Seasonal Fruit Fast

One method of doing a fruit fast is to choose only fruits in season. By doing this, you purchase fruits that are the freshest and at their optimal level of nutrition.

Our produce today is shipped to us from all over the world. These potentially long transit times mean the produce must be harvested before it's natural ripening period, since unripe, "green", fruits ship much better than fully ripe fruit.

By selecting fruits in season for our area of the world, we are increasing the likelihood that they have been shipped a lesser distance and been harvested closer to their natural stage of ripening and contain the greatest level of nutritional punch.

Seasonal diets are becoming more popular where only in-season fruits and vegetables are used. Following nature's guidelines by eating the foods that are indigenous to our area and at their time of natural ripening, puts us in greater attunement with the world we live in. Nature provides us the perfect foods for our bodies at any time of year.

While sticking to seasonal produce 100% may be impractical for our everyday meals, it is certainly possible during a fruit fast or cleansing diet. Some of the best produce for a fruit fast are citrus, apples, grapes, pears, melons, and berries, so there's a good fruit available for fasting at any time of year.

Apples, due to their naturally long "shelf life", are appropriate for a fruit fast (see apple fruit fast cleanse) in a cold clime during the winter months when most other fruits are naturally scarce. Of course, you could opt for a grain fast in the winter, as well, enjoying its warming and calming influences.

Don't throw your fruits away too soon!

A staggering amount of food is thrown away by Americans. And a lot of it is a needless waste. This is not only wasteful of the food itself and the money used to purchase it, but also of the many resources, including petroleum, that were used in its production and transportation.

The Natural Resources Defense Council offers valid information on when food items and produce really need to be thrown in the trash (or fed to your backyard possum). You'd be surprised at the nutritional value that remains after produce appears to be past its prime. The article is entitiled Read This Before Cleaning Out Your Fridge.

I think you'll find that not only does fasting increase your awareness of your own body environment, but also the larger environment, the planet and ecosystem. Being kind to yourself and to Mother Nature, matters.

Seasonal Fruit Chart

For general seasonal guidelines, use the chart below. The time frames will vary somewhat from one part of the country to another, but can still be helpful toward your planning.

Eating local harvest also has the advantage of supporting your local agribusiness, promotes organic farming practices and "green" living. Avoiding produce that has been shipped great distances saves on fossil fuels and the pollution emitted by them.

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