The Best Seasonal Foods That Seniors Should Eat

Spring has sprung, which means there is a lot of fresh produce coming to grocery stores and local farmers’ markets. Find out which seasonal fruits and vegetables will bring you the best health benefits, so you know exactly what to bring home in your shopping bag.

What if you’re tired of grocery shopping? Check out a retirement residence with amazing dining services that will let you skip chores like shopping, cooking, and washing up dishes from now on. A senior home like All Seniors Care provides wholesome meals every day using a variety of healthy, seasonal, and delicious ingredients. No matter what dietary needs you have, they will have something for you.

Whether you’re doing the grocery shopping or you’re ordering meals at the table, make sure that you eat the following this spring: cherries, asparagus, and spinach. You won’t regret having more of these fruits and vegetables.

Cherries

Cherries will be freshest in late spring. When the time is right, you’ll want to get your hands on these. A small bowl of them will complete a full breakfast or make for a sweet snack later in the day. They’ll even make a decadent dessert, especially when paired with a few squares of dark chocolate.

What makes cherries so good for seniors? Not only are they packed with antioxidants and essential nutrients, but they have anti-inflammatory compounds that can effectively minimize inflammation and joint pain for people living with arthritis and gout.

Here are some more reasons why you should put them in your shopping cart:

• They improve your sleep
• They can lower cholesterol
• They don’t spike your blood sugar

Asparagus

Asparagus is in-season for all of spring. One of the nicest perks about this vegetable is that it has lots of chromium. The mineral chromium makes it easier for insulin to carry glucose through your bloodstream. This can help regulate blood sugar. It is especially important for anyone who is currently at risk of developing heart disease.

Here are some other reasons why you should pack more of these green spears onto your plate:

• They’re an excellent source of fiber
• They’re believed to boost cognition
• They have Vitamin K, which improves bone health

Spinach

Spinach is the powerhouse of leafy greens. It is jam-packed with essential vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K1, Vitamin B9, and Vitamin E. One of the biggest benefits that it brings to the table for seniors is that it’s full of insoluble fiber — this can prevent constipation and digestive discomfort. If you’ve experience irregularity, you should have more meals where spinach is a main ingredient.

Here are some other reasons why you should be eating more spinach:

• It’s full of calcium, which is vital for bone health and strength
• It is good for eye health
• It can moderate your blood pressure

Spring has plenty of other healthy produce that you can try: fiddleheads, peas, swiss chard, radishes, kale, arugula, mushrooms, lettuce, fava beans, gooseberries, and more. Try as much as you can while it’s in season. Just make sure that you have some cherries, asparagus, and spinach first.