Although store shelves are full of colorful vegetables even in winter, their availability does not always correspond to their quality. Growing conditions, transport and storage have a huge impact on their nutritional value and safety. It is worth remembering that not every vegetable will perform equally well at this time of year. We’ll tell you what to look for when you’re in the store.
In winter, not all vegetables are as valuable as we might think. This includes, among others greenhouse vegetables and those imported from distant countries. This includes, for example, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, leaf lettuce, zucchini, eggplant, radishes, green beans and spinach.
This is due to the fact that they are grown outside the natural season and are subjected to intensive production conditions, which makes they have fewer vitamins and valuable compounds than vegetables ripening in the sun. This applies in particular to the content of vitamin C and polyphenols.
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Moreover, it is not only a matter of fewer health-promoting ingredients, but also safety. Vegetables from intensive greenhouse cultivation require more frequent use of chemicals.
Additionally, long transportation and storage of such products result in further loss of nutritional value. They are often harvested when they are still immature so that they will survive transportation, which is why they do not will produce a full nutrient profile. As a result, their taste and quality are much worse compared to seasonal vegetables.
Therefore, in winter it is worth reaching for seasonal vegetables, which naturally tolerate low temperatures and long storage well. These include primarily root vegetables such as carrots, beets, parsley, celery or parsnips. It is also worth eating cabbage, Brussels sprouts, leek, onion and garlic.
They are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, thanks to which they will take care of the body’s immunity in winter. Additionally, these vegetables are not only but also easily accessible and more environmentally friendlybecause they do not require long transport or intensive greenhouse cultivation.
