Spring Fruits And Vegetables: The Best Of Seasonal Produce That Pack In Nutritional Benefits

Spring is a favorite season for many. The winter is on its exit, and plants start budding again. The season is all about fresh growth. With green grass and the chirping of the birds, spring is a time to celebrate. Colorful vegetables and fruits start appearing in the farms and gardens.

Not only is it a sight to behold, but these vegetables and fruits are also delicious and laden with nutrients that are beneficial for your body and mind. What are the fruits and veggies that you can add to your platter this season, and what are all those benefits you get from the seasonal produce? The following points discuss all these in detail.

Asparagus

Asparagus can be green, white, and purple too. The green ones are the most common variety. The white ones are grown in a place so that sunlight doesn’t have any access to have. Lack of sunlight means no chlorophyll. Though the purple variety looks good, they turn green after cooking. Asparagus is a fantastic source of vitamin A, different varieties of vitamin B, and vitamin C.

It is also laden with antioxidants. In addition to that, you get 2 grams of dietary fiber for a half cup of asparagus. Asparagus also helps in fighting cancer. You can have asparagus either roasted or steamed. You can add it to orzo salad or have it in a scramble at breakfast. Asparagus can be kept fresh for quite a long period by just rimming the ends.

Broccoli

Broccoli has a huge reputation as a healthy food. It offers optimum amounts of antioxidants and fiber. One cup of chopped broccoli contains an equal amount of vitamin C that’s packed in an orange. That’s enough to fulfill your daily requirement of vitamin C. Broccoli is also rich in vitamin A, which is beneficial for your skin, eyes, and the entire immune system.

Besides these, broccoli also contains kaempferol, an anti-inflammatory compound that helps prevent heart disease and type II diabetes. The cruciferous vegetable supports cancer prevention too. Broccoli can easily count as a superfood.

Carrots

Carotenoid pigments available in carrots are highly beneficial for human health. By consuming a large carrot in a day, you get almost 240% of your daily vitamin A requirement. They are rich in fiber. The antioxidants, beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene present in carrots can ward off diseases and improve your vision and heart condition.
Foods that are rich in carotene help you in breast and stomach reduction. Besides that, it also reduces prostate, and colon cancer risk. Place the carrots in a jar or a bowl of water and store them in the fridge. This will keep them crisp.

Radishes

The peppery flavor in radishes makes them one of the most delicious and healthy foods you can have for different reasons. You get one-third of your daily requirement of vitamin C from a cup of radish. They are laden with vitamin B, potassium, fiber, and folate. Radishes also offer isothiocyanates which can have a major role to play in preventing cancer.

RsAPF2, present in this cruciferous vegetable, helps in the treatment of Candida albicans. You can add thinly sliced radishes to a salad or grate them in a vegetable sandwich. Cut the greens and store the radishes in a fridge.

Strawberries

Strawberries are one of those first fruits which start to ripen with the arrival of the spring season. It was once enjoyed only by the royal people. You get 149% of your daily need for vitamin C from a cup of sliced strawberries. Twenty-five anthocyanins are present in strawberries. These anthocyanins improve heart health. Laden with antioxidants, these juicy red fruits can keep the diseases at bay.

Research suggests that strawberries contain more antioxidants than a majority of other fruits and veggies. And it has the potential to keep blood sugar under control during meals. This is because they contain polyphenol. Ellagic acid in strawberries helps in the prevention of cancer.

Other veggies and fruits available during spring are beets, jackfruit, spinach, turnips, limes, pineapple, mango, etc. Try to adjust your diet with the spring season this year, And since it’s supposed to be the appropriate time to add more color, taste, and nutrition to your platter.