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With the introduction of industrial farming, supermarkets and global shipping into our food chain, we can now access nearly any food imaginable year-round. But this convenience comes with a price – in the carbon emissions released in production, packaging, and transport of foods; and in the loss of flavor and nutritional content in produce picked before it's ripe.
At 4 th Generation Organic Market, we believe a local, seasonal organic diet is best. Aside from the fact that this is the way our ancestors ate, there are several benefits to eating what is in season locally:
- Good for the Environment: When you choose a seasonal organic diet, you help to reduce both the amount of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and the carbon footprint associated with transporting your food.
- Supporting Local Farmers: The freshest seasonal organic produce comes from local farmers. By choosing a seasonal diet, you strengthen you community through supporting local family farms.
- Seasonal Foods Taste Better... and They're Better for You: If you've ever eaten a perfectly ripe tomato picked fresh from the vine, then you already know that the flavor conventional store-bought tomatoes just doesn't compare. The same is true with nutritional content. Produce starts to lose nutrients shortly after being picked, so out-of-season foods shipped in from other parts of the world just aren't as healthy for you.
Top 10 Healthy Summer Vegetables
- Carrots: Excellent source of beta-carotene (vitamin A).
- Zucchini (summer squash): Great source of folate, potassium and vitamin A.
- Broccoli: Great source of vitamin C and other cancer-fighting phytochemicals, vitamin A, calcium, folate and fiber.
- Cabbage: High in fiber, cabbage also contains nutrients shown to help prevent certain kinds of cancer.
- Sweet bell peppers: By weight, sweet peppers contain more vitamin C than citrus fruit. Sweet red peppers are also a great source of beta-carotene.
- Tomatoes: High in vitamins A and C, tomatoes also contain the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene. Contrary to most other summer vegetables which are healthiest raw, cooking tomatoes in a bit of fat actually releases more lycopene.
- Garlic: Excellent source of many nutrients proven to help prevent both cancer and heart disease.
- Spinach: High in vitamin C, calcium and antioxidants.
- Cucumbers: Though technically a fruit, most people consider cucumbers vegetables. The skins are a great source of potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Cucumbers are also high in water content, vitamin C and silica.
- Mushrooms: Though not technically a fruit or a vegetable, mushrooms are highly nutritious foods that can also help boost the immune system. Chanterelles and Porcini mushrooms are the most nutritious – high in a number of essential minerals and nutrients, including fiber, riboflavin, potassium and niacin.
For more info on seasonal eating, including how to store and prepare raw foods, stop by 4 th Generation Organic Market today. We're committed to your health, and to the health of the planet. |
