Monthly dining tips curated by the Vizer team to help you live, eat and shop healthfully.
One of the most actionable ways to promote community-wide health is adopting a seasonal eating routine.
Although a buzzy-word, the concept of eating locally grown, recently harvested produce dates back through all of human agricultural history. Before you could shop for all of your ingredients at a local grocery store 365 days a year, societies relied on what food was environmentally available to meet nutritional needs.
Not only is eating what's in season shown to increase the nutrient density of your diet, but it also supports local food systems and ecological farming practices!
A good example of local food sourcing at work is the relationship between local farmers and charitable food distributors. Through food system partnerships, Food Banks across the country are able to source surplus nutrient-dense produce for populations in need.
This farm-to-table distribution approach increases the health profile of the foods served, while also minimizing the need for long-distance transport.
Check out our recommendations for your June shopping list!
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a fruit that is more commonly eaten as vegetable in many dishes. It is also 95% water and 5% of carbohydrates and fiber.
According to Healthline, 1 Raw Tomato contains:
Calories: 18
Water: 95%
Protein: 0.9 grams
Carbs: 3.9 grams
Sugar: 2.6 grams
Fiber: 1.2 grams
Fat: 0.2 grams
Tomatoes are a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K1, Potassium, and Vitamin B9. They are filled with nutrients and adds flavors to many food plates.
Recipes with tomatoes:
Summer Squash
Summer squash is a vegetable that is harvested when immature and contain many health benefits.
Squash Nutrients according to Healthline:
Vitamins A
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C
Folate
Magnesium
Fiber
Potassium
Summer squash can be found in many recipes and is jam-packed with nutrients to fulfill your daily nutritional value.
Blueberries
Blueberries are a popular berry that is used in many desserts and as a perfect breakfast topping. They are filled with antioxidants and nutrients while being low calorie.
Antioxidants can protect your body from health issues like cancer and blueberries are proved to have one of the highest levels of antioxidants.
Blueberry Recipes:
Corn
Corn is a vegetable that is grown in Mexico. It is used in many food recipes and is made into corn tortillas.
100 grams of boiled yellow corn contains:
Calories: 96
Water: 73%
Protein: 3.4 grams
Carbs: 21 grams
Sugar: 4.5 grams
Fiber: 2.4 grams
Fat: 1.5 grams
Corn promotes good eye health and prevents diverticular disease.
Peaches
Peaches are small, fuzzy, and tangy fruit. The state of Georgia is famous for growing peaches and they're known for having many nutrients.
It can be improve digestion, smooth out skin, and relieve allergies. It aids bad digestion with all the fiber it contains.
Other benefits:
Can prevent cancer
May improve heart health
May protect your skin
May reduce allergy symptoms
Try this perfect recipe for a summer day!
Basil
Basil is a fresh herb seasoning for many food dishes and can be used in hot tea. It contains Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Calcium and Iron.
There are many types of basil leaves such as: sweet basil, bush basil, Thai basil, cinnamon basil, and lettuce basil.
Basil is most used in pesto recipes as well as complementing other seasonings.
Here's a recipe to try!
Follow along monthly for updated seasonal eating tips and recipe suggestions. If you make your own recipes from these suggestions, tag #vizerexplore and @vizerapp on social so we can share your creations!