Should You Eat Seasonally or Is Year-Round Fruit Fine?
Should You Eat Seasonally or Is Year-Round Fruit Fine?
TL;DR
Seasonal eating is ideal but not required. Eating local seasonal produce provides peak nutrients and supports natural rhythms. But year-round fruit (bananas, oranges) is better than no fruit. Modern availability is a gift, not a problem. Prioritize eliminating seed oils over worrying about seasonality. Eat fruit liberally regardless of season.
You're eating strawberries in January.
Bananas from Ecuador. Oranges from California. Avocados from Mexico.
Someone tells you this is wrong. "You should eat seasonally." "Tropical fruit isn't natural in winter."
Now you're confused. Is eating year-round fruit hurting you?
No. This is overthinking.
Seasonality is like wearing weather-appropriate clothes. Nice to have. Not life-or-death if you don't.
The Case for Seasonal Eating
Peak nutrients: Seasonal produce is fresher. Picked ripe. Less time in transit. More vitamins and minerals.
Natural rhythm: Humans evolved eating what grew locally in season. Spring greens. Summer berries. Fall squash. Winter storage crops. Your body might be adapted to these patterns.
Environmental: Local seasonal food has lower carbon footprint. Less shipping. Supports local farms.
Cost: Seasonal produce is cheaper. Abundant supply drives prices down.
Taste: In-season produce tastes better. Tomatoes in August vs. December. Huge difference.
These are all true. Seasonal eating has benefits.
The Case for Year-Round Eating
Modern agriculture is a gift. Your ancestors would be thrilled to eat oranges in winter. They had scurvy. You don't. Because of modern food systems.
Tropical fruit isn't "unnatural." Humans have always eaten tropical fruit if they lived in tropics. Now everyone can. That's good.
Carbohydrates support thyroid year-round. Your thyroid doesn't know it's winter. It needs glucose regardless of season. Fruit provides easily digestible carbs.
Nutrient availability matters more than seasonality. Better to eat a banana from Guatemala than no carbs because "it's not local."
The real problem is PUFAs, not fruit. Seed oils are in everything. They destroy metabolism. Bananas don't. Prioritize eliminating actual threats.
What About "Circannual Rhythm"
Some argue humans should eat more in summer (abundant food), less in winter (scarcity). This creates metabolic flexibility.
The theory:
- Summer: higher calories, more carbs, build fat stores
- Winter: lower calories, use fat stores, enter mild ketosis
Problems with this:
- Restriction suppresses thyroid
- Modern humans have chronic stress (need consistent fuel, not restriction)
- Most people are already metabolically broken (need to heal first)
- Historical scarcity was involuntary (not ideal, just survived)
Better approach: Eat consistently year-round. Provide steady fuel. Optimize metabolism. You're not preparing for famine. You live in abundance. Use it.
What Seasonal Eating Actually Looks Like
Spring:
- Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula)
- Asparagus
- Peas
- Strawberries (late spring)
- Eggs (chickens lay more in spring)
Summer:
- Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
- Stone fruit (peaches, plums, cherries, apricots)
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Zucchini
- Corn
- Melons
Fall:
- Apples
- Pears
- Grapes
- Squash
- Pumpkins
- Root vegetables (carrots, beets, turnips)
Winter:
- Citrus (oranges, grapefruits, lemons)
- Winter squash
- Root vegetables (storage crops)
- Cabbage family (kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage)
- Stored apples and pears
Year-round in modern grocery stores:
- Bananas (shipped from tropics)
- Avocados
- Grapes (from Chile when not in season locally)
- Berries (from Mexico or hothouses)
- Tomatoes (hothouses)
Nothing wrong with eating these year-round.
How to Incorporate Seasonality Without Stress
Buy local farmers market produce when available. Peak nutrients. Peak taste. Support local economy. But don't feel guilty buying bananas at the grocery store.
Eat what's abundant and cheap. Seasonal produce is on sale. Stock up. Eat a lot of it. Then move to next season's offerings.
Don't restrict based on season. If you want berries in December, eat them. Your metabolism needs consistent carbohydrate intake. Restriction for seasonality's sake is unnecessary.
Focus on whole fruits regardless of season. Seasonal or not, whole fruit beats packaged snacks. That's the priority.
Enjoy seasonal specialties. Fresh strawberries in June taste amazing. Enjoy them. But don't avoid strawberries in January if you want them.
What About Traditional Diets
Kitavans (tropical islanders): Ate tropical fruit year-round. Coconuts, bananas, breadfruit. Excellent health. Zero heart disease.
Inuit (Arctic): Ate almost no plant foods. All animal foods. Fish, seal, whale. Survived but had shorter lifespans than modern standards.
Mediterranean: Seasonal eating with olives, grapes, figs, fish, lamb. Long-lived population.
What they all avoided: Seed oils. Processed food. Refined grains.
What varied: Seasonality, carb intake, animal vs. plant ratio.
Lesson: Avoiding PUFAs matters. Seasonality doesn't matter much.
The Metabolic Priority List
Priority 1: Eliminate seed oils This is non-negotiable. PUFAs destroy metabolism. Fruit seasonality doesn't.
Priority 2: Eat adequate protein 0.8-1g per pound of body weight. Essential for metabolic function.
Priority 3: Eat adequate carbohydrates Support thyroid. Fruit, potatoes, rice, honey. Year-round availability helps this.
Priority 4: Cook with saturated fats Butter, coconut oil, ghee. Stable, non-inflammatory.
Priority 5: Eat whole foods Minimize packaged processed foods.
Priority 47: Eat seasonally Nice to have. Not essential.
Don't let perfection about seasonality prevent you from eating fruit liberally year-round.
FAQ
Q: Are tropical fruits bad for people in cold climates? A: No. There's no evidence tropical fruit harms people in temperate or cold climates. Your body doesn't care where the banana came from. It extracts glucose and uses it.
Q: Should I avoid fruit in winter to stay in ketosis? A: Ketosis isn't necessary for metabolic health. Many people suppress thyroid on long-term low-carb. Eating fruit year-round supports better thyroid function for most people.
Q: What about the environmental impact of shipping fruit? A: Eating a shipped banana is still better for you than eating local vegetables cooked in seed oils. Prioritize your health first. Make environmental choices within that constraint. Buy local when practical, but don't restrict fruit for environmental guilt.
Q: Is frozen fruit as good as fresh seasonal? A: Frozen fruit is picked at peak ripeness and frozen immediately. Often more nutritious than fresh fruit that's been sitting for a week. Use frozen berries year-round. Blend into smoothies or eat thawed.
This isn't medical advice. I'm not your doctor. Eat fruit that supports your metabolic health regardless of season.
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