The growing conditions, selection, preparation, and storage of fruits and vegetables greatly affect the nutrient content available in our food. The closer the consumer is to the place where the produce is grown and harvested, the more nutrient value is available. That means that locally grown produce is best. Some nutrients are compromised in holding and shipping of produce. It is best to eat produce in season, but for fruits and vegetables that are not grown locally, there is no choice. However, enough out-of-season produce is available within the US that there is really no reason to buy imported fruits and vegetables.
Food safety is another concern. Produce grown outside the US may contain more pesticide residue that that grown in the US.
Contaminated by pesticides
In general, fresh strawberries, raspberries, cherries, apples, peaches, nectarines, grapes, spinach, and peas tend to be most contaminated by pesticides. Washing with clean drinking water removes most bacteria and pesticide residue. Also take off outer leaves of vegetables. But the very best way to avoid pesticides is to buy organic produce. Organic foods must-by law-be grown without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
Going organic has become much more popular in the last few years, and organic foods have become more available in the marketplace. Most large supermarket chains now have organic food sections, including organic produce sections, in their stores. Even organic produce must be washed to remove dirt and other bacterial sources. And it is a good idea to rewash bagged greens! Washed greens are dried most effectively with a salad spinner.
In the long run, buying locally grown produce is probably more important than buying organic produce. Look for farmers markets in your community. During the summer, when harvest is bountiful, enjoy family outings to a market! Children and grandchildren have fun choosing, preparing, and eating those fresh fruits and vegetables. Yum! Check out these books for recipes:
- Local Flavors by Deborah Madison and Laurie Smith
- Farmer’s Market Cooking by Sally Ann Berk
Next best to fresh
If fresh produce is not available, choose frozen or canned fruits and vegetables. Frozen produce is flash frozen to preserve as many nutrients as possible. Canned produce is subjected to heat that may destroy some nutrients, but eating canned fruits and vegetables is much better than not eating them at all. In fact, some people prefer the taste and consistency of canned vegetables and fruits, especially if they grew up eating such!
Be sure that frozen packages of produce do not look or feel as if they have thawed and been refrozen. When shopping for frozen vegetables, select packages that are not a solid block and the products inside can be felt to be separate pieces. Follow this same rule at home. If the frozen vegetables have formed a solid lump, throw them out; the solid lump is indication that, at some point, the temperature was low enough for the individual pieces to defrost before refreezing. When frozen properly, vegetables and potatoes can be stored in the freezer for up to eight months.
Before purchasing canned goods and before using them after being stored, inspect them for signs of rust or bulging, and discard immediately if either sign is found. Typically, canned goods can be stored up to one year.
One of my favorite soups in the fall and winter is pumpkin. You may be the pumpkin, but a quick and easy recipe combines a 15-ounce can of pureed pumpkin with one onion sautéed in a little butter. Add 3 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of cream, and season to taste. Then it’s ready to eat!
Juicing it up
Fruit and vegetable juices should be 100% juice, with no sugar or HFCS added. Better yet, can your own juice. Even fresh fruit juices that are juiced at home contain so much natural sugar that they should be enjoyed in small quantities and with other foods. Some new 100% commercial juices, such as pomegranate juice, are powerhouses of antioxidants and phytochemicals. Check out these juices at www.pomwonderful.com.
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
