Spring can be a good time to add variety to your meals. What is seasonal depends on where you live, and frozen or canned options can be useful too. Foods do not need to reset or cleanse your immune or digestive system to be worth eating.
The five foods below offer different flavours and nutrients. Broccoli, leeks and watercress can fit a spring menu; olive oil and sardines are year-round additions rather than uniquely seasonal foods. No single food is essential or a cure-all.
- Purple sprouting broccoli – a colourful vegetable that can provide fibre and a range of vitamins and minerals. Enjoy it steamed, roasted or in a mixed meal rather than ranking it as automatically better than asparagus.
- Leeks – garlic, onion and leeks belong to the allium family. Leeks work well in soups, stews and other dishes. They can contribute to a varied diet, but they do not define the Mediterranean diet or guarantee protection from illness.
- Watercress – a leafy vegetable that adds a peppery flavour to salads and sandwiches. It contributes nutrients, but comparisons with milk need equivalent portions and should not be used to imply that a handful replaces a dairy food or fortified alternative.
- Extra virgin olive oil – a source of unsaturated fat that can be used in dressings and cooking. Use an amount that suits the meal; it is one part of an overall eating pattern rather than a stand-alone heart-disease treatment.
- Sardines – oily fish that provide protein and omega-3 fats. Choose a preparation you enjoy and consider salt content in canned or seasoned versions. Other suitable foods can meet these nutritional needs if you do not eat fish.
So, these are the top 5 healthy spring foods you can enjoy with your family.
Sources and further reading
The editorial corrections draw on the following public-health guidance.