Amounts Available Versus Health When Shopping For Vegetables
Thursday, February 10th, 2011The supermarket does not often provide a wide selection of organic produce from which to choose. It is usually very limited on the amount that it may carry from local farmers, as well. For this reason, when shopping for vegetables, it can be beneficial to first go to neighborhood fruit and vegetable stands or the local farmers market. The availability of healthier produce may be greater.
Supermarkets usually have to have their produce shipped in from commercial farmers all around the world. For this reason, it may take days before the items hit the shelves and are available for purchase. This limits the amount of health benefits to the consumer, as the shortest amount of time between harvesting and consumption supplies the most vitamins and minerals.
Local stands and markets try and get the produce out as quickly as possible so as to avoid spoilage. This also has to do with the fact that they tend to use less pesticides and chemicals than do large commercial farmers. While some organic products are available in the chain stores, it is usually a very limited selection.
Often it is necessary for farmers to freeze vegetables after they are harvested and then thaw them on the way to the supermarket. This changes and limits the taste. Fresher produce, with the application of less chemicals, are not only healthier, they taste better too.
There are some downfalls of trying to shop local. The region is which a person resides is usually limited in the type of vegetables that it can grow due to weather and soil. For this reason, the grocery store does provide an option to increase the variety which one consumes.
Not only will using both venues enhance the opportunity for a wider selection and healthier options, but it will enable them to gain insight from those that run the local stand or market. These people usually have very sound advice as to how to choose vegetables that are ripe. It also helps to support the local economy.
The process of shopping for vegetables is not an easy one. Freshness and selection must both be considered. It is for this reason that making use of available local markets or stands and large supermarkets is the best option. This provides a great variety, but increases the chances of picking the healthiest options.
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