What once was white, let’s now turn green! After the harsh and long winters, we inevitably get excited for the season change. Spring brings warmer air, budding trees, longer days, and of course, a new harvest! So, what fruit and vegetables can we see coming into spring harvest? Below, we list 5 of our favorite foods that are more plentiful in spring and their nutritional factors:
Arugula
Arugula is rich in nutrients and low in sugar, calories, carbohydrates, and fat. It’s high in several vital nutrients including: Vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant that supports immune function, cell growth, overall eye health, and night vision. It also helps maintain heart, lung and kidney function.
Like most tender greens, arugula is perishable and needs to be used within a few days of purchase. Our tip is to look for crips leaves with no moisture
Mushrooms
Feeling sick? Eat a mushroom. Throughout history, civilizations have treasured mushrooms as a source of strength and healing. The average American eats nearly three pounds of mushrooms a year, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. Mushrooms contain health-boosting vitamins and minerals, along with protein and fiber. For example, one cup of cremini mushrooms has only 15 calories, but 2 grams of protein and nearly 1 gram of fiber.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb has more benefits than being in a pie (though we can all agree it might be the best way to have it). Rhubarb is rich in antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins (which give it its red color) and proanthocyanidins. These antioxidants have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties, which help protect you from many health-related issues such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes
Sprouts
These tiny morsels provide BIG nutrition. Sprouts are rich in a number of important nutrients. While the specific ratio of nutrients varies depending on the type of sprout, they generally contain high levels of folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin K. In fact, they have higher amounts of these nutrients than fully-grown versions of the same plants.
Turnips
Ahh, the turnip, the potatoes’ cousin. Turnips are a fantastic alternative for potatoes and are a good source of vitamin B6, folate, calcium, potassium, and copper. A very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, and manganese. The turnip greens are a super food and packed with nutrients.
