Indian Seasonal Produce- December

 

Winter is here!!!
And with the colder weather beholds the flu season, plus, for some of us, winter weight gain. It’s an important time to make sure you stay on top of your diet with warm foods and keep yourself well- nourished with local and seasonal produces.

Where, crops puts us in touch with the cycle of nature – what grows when and when it is ready to be consumed. It teaches us that when we eat seasonal produce, we enable our bodies to access over thousands of bioactive compounds, which in turn have a number of health benefits.

Now winter calls for more Citrus fruits, while being rich in Vit C, also an antioxidant, overall 'C' boosts the immune system. The vitamin has been shown to stop the replication of viruses too (no! not covid19 😜). 
 
Here is the list of Fruits, Veggies, Grains and Sea foods in season this December that give us the maximum health benefits needed to help us tackle all of them if cooked in a correct way. (Note: Read the list and know your local produces and consume them)

We are going through the Kharif season. The crops sown in June- July that are harvested in September, lasts till January. This season is known for storing food grains and dry produces in abundance. Also, it’s the season of fresh & green beans and legumes.
Here’s the list to buy and eat sustainably this month.
 
Fruits:
Narangi (Orange), Anjeer (Figs), Buddhas hand, Noni, Elephant apple/ Chalta, Grapefruit, Prickly pear, Custard apple, Chikku (Sapota), Ber (Indian Jujube/ Plum), Mosambi (Sweetlime), from mid dec Angoor (Grapes).
Other common Fruits- Pomegranate, Papaya, Banana, Guava, Apple, Pineapple.

 
Vegetables:
Fresh & green beans/ peas/ legumes, Carrot, Sweet potato, Purple yam (Kaachil/ Rasavalli kil(zh)angu) Brinjal, Corn, Tapioca/ Cassava, Beetroot, Capsicum, Lotus stem, Cluster beans, Broad beans, Normal Beans, Singhada/ Water chestnut, Cauliflower, Raddish, Turnip, Cow peas/ long beans, Cabbage, Pumpkin varieties, Turkey berry, Potato, Cauliflower, Yam, Beetroot, Papdi (flat beans/ avarakaai), Naval kol (nool khol/ turnip)
Other common Vegetables- Bottle gourd, Ash gourd, Lady’s finger, Bitter gourd, Raw banana, Banana stem/ Plaintain pith, Chayote/ Chow chow, Snake gourd, Teasel gourd, Colocasia.

 
Food rains: All the food grains (rice, dals, legumes) since it's the best season to stock up and consume it more.
Especially Grains- Bajra, Maize, Rajgira (Amaranth), Kuttu/ Papparai, Ragi.
Pulses & Legumes- Channa dal, Kulith (horse gram/ kollu), Bhatma (soya bean), Chole (kabuli channa), Cholia, Urad dal, Tuvar dal, Chow dhari (Goa bean) Vaal (Fava beans), Rajma, Kala vatana (black peas), Kaaramani/ Lobia (Black eyed beans), Groundnut.

 
Green leafy vegetables: Spinach, Purslane, Dhekia xak, Methi, Beet leaves, Radish leaves, Spring onions, Gongura, Sarson (Mustard greens), Bathuwa (Chakwat/ Parupu keerai), Mukkarattai, Carrot greens, Shepu (dill)

 
Herbs and spices: Turmeric, Ginger, Garlic pods, Cardamom, Jeera, Clove, Pepper, Mint, Coriander. 
 

Sea foods:
 
 

"Nourish your body as Nature intended- Eat seasonally" - MJ 

Note: I have studied the Indian seasonal produces with the help of farmers network and various research articles following the guidelines of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) based on the cropping seasons – Kharif, Zaid and Rabi. Thereby, I’ve curated the fruits & vegetables, food grains and rest mentioned that would be available to us based on the sowing- growing and harvesting time period calculated for each month covering every Indian region to the maximum. 
Kinds of seafood were studied and curated based on its availability along the West Coast and East coast from CIBA (Central Institute of Brackish Aquaculture) and knowyourfishes.org.in. 
I hope this information is helpful to consume local and seasonal produces thereby keeping a check on health too. 
Kindly let me know your thoughts if this benefits you all through comments below. 
Thank You! 
Maria Jenita, PhD