Buy Fresh Produce To Get The Best Health Benefits

Before the 1960s people knew the importance of fresh produce grown in a healthy environment. They understood the value of the nutrients contained in the soil and the importance of eating the freshest produce you could get.

Perhaps that’s why people were healthier, had less disease, and there were fewer incidences of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. We’ve become a society that’s fast paced and looking for convenience and with that convenience comes prepackaged meals and more time spent eating out.

These lifestyle changes have not always been good for us. In fact many believe that the changes in our diet are the underlying reason for so many of the illnesses and diseases we face today.

Fresh produce is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help rid the body of toxicity, boost the immune system, and provide vital nutrients to maintaining health. Now you’re thinking “not me – I eat healthy and eat plenty of fresh produce.” But is the fresh produce you’re eating actually healthy?

There are also several problems with our current fresh produce. First many fruits and vegetables are picked before they are ripe so that they are ripe when they reach their destination. This depletes them of many of the nutrients we require.

Second produce that’s been on a truck for a week isn’t actually fresh anymore and depending on the destination it may travel even more than a week. Fresh produce should be no more than a couple of days old to get the highest nutritional value.

The third problem is a result of the depletion of the nutrients in the soil that the produce is grown in. Vegetables and fruits get their nutrients from the soil and when the soil is missing its nutrients then the produce also is. The best way to combat this problem is to buy organically grown produce.

The fourth problem is the chemical pesticides that are used on fruits and vegetables. These are not healthy for us and there are many ongoing studies that are showing a relationship between human exposure to these chemicals and increased cancer cases. The best way to avoid the exposure to these chemical pesticides is to buy organic produce. Organic farmers do not use chemicals on their fruits and vegetables.

By going to your local farmers market or one of the many major grocery stores that sell organic produce you’ll be getting a much higher nutrient value from your fruits and vegetables.

If you are buying inorganic produce then you need to wash well with a commercial fruit and vegetable spray. Although there is excellent nutritional value in the peels of most fruits and vegetables you will need to avoid eating them if the produce is not organic as chemicals are absorbed and are not removed with washing.

Fruits and vegetable are best eaten raw without peeling them. Most of the nutrients are found right under the peel. But organic is best to avoid chemical contamination.

If you are going to cook your vegetables then steam them lightly with a minimum of water and heat. Heat kills the nutrients in the produce. When food is cooked at a temperature greater than 45 degrees Celsius the food enzymes are destroyed which makes it harder for the body to digest. This often results in bloating and gas.

Don’t always assume that fresh organic produce is going to cost more. Often it’s the same price and if you buy in season many times it costs a lot less, especially if you are buying from a farmers market or directly from the farmer.

To keep yourself and your family healthy always try to include a wide selection of fresh produce in your diets.


Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory. This means that as a publisher you may reprint the articles that are included in our site, as long as the article is unedited and the author box is included with it's live hyperlinks.