Photo: Kake Pugh / Flickr

Choosing locally produced food in season is the best way to get the most out of what you eat. When you buy local you lessen the impact your groceries have on the environment while getting the benefit of eating nutrient-packed fresh fruit and vegetables. Of course, you save money buying fresh produce in season, too. Here’s what to look out for this spring – vegetables so good for you they’re known as superfoods.

Asparagus

Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamins C, A, K, B1, B2 and folate. Also containing selenium, magnesium and potassium, asparagus is incredibly nutritious. Aspargine is an amino acid found in asparagus that helps cleanse the kidneys, reducing water retention and blood pressure. It also contains rutin, a substance that helps keep blood vessels healthy.

Garlic

Garlic has very impressive anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Allicin, a sulphur compound found in garlic, is a great immune booster that has been found to help prevent cancer and improve heart health.

Salad leaves

Green, leafy vegetables are packed with chlorophyll, phytonutrients, enzymes, vitamins and minerals. The darker the colour of a vegetable, the more nutritious it is. Most greens also contain calcium and magnesium for strong bones and a healthy nervous system. Rather than using shop bought salad dressings, make your own out of natural ingredients to get the most out of these superfoods.

Peas

Peas are highly underappreciated vegetables. They contain vitamins A, C, K, folate and beta carotene as well as iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Add peas to stews, curries and soups and eat them fresh from the pod as a snack. Peas help reduce levels of homocysteine which has been linked to premature ageing, diabetes and heart disease.

Try a power-packed spring superfoods salad with steamed asparagus, raw or cooked peas and a range of salad leaves served with a homemade garlic and lemon dressing.

Tags: eating healthily, minerals, vitamins