Our Top Ten Spring Foods For Dieters

With longer days and warmer weather, Spring brings us a fresh crop of seasonal delights! And with so much great-tasting, nutritious food around, that makes it the perfect time to throw out your winter eating habits and give your diet a spring clean! Here are some of our favourite new-comers to the supermarket fruit and veggie isles…

Strawberries

When just 1 cup can get you your full daily portion of vitamin C, strawberries are great for spring dieters! They may be available to most of us all-year-round, but we’re fast approaching peak season for strawberries, so grab them when they’re at their sweetest, juiciest and most nutritious!

For the best flavour, buy strawberries grown close to home. They should be plump, firm, well-shaped and uniformly coloured.

Tip: For a sweet and fruity splash of flavour, try adding strawberries to your spring salads or dressings.

Rhubarb

Although rhubarb is technically a vegetable, its versatile flavour makes it the perfect ingredient in spring desserts! Rhubarb stalks are tart, but when they’re sweetened they provide a rich texture and plenty of flavour to any sauce or pies. A good source of vitamin C, potassium and manganese, rhubarb harvest starts in April and can’t be missed!

Tip: Tried rhubarb in salad? Blanched, diced and thrown in with your favourite salad or salsa, give it a chance this spring!

Peas

You can find fresh peas all year round, but they’re in peak season between April and July. They’re low in fat, high in fibre and they’re a great source of protein.

Apricots

For a quick potassium boost, a vitamin C kick and plenty of fibre, apricots are the perfect, low calorie solution! You’ll find them fresh in the supermarkets between May and August, but they’re just as healthy and delicious dried! Stir dry apricots into porridge, toss them in salads or mix them into couscous for a sweet surprise.

Morel Mushrooms

Morels are a springtime staple. A member of the truffle family, the morel mushroom is a delicacy that’s available right through the season. They’re best known for their honeycomb texture and nutty flavour, but paired with other spring veggies like asparagus, spring onions or green peas, morels are the answer to just about any spring dinner conundrum.

Asparagus

Low in fat, high in iron and fibre, and with regal pedigree, what’s not to love about asparagus? Louis XIV called asparagus the food of kings, and with a unique nutritional profile, adding asparagus to your spring diet is a royal treat.

Delicious roasted, grilled, or lightly sautéed in olive oil, a spear of asparagus is the perfect healthy addition to any spring meal! Grab them while they’re fresh, asparagus are harvested between March and June.

Cherries

They won’t be here till late spring, but when succulent, sweet cherries come into season they’re a gem! Low in calories but high in fibre, potassium and antioxidants, a whole cup adds up to just 100 calories! Go after big, firm, colourful cherries for the highest nutritional value.

Radishes

What better burst of flavour is there? To add a low-calorie spring zing to salads, soups or condiments this season, look no further! One cup of sliced radishes will provide 30% of your daily vitamin C requirement in less than 25 calories. For the best and most nutritious radishes, go for the most colourful!

Tip: Try adding those green radish tops to your salads for a gorgeous spring peppery kick!

Fava Beans

Rich, hearty and full of flavour, fava beans are a terrific addition to soups, salads and main dishes. Their high protein and fibre content makes these beans the best way to stay feeling full this spring!

Artichokes

Artichokes are in season right now! At only 25 calories, they may be light but they pack in plenty of fibre, iron, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C. Flavourful and healthy, artichokes can be a great addition of spring dips, bakes, pastas, or salads.