There are some proven benefits to eating seasonall, but should you be eating seasonally on keto? Eating seasonally simply means you eat foods that are grown naturally during that time of year for the climate in which you live. So, eating grapes in December is not eating seasonally in Canada. It’s also not keto-friendly, but we will get into that later.
Why do people try to eat seasonally? Foods that are grown locally offer more nutrients. They are fresher, tastier, and have more health benefits. They also tend to be cheaper as you don’t have to include shipping into the cost at the grocery store. It’s better for the environment, as you aren’t burning fossil fuels to get them to you. And you support your local farmers – one of the best benefits of all. Foods that come from far away tend to have chemicals sprayed on them to keep them looking edible for a longer period of time. So, foods that are from nearby don’t use as many chemicals that you ingest. Perhaps the most important to me personally is that there is no chance of encountering exotic critters in your food, like tropical spiders. Ugh. That’s never happened to me, but the stories make me shiver.
Eating Seasonally on Keto & Your Body’s Need for Change
Many people who eat seasonally also list your body’s need to change your diet with seasons. I would need to do more research on this. It doesn’t really make sense to me that my body needs different foods at different times of the year. How does that work with people who live in climates that are relatively the same all year round? Does it change with the person? Does it change over generations? I’m open to the idea that your body needs a variety of nutrients. I’m just not sure how the time of year would relate to that.
This never used to be a conversation. 100 years ago, people ate what was available. Grapes and star fruit were not available to us in the northern climate of Canada. There was no way to get the “exotic” produce from the climates that were warm year-round to us in the snow and ice before they went bad. We ate seasonally because we had no choices. But now, there are all the options at your local grocery store. Produce comes from places like Mexico, Florida and California. Greenhouses are popping up locally and offering us more variety all year round. We can eat what we want, when we want it. But is that healthy?
Seasonal Eating in Canada
Some people consider eating seasonally an important part of their diet. So, can you do it with keto? You can indeed. The Food Network has a great article that lists foods that are available in each month in Canada. Simply go through, and pick out the non-starchy options. Winter was the season I thought would be the hardest, but it turns out many of the vegetables we eat on keto are available during the winter as they survive well in colder temperatures. Kale, brussel sprouts, radishes and garlic are all winter vegetables. In the spring, you get to add vegetables such as asparagus, spinach, cauliflower and broccoli. Summer offers berries, peppers, tomatoes and zucchini. Fall has more lettuce options and salad greens. And then there are a few, like mushrooms and cucumbers, that are available all year-round.
Personally, I don’t worry about eating seasonally. I enjoy what I enjoy and I don’t want to limit my options because of the time of year. I struggle in winter anyway – do not take away my favourites. I do try to buy locally when at all possible, because I want to support our local farmers. However, if I want zucchini noodles, I’m buying zucchinis. It’s nice to know that eating seasonally is an option for those on keto who feel it is important. Keto is all about feeling energized and being aware and happy with what you are putting in your body. If you want to eat seasonally, go for it. There’s no reason why you can’t!
Wendy
