Is Growing Your Own Food Healthier Than Other Produce?

[dropcap]G[/dropcap]ardening enthusiasts have long insisted that the stuff they grow is better than what the grocery store sells. As it turns out, they might be right. Numerous studies have shown that homegrown produce is often healthier and tastier than what you’d find at your local supermarket. Here’s why.

Doesn’t Degrade and Lose Nutrients

Fruits and vegetables from your own garden are about as fresh as it gets. You can pick them when they’re at their ripest, and when they have peak nutrients and flavor.

Grocery store produce, on the other hand, may travel thousands of miles before reaching supermarket shelves. During this long journey, it may lose some of its nutrients and flavor, especially if it has been exposed to heat.

To reduce costs, stores may ship items in non-ideal conditions. For example, different fruits and vegetables stay fresh best at different temperatures, but they may get sent together to lower expenses.

Research continues to find the healthy benefits of fresh produce as opposed to store bought. In fact, a study conducted by Kew Gardens researchers found that homegrown varieties of tomatoes had more natural sugars, anti-oxidants and phenols ( a type of nutrient-rich compound).

Grocery Stores Don’t Buy for Quality

Grocery stores want high-quality products, but they also have a lot of other characteristics they look for in what they buy.

For instance, they only stock produce that meets certain aesthetic standards because people are more likely to buy products if they look appealing. That means slightly misshapen tomatoes get discarded, even if they’re more nutritious than other perfectly round ones.

When buying items that need to be shipped long distances, supermarkets choose products that can survive these long trips. But this also means that some of the nutritional value is compromised.

No Pesticides or Herbicides

When you grow your own food, you control what goes into it and onto it. You can be sure it isn’t exposed to herbicides or pesticides–both of which have bad long-term effects.

Food from the store, on the other hand, may have been treated with pesticides, herbicides and other contaminants that are difficult to remove entirely. Even food labeled as “pesticide-free” could have come into contact with something accidentally. Now with homegrown food, you remove the doubt.

You’ll Likely Eat More

When you plant a garden, especially a larger one, you’ll likely eat more fruits and vegetables than you otherwise would. This is, in part, because you simply have more produce on hand, and it stays fresher for longer.

You’ll also have more pride in the food you grow than food you buy, which will encourage you to incorporate more fruits and veggies in your meals. Not to mention the fact that it tastes better.

Exercise and Sun

The work you do planting, weeding, watering and otherwise working on your garden will also help boost your fitness.

Doing light to moderate gardening outdoors for an hour can burn up to 330 calories (or more), as well as get your daily dose of vitamin D. Studies show that regular gardening can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke and extend life by 30 percent for adults over age 60. It has also been shown to boost mood and mental health.

While good fruits and vegetables can be found at a grocery store, there is something extra special about homegrown produce right in your backyard.  So we definitely recommending giving gardening a go.