by Benjamin Kessel: Co-Founder, Trainer, Nutritional Consultant of Priority Fitness Training

Oh, the Summer. What comes to mind when you think of food in the summer? Barbecues? Picnics? Perhaps some beer or wine in the park? Romantic, yes. Healthy, not too much. In fact, if you put all of those unhealthy summer eating trends into action, you can actually put on some unwanted weight. If you really take a step back and look at the calories, it all makes sense. Most barbecues cook high fat meats such as burgers, hot dogs and ribs. A couple of beers or a few glasses of wine can also affect you more than expected. Even if you only drink twice a week, let’s say two and a half drinks a night(avg 120 cal per drink), that turns into 2400 extra calories a month just from alcohol. Those add up when you do it for a whole season. 

As always, moderation is the key to staying healthy. Keep that in mind the next time the ice cream truck rolls around! Rather than being impulsive maybe some low calorie sorbet is a better option? Choosing meats that are low in fat and dishes that are high in fruits and vegetables will help keep you healthy throughout the summer (and life!). Now that we understand a few basics of how we can take care of ourselves, how about taking care of our environment at the same time? Eating seasonally and locally is the key to success. This not only helps the environment run it’s course more naturally (due to less pollution and energy consumption because of cargo shipment), it also effects your body positively.

Local seasonal foods are beneficial to the body for a number of reasons. Foods that have to travel from halfway across the world to get to your doorstep either contain preservatives or aren’t fresh. The fresher the food, the more nutritional value it has. Compare two pieces of fruit. One piece of fruit was picked right off the farm yesterday and is now in your hand ready to eat. The other piece of fruit was grown in South America and it took 5 days of travel from the farm to get to you. Which one do you think your body will utilize more? Which piece of fruit retains more of it’s nutritional components? The one that’s fresh or the one that will start to decay in a day or so? The one that is fresh will not only taste better, it is also better for you.
 
Besides fruit this “fresh theory” is also applied to meat. Meat that has to travel far after being slaughtered is either not fresh or contains preservatives. Preservatives such as Sulfites and Nitrites have been shown in studies to cause allergic reactions and even increase the risk of lung cancer. If there isn’t a need to preserve meat for longer periods of time, local animal farms won’t have to worry about preservatives in food and neither will you!
 
Here is a list of some healthy fruits and vegetables that are in season in the New York state area for the end of June and the beginning of July. Perhaps you can find these at your local farmers market, garden, or food coop.
 
-Cabbage
-Broccoli
-Potatoes
-Strawberries
-Beans
-Cherries
-Lettuce
-Raspberries
-Spinach
-Tomatoes
-Summer Squash
-Radishes
 
Here are some more fruits and vegetables that are from bordering states that will be ready for you as well.
-Cantaloupe
-Eggplant
-Celery
-Beets
-Collards
-Nectarines
-Peppers
-Peaches
-Scallions
-Plums
-Snap Beans
-Leaks
-Mushrooms