The fall diet is not strictly a weight loss diet. However, it relies on eating seasonal produce, often sourced from local crops. This ensures that vegetables and fruits are always fresh, and we support our own economy in the process. Although we can buy most of them in summer, there are products that are worth eating in autumn as well. Learn how to boost immunity with a seasonal diet based on the principles of a nutritionist from Foodarea Diet Clinic.
Table of Contents:
- Why eat seasonally?
- Fruits and vegetables lose value during transport
- How to boost immunity in autumn?
- I support local crops
- Is the seasonal diet cheaper?
- Seasonal vegetables and fruits can be ordered online!
- Buying seasonal products I care about the environment
- A nutritionist advises what to look for when choosing products?
- What is worth eating in autumn?
- Diet for autumn
- Autumn vegetables and fruits
- One-day menu with 5 dishes for autumn
- Healthy eating
Why eat seasonally?
By choosing seasonal fruits and vegetables, we are first and foremost assured that they are always fresh. Those imported, often from the farthest corners of the world, have to travel a long way before they reach our stores. The process of harvesting and then packing itself takes several days. On top of that, there is travel. Sometimes it’s by air, which will take 2-3 days, and sometimes it’s by container ship, where they arrive still unripe and the process takes place in a closed box rather than in natural conditions on a tree or bush. It is also important to remember that in order for them to travel this far, they need preservatives that affect our health. That’s why it’s a good idea to follow an autumn diet.
Fruits and vegetables lose value during transport
In addition, they lose many valuable properties during transportation. The vitamins they contain oxidize over time. Besides, by picking them when they are still unripe they lose their flavor. When you buy tomatoes in the summer, for example, you can already smell their intense aroma from afar and know that they will taste just as good. In the autumn, they are brought from much warmer countries, such as the United States. Spain. Therefore, apart from their appearance, they have little in common with the tomato.
How to boost immunity in autumn?
We also asked an expert about why you should eat seasonally: “In autumn, as at any time of the year, avoid highly processed foods and avoid monotony. Let’s take care to diversify our diet, because that’s how we prevent nutritional deficiencies, which are responsible, for example, for the decline in immunity. I believe that our autumn diet should mainly consist of seasonal products, because if we eat seasonally we get the maximum nutritional value. Imported, long-haul produce will not be as rich in vitamins as those that are harvested and eaten seasonally.” – he says MA. Małgorzata Różanska, dietitian at Foodarea Poradnia Dietetyczna.
I support local crops
Choosing seasonal products first and foremost supports the local economy. Then we are sure that they are not only fresh and full of valuable ingredients, but most importantly we know where they come from. In such a situation, it is often possible to approach the farmer directly and arrange for the permanent purchase of certain products. Many of them also offer products that don’t make it to the big markets. The autumn diet can be really diverse.
Helping neighboring farms and crops is not just about actively supporting the local economy. In the long run, it is to support the national economy. Buying products from a Polish farmer or entrepreneur keeps the money in our circulation and we do not enrich foreign markets.
Is the seasonal diet cheaper?
Buying products according to the seasonal calendar can significantly save money. Fruits and vegetables that are currently in season are much cheaper than when you have to import them from warmer regions: South America or Egypt. You’ve probably more than once bought strawberries in the middle of winter. Aside from the fact that they looked beautiful, like from instagram photos, they were nothing like the strawberry you know and cost five times as much. That’s why it’s worth listening to the rhythm Nature sets for us and eating seasonally. The fall diet is much cheaper and healthier.
To preserve the flavor of seasonal fruits and vegetables, it’s also worth thinking about…. freezing! Buy more strawberries, prepare them properly, cut them up and put them in the freezer. If the next time you get the urge for a strawberry cocktail in the middle of October, you can safely use them.
Seasonal vegetables and fruits can be ordered online!
More and more farms are keeping up with the times and introducing in their offerings the ability to shop online . You choose how big you want the basket full of fresh fruits and vegetables to be, and they will deliver it right to your door. Not only do you not have to leave the house, but in addition you are assured that everything will be fresh, almost picked from the bush. Local small businesses care about the customer by providing the highest quality products as they compete with giant corporations and chain stores.
Autumn diet – buying seasonal products I care about the environment
You probably don’t fully realize it, but by buying seasonal produce from a farmer you know, you’re fighting global warming. How is this possible? They do not have to travel long distances by plane or ship, and thus carbon emissions are reduced.
I’m sure you’ve also noticed that many products in stores are packaged in special film, such as peppers or cucumbers. This film is designed to extend the shelf life of these products as they sit on the shelf in the store for up to a dozen days. If you buy the same products locally there is no need to use unnecessary plastic for packaging.
A nutritionist advises what to look for when choosing products?
When choosing seasonal products, it is worth paying attention to whether they are actually locally grown. This may seem absurd, but still many stores choose to import them even from the farthest corners. This situation occurs mainly in large supermarkets, where very large quantities of fruits and vegetables are ordered.
What is worth eating in autumn?
Autumn diet, what to eat then? We asked an expert about it, MA. Małgorzata Różanska, nutritionist at Foodarea Poradnia Dietetyczna. “The basis of the diet at any time of the year should be vegetables and fruits. In autumn it is worth betting on seasonal products, of which there is an abundance: pumpkins, carrots are all rich in beta carotene. Beta-carotene is also contained in spinach and kale. They are also rich in lutein and zeaxanthin that protect our organ of vision from disease. Kale in particular is worth including in your diet, as it is rich in sulfur compounds called glucosinolates. During mechanical grinding of food, such as chopping and chewing, glucosinolates are converted into isothiocyanates, which include sulforaphane-the most potent of the anticancer compounds. In early autumn we still have delicious tomatoes – a wealth of anti-cancer lycopene. Later in autumn, it’s a good idea to use tomato preserves – purees, juices and even concentrates. Seasonal autumn fruits include raspberries, plums, apples, pears, blackberries and cranberries. The end of summer and the beginning of autumn is also the time of sea buckthorn, which is rich in antioxidants and phytosterols. It can be eaten raw and later in autumn you can stock up on sea buckthorn juice. Sea buckthorn fruits are great for various preserves like jams, marmalades and jam, as well as pressing oil from them. Autumn is also the season of nuts and seeds – sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids that counteract heart disease, for example.”
Diet for autumn
The undisputed queen of the autumn table is pumpkin. Autumn diet cannot do without it! There are many variations of it. Contrary to appearances, they do not differ only in appearance and shape. Each of them can be used for something completely different. It is also worth using pumpkin seeds, which contain vitamins C and E and support the immune system. The most popular of these is the common pumpkin, which is most often used for… making Halloween decorations! However, in addition to this, it is also ideal for making delicious soups and sauces. Another very well-known and most commonly available in stores is the Japanese Hokkaido pumpkin. The small-sized pumpkin can be cooked without peeling the skin. It is sweet in taste, which makes it ideal for making cakes. Also worth mentioning is the musk pumpkin, which resembles a pear in shape. Inside it, there is practically no flesh to be scooped out. It will be perfect as a stew, puree or jam.
Autumn vegetables and fruits
Another popular vegetable to eat in autumn is beets. It is a valuable source of iron and folic acid, so it is often recommended in the diet of pregnant women. Beets can be used to make a delicious sourdough starter to help boost immunity during the winter season or a vegan brownie.
A vegetable that is also widely used is zucchini. It can be eaten in many ways: grilled, fried or braised. The editors of GentleWoman POLAND especially recommend its addition to sandwiches with fresh French baguette, hummus and sun-dried tomatoes.
You should also reach for root vegetables such as carrots, which are a rich source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B6. It has a great deal of fiber and can also be safely eaten raw as a snack between meals. This is especially recommended for those on a diet instead of unhealthy chips or salty sticks.
However, an autumn diet does not mean only vegetables. Since pumpkin is the queen of vegetables, apples undoubtedly reign supreme among fruits. It is a valuable source of vitamin A and C, as well as fiber. You can use them both to make apple pie, muffins, pancakes, as well as roast duck or liver.
If we have apples, there must also be pears. As one of the few fruits in the world, they are a valuable source of many vitamins and minerals, including iodine or boron.
Plums and quince should also not be missing from the autumn diet. They are ideal for making jams, sauces and even a warming tincture.
One-day menu with 5 dishes for autumn
The editors of GentleWoman POLAND decided to prepare a one-day menu (about 1800 kcal) based on seasonal products available in autumn. You may be able to inspire and surprise your household members with it. Following the seasonality calendar will help you plan your meals more easily and get the best from them. The autumn diet can be really varied, and it is worth using a different vegetable or fruit to prepare each dish.
WEDNESDAY
Oat omelet with prunes (380 kcal)
Source: https://blog.bebio.pl/dietetyka/nie-przegap-sezonu-na-sliwki/
SECOND BREAKFAST
Salad with pear, cranberries, walnuts and goat cheese (215 kcal)
Source: https://www.everyday-delicious.pl/salatka-z-gruszka-zurawina-orzechami-wloskimi-i-kozim-serem/
LUNCH
Pasta with pumpkin, zucchini, feta and prunes (495 kcal)
Source: https://praktykulinarni.com/makaron-dynia-cukinia-feta-i-suszonymi-sliwkami/
SUNDAY
Apple pie with vanilla ice cream (450 kcal)
Source: https://aniagotuje.pl/przepis/szarlotka
COLLEGE
Cream of roasted beet soup (211 kcal)
Source: https://www.odzywiajsiezdrowo.pl/zupa-krem-z-pieczonych-burakow/
Healthy eating
The fall diet is actually a lifestyle that requires little preparation or sacrifice. In composing a daily menu, it is enough to be guided by what is currently available. We can buy this off the shelf and at a much lower price than at least imported fruit. Therefore, the next time you are shopping, pay attention to what the earth is currently offering you. If you take care of her, she will return the favor.