Spring: is it really the “healthiest” season? Do staying out late and being outdoors promote a balanced diet?

Spring: days that are getting longer, mild temperatures, tasty fruit and vegetables. The desire to be outdoors, to move and to meet others starts again. A season that on paper seems more dynamic compared to winter and more favorable to practices that help maintain a healthy weight for those who have it and a lose weight for those who need it.

Are there really seasons more favorable to healthy eating?
«Being able to eat healthily is greatly affected by environmental aspects such as light and the presence of a social network – replies Stefano Erzegovesi, Nutritionist and Psychiatrist –: for both situations this season is certainly favorable».

How do the days getting longer affect the way we eat?
«Some are more susceptible to what is called “seasonal affective disorder”. In winter they feel more tired, they crave carbohydrates more, they need to sleep more. In general, the reduction of light makes it more difficult to precisely follow a diet, which is why it is always advisable, in all seasons, to do physical activity outdoors. Even just the uncovered face is enough to take a beneficial “bath of light”, given that the lighting that regulates ours circadian rhythms (see below) is received by the retina.”

How to deal when the sun sets late? Can we also have dinner at 9pm during this period?
“While in winter it would be good to have dinner early, at 7pm or 6.30pm, in spring we can follow the rule of our ancestors: the later the sun sets, the later we can have dinner.”

Doesn’t meeting friends and family more often make you eat more?
«The component of loneliness by its nature makes it more difficult to manage emotional eating. The other side of the coin are the “eating” gatherings, but let’s remember that social networking doesn’t necessarily mean eating: even a chat or, better yet, a walk together is a social occasion.”

Are there more or less healthy or slimming vegetables this season?
«All plant products have aseasonal intelligence: for example, in summer vegetables are much richer in water and with concentrations of useful antioxidants and carotenoids compared to exposure to the sun. All seasons favor healthy eating, as long as you follow it, which almost no one does anymore.”

What function do spring vegetables favor?
“There detox: we are coming out of the winter period and there is a need to activate the liver function. Asparagus, fresh peas, dark green leafy vegetables are liver-friendly and promote gentle detoxification. If you eat lettuce and tomato all year round, you lose the seasonal peculiarities of the foods.”

Characteristic spring foods not to be missed?
«Strawberries have all the power of vitamin C and fisetin, which has an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and pro-longevity effect. A dish that contains many spring vegetables is “vignarola”, a recipe from popular Roman cuisine where there are artichokes, fresh broad beans, fresh spring onion, romaine lettuce, fresh peas, a little dry white wine, extra virgin olive oil and chilli pepper.”

The circadian rhythm and weight

Following the hours of light when setting up daily activities is important: following what is called “circadian rhythm” or “biorhythm” is good for the body (and the mind). In particular, even if the days get longer, it would always be advisable to have dinner at least two hours before going to sleep with a light meal and rest for at least the classic 7 hours. I am rules that also help control weight: heavy dinners and little sleep make you gain weight. Towards the evening, in fact, the body is more “resistant” to assimilating sugars and must compensate by producing more insulin. Sleeping more leads to the release of more leptin, a hormone produced by adipose tissue that blocks the stimulus of hunger. A short and troubled night, however, leads to the release of ghrelin, a hormone produced by the stomach and pancreas, which stimulates appetite.