The moment organic fruits and vegetables are harvested they start losing their nutrition. The best way to eat organic fruits and vegetables while creating a minimal impact on the environment is to make “fresh, local, seasonal” your mantra. The best thing about it that you will not only eat delicious food but also save money.
So what are the ten ways of getting freshest organic fruits and vegetables?
Grow your own or buy fresh local produce.
The longer food is stored the less nutrition there is.
About 10% of vitamins especially Vit C is lost by the time the fruits come to us.
Buy food which is in season
We should find out what is grown and available in our region month to month so that we buy fresh and cheap. Avoid food that has been in cold storage.
Buy in small quantities
In order not to store food too long in the house one should buy in smaller quantities and utilize it quickly.
Handle with care
Handle herbs fruits and vegetable which are fragile with care so that they do not get squished or bruised. This will cause them to rot faster.
Find out how to store or prepare fruits and vegetables
We often store our fruits and vegetables incorrectly. Find out from your vegetable vendor how these should be stored as well as long they will keep.
Prepare vegetables just before eating or cooking
Do not cut vegetables and keep them. Prepare them just before eating or cooking. Soaking vegetables in water leaches nutrients.
Ripen fruits at room temperature
When you want to ripen fruits, keep them out at room temperature and away from sunlight. Sunlight destroys Vit A and C.
Proteins
Consume meat and fish within 2 days of purchase. In fact in warm countries like India, even before.
Shopping list
Decide your week’s menu when you shop. Eat the most perishable food first. Greens wilt fast and berries go bad fast as well. Root vegetables pumpkin apples and oranges are hardier and stay longer if stored correctly.
Consume fresh juices fast
Drink fresh fruit and veg juices within 3 to 4 hours of squeezing, When exposed to air it becomes oxidized and loses nutritional value. Also, don’t waste the pulp, put it back in the juice- it’s high in fiber.
What are alternatives to fresh?
Frozen vegetables
It’s the best alternative to fresh food. Vegetables are usually frozen as soon as they are picked so much of their nutrients are preserved
Canned food
Choose fruits canned in their own juice rather than in brine or sugar syrup. While Canning involves fruits and vegetables are exposed to high temperatures meaning loss of vitamins. Additionally, 5 to 10 % of the vitamins are lost for each year the food is stored.