Dear Marci,
Living in the Northeast, my favorite season is summer. I find I feel physically and emotionally stronger and much happier. I know this is because food grown in the summer sun is better for us, but what exactly makes it healthier?
Summer Foodie Fan
It’s true, summer in the Northeast is a powerful time~what’s not to love about long sunny days, warm ocean breezes and vibrant hues of vegetation. It’s a beautiful time of year but there is so much more going on here than just a pretty face. In a synchronized dance of nature, the summer solstice, tilts the earth closer to the sun, and for the Northern Hemisphere, we have longer days, shorter nights, and yes, thanks to the summer sun, we also have much healthier food.
The healthier food part is really a collaboration. More sunlight, results in more chlorophyll being produced, and, in turn, photosynthesis increases, producing more oxygen for the air, and healthier, more nutrient dense plants. The true genius of Mother Nature shines through at this time as she infuses the intense heat of the summer sun, with the longer duration of sunlight hours, to create a higher concentration of phytochemicals, the healthy components in plants, that help us prevent disease, repair inflammation, and improve our mental health.
The foods we eat that grow in this magical summer sun deliver maximum health benefits, and also because of this powerful summer heat, plant growth is more abundant, resulting in a plethora of seasonal and locally produced food options, harvested at the peak of their ripeness.
And even better, much like the sun is absorbed into plants, sunlight exposure on our skin stimulates Vitamin D production in our bodies, helping with calcium absorption, bone health and giving us a much stronger immune system. And for what I like to call Nature’s pièce de ré·sis·tance, the powerful summer sun warms our bodies, nudging our brains to produce more dopamine and serotonin, ultimately delivering a platform for better mental health.
My father was the first person to teach me the value of fresh summer foods. Every time we would visit a local farmstead in the summer, he would pick the ripest tomato, take a bite, and tell me, “The only way to eat a tomato is when it is just picked off the summer vine.”
Turns out he was right. Eating seasonal foods just harvested results in food that not only taste better but that is more nutrient dense. The nutritional value of produce begins to decline the minute it is plucked from the vine, and when foods are grown out of season, they often have to be transported long distance, which can lead to a significant loss of nutrients.
Simply put, the freshest seasonal foods, provide our bodies, and our minds, with the most protective, health enhancing elements, and yes, these foods are much, much healthier.
So do you body and mind a favor. Follow the sun, pick up the ripest summer tomato you can find, take a bite, and then bring home a bunch more to make my father’s favorite summer tomato salad.
Ronnie’s Native Tomato Salad
This salad was a summer staple when I was growing up, on our table almost every night, especially in August. The local, native grown tomatoes peak in flavor and nutrition during this time, especially in the Northeast. And if you have a great bakery in the neighborhood, grab some warm homemade bread and dip it in the juice!
4 large Native tomatoes, sliced in wedges
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 cucumber, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Italian long hot pepper, sliced into rings
1/4 cup olive oil
3 TBS red wine vinegar
sea salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, optional
In a large salad bowl mix all the ingredients. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to infuse and intensify flavors. Serve with your favorite crusty bread to dip in the juice and enjoy!
