vegetables richest in antioxidants, and one artichoke also offers 3.5 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber, which are great for satiety (a fancy word for filling you up) — as well as cardiovascular and digestive health. Artichokes are also a good source of vitamin K, folate, magnesium, and vitamin C. They contain an antioxidant called luteolin, which inhibits cholesterol formation and helps to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol. When selecting whole artichokes, look for ones with tightly packed leaves. There are two edible parts to artichokes: the fleshy hearts and the bottoms of the leaves. Look for firm, brightly colored artichokes, and store them in the fridge for up to five days.
Broccoli — A Cruciferous Veggie with Impressive Health Benefits
Broccoli looks like a small happy tree. And its reputation as a remarkably healthful food is well deserved. It’s packed with fiber and antioxidants. Just one cup chopped has as much vitamin C as an orange, meeting your minimum daily needs. Broccoli is also a great source of vitamin A, which is good for your eyes, skin, and immune system. Broccoli contains a compound that turns into the antioxidant sulforaphane, which might have applications in blood sugar, heart health, and preventing chronic disease. It also contains the anti-inflammatory compound kaempferol, which has powerful preventive properties when it comes to type 2 diabetes and heart disease. There’s also a lot of evidence in support of eating cruciferous veggies, including broccoli, for cancer prevention. Broccoli is good raw, steamed, roasted, or added to soups and casseroles. Look for firm, bright green broccoli. Yellowing indicates an older bunch. When you get it home, you may want to keep it in an open bag in your fridge for up to a week. Avoid washing it until just before using. You can also cut broccoli into florets, blanch it, and store in the freezer.
Carrots — A Crunchy Root Vegetable That Is Versatile and Nutritious
Carrots are rich in carotenoid pigments that both give them their color and provide many health-giving benefits. Did you know that most carrots were purple until the 17th century? They’re still available in a variety of colors. Though the ones we’re most familiar with today are, of course, bright orange. One large carrot contains 240% of your daily vitamin A needs, in the form of beta-carotene. They’re also full of fiber and antioxidants that can help stave off diseases, such as beta-carotene and lutein for your vision and lycopene for your heart. Diets rich in carotene have been linked to a reduced risk for prostate, breast, stomach, and colon cancers. Remove the greens and store the carrots in a bowl of water in the refrigerator to keep them crisp. You can also keep baby carrots this way.
Radishes — A Crisp Vegetable with a Peppery Taste
The size of golf balls, radishes are a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, along with their distant cousins, kale and broccoli. They have a spicy flavor that you may have strong feelings about. Radishes provide almost one-third of your daily vitamin C needs per cup. They also supply some other important nutrients, including folate, fiber, B vitamins, and potassium. Radishes contain isothiocyanates, which have been studied for cancer prevention. Radishes also boast an antifungal protein called RsAPF2, which has been studied for its applications in treating Candida albicans. Radishes are best known for being sliced thinly on a salad, or perhaps grated in a veggie sandwich. If you love red radishes in the springtime, you may enjoy white daikon radishes in the winter (a different looking variety that is native to Asia). Store radishes in their whole form in a water bath in your refrigerator for a few days. Alternatively, you can cut the tops off and store them (unwashed) in the fridge, in a sealed bag with a wet paper towel for up to one to two weeks.
Peas — Bright Green Seeds with a Sweet, Earthy Flavor
You’ve probably seen protein powders, plant milks, and burgers with peas as a main ingredient. Although these products typically use dried yellow peas, fresh green peas are also an excellent source of protein with almost nine grams per cup. Peas are high in vitamins A, C, K, B6, folate, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. Green peas are good for your digestion, too, supplying nine grams of fiber per cup. They also contain compounds called saponins, which may have cancer-fighting properties. Green peas have a mild taste and are both starchy and sweet. They can be eaten right off the plant. Or enjoy them in stir-fries, noodles, and salads. It’s best to eat peas as soon as possible after purchasing (or picking from your own garden!). Their sugar will start turning to starch after harvesting, reducing their sweetness. Keep peas refrigerated in a plastic bag with holes, ideally in the crisper drawer to retain moisture.
Arugula — A Leafy Green That Packs a Nutritional Punch
Arugula is livening up salad mixes everywhere. Sometimes described as “peppery,” arugula is part of the Brassicaceae family, just like radishes, kale, and cauliflower. When young, its leaves are light green and have a mild flavor, while the darker leaves are a bit older and have more pungency. Arugula supplies 14% of your daily recommended minimum for vitamin K, 5% of your vitamin A, and 5% total of your calcium, manganese, and folate — all in just one-half cup. Arugula is delicious raw, but it can also be cooked and eaten wilted, or used as a pizza topping. It’s an amazing alternative to basil when making pesto. Store arugula in a plastic bag with wet paper towels, ideally in the crisper drawer. They keep their best flavor for 3-6 days.
Mustard Greens — A Spicy Food That Is Rich in Nutrients
Mustard greens are the leaves of the mustard plant. These nutritional powerhouses originated in the Himalayas over 5,000 years ago. Mustard greens are high in compounds called glucosinolates, which have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. They also contain a lot of important vitamins and minerals. In just one cup of cooked mustard greens, you’ll find over 500% of your recommended daily vitamin K, as well as 175% of your vitamin A and 60% of your vitamin C. You’ll also find 3 grams of fiber, 25% of your daily folate, 20% of your manganese, and nearly 10% of your potassium and calcium requirements. Research shows that cooked mustard greens (especially steamed) bind bile acid in your body, having a cholesterol-lowering effect that could be beneficial for heart health. Mustard greens are often used in salads, soups, and stir-fries and are common ingredients in Southern, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and African cooking. Store mustard greens in the crisper drawer of your fridge or freeze them in baggies. Don’t wash them until ready to use.
Swiss Chard — A Colorful and Quick-Cooking Green
If you want a rainbow in the spring, look no further than Swiss chard. It’s often sold in bundles with various colored stalks, like yellow, red, and purple. Swiss chard is part of the goosefoot family (other goosefoot vegetables include spinach and beets). Swiss chard has an impressive nutritional profile. One cup provides over three times the minimum recommended daily amount for vitamin K. It’s also naturally high in nitrates, which have heart benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, improving circulation, and increasing endurance by improving oxygen usage. Antioxidants in Swiss chard, including polyphenols, beta-carotene, and vitamins C and E, help protect your cells from damage that can lead to chronic disease. Swiss chard is delicious wilted in a hot skillet, added to boiling pasta, or cooked in bean soups. Swiss chard does best when stored in the crisper drawer in a plastic bag with as little air inside as possible. Don’t wash until ready to use. The greens can stay in the refrigerator for up to five days, or much longer when blanched and frozen.
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