Summertime Fun - Seasonal Eating for Optimal Health by Nutritionist Nikki Burnett
Nikki Burnett, MS CNTP MNT is a Functional Nutritionist and founder of Taste Life Nutrition. Nikki works with ambitious professionals to help them overcome hidden barriers to health and success. Challenges such as pain, brain fog, low energy, anxiety, and stubborn chronic conditions frequently have their roots in unhealthy foods, lifestyle factors, and unknown inflammatory conditions.
Functional Nutrition is based on the science of functional medicine - find the root cause through functional lab testing, history, and lifestyle then create and individualized program that brings balance to the body, so it can repair. Nikki is trained, in part, by The Institute for Functional Medicine. Throughout her career, she has been in the veterinary, nutrition, and medical fields in various capacities.
Nikki is a speaker, writer, and educator. She is the host of Taste Life Nutrition Radio, streaming live on KUHSDenver.com and host of Taste Life Nutrition Podcast. Nikki also co-hosts Real, Raw Health with Matt Rowe of Parsley Pet, a weekly Facebook Live about canine health and nutrition, as well as Functional Friday, a monthly Facebook Live with her Functional Health Coach, Gabrielle Grandell.
Editor’s Note: This article is for information purposes only. Please check with your medical provider before beginning any treatment.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ESTHER LEE LEACH
Nikki Burnett
Seasonal eating refers to purchasing and consuming produce within the season that it is naturally harvested in, so that it’s at its absolute peak in terms of flavor and nutritional value. When we eat seasonally by choice, we’re also able to tap into all the best that our local area has to offer, while helping the environment and our wallets!
Nature has always provided us with what we need. For example, summer stone fruits like peaches and apricots provide us with extra beta-carotene that helps protect us from sun damage. They also provide more readily accessible carbohydrates for activities that we typically do outside.
Produce that’s picked at the peak of its natural harvest is almost always higher in antioxidants, vitamins, and phytonutrients such as carotenoids and polyphenols. In contrast, when you buy produce that’s out of season, it often travels hundreds of miles which means fruits and veggies are picked BEFORE they’re ripe, decreasing nutrient density. Produce that is chosen may be selected for durability at the expense of health and flavor.
Have you noticed that the prices of certain fruits and veggies rise and fall throughout the year? The cost-saving aspects of eating locally grown foods come down to a matter of supply and demand. Buying local food supports the local economy. In addition, buying locally grown produce creates more community connection—instead of working through long chains of distribution, buyers meet the people growing the food, which helps to build a more vibrant community and provides healthy and safe foods for all families.
When fruits and vegetables are forced to grow outside their natural seasons, farmers use chemicals and other unnatural methods to ensure that out-of-season harvests meet the cosmetic standards that we expect to see from the produce in our grocery stores. Large markets and grocers may buy out of season produce that’s been gassed, treated with radiation, or preserved in wax to extend the shelf life and save money.
On that note, who came up with the idea that imperfect looking food is less healthy? My favorite new food “fad” is the grocery delivery service that offers food that doesn't make it to the grocery store because it doesn’t look pretty. Two companies on a mission to provide seasonal food with less waste have made their way to Colorado: Imperfect Foods and Misfits Market. Personally, I’m still learning what each one has to offer so I’ve signed up for both and rotate weeks for delivery.
If you want to buy organic, save time, and contribute to your local economy, also consider joining a Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA). A CSA is an investment you make in a local farm or collection of regional farms that are paid in bulk before harvesting. Your seasonal or annual payment acts as a “share,” and throughout harvest, you receive weekly boxes of fresh fruits and veggies. Follow this link to find your nearest CSA: https://www.localharvest.org/csa/
Even though vegetables are one of the most important things for us to consume, not all veggies play well with everyone. Know your body, and if you’re having trouble with certain foods, find someone who can help you understand why.
For example, there is a portion of the population who have a hard time digesting nightshades. Nightshades include eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes. They contain an anti-nutrient called solanine that is beneficial to some, while others are sensitive, causing symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, and dizziness.
I would be remiss if I didn’t include a note about conventional farming methods. With our monocrop farming and reliance on pesticides and herbicides, we have damaged our once fertile soil, which has coincided with the significant rise of chronic disease. Buying organic not only helps your body, but it allows our earth to continue to provide the nutrients necessary to sustain life—all life. Moving toward regenerative agriculture is a huge step in growing healthy food that provides exceptional nutrient density, while keeping our farmers and earth healthy as well.
Every dollar you spend is a vote for how the world operates. As a food buyer, the produce you choose to buy plays a role in how your local grocery store chooses to purchase, sell, and operate their business—choose wisely!
Remember, food is a language that gives our body direction. Clean, nutrient dense food gives clear direction which allows us to live optimally and thrive during this amazing journey on this earth. Food is life - Taste Life!
Nikki Burnett: @tastelifenutrition // info@tastelifenutrition