If you’re on the fence about growing your own food, we can give you a hand in tipping the scales. We’ve put together a case for why you should opt for homegrown fruit and vegetables over store-bought.
Fresher Food has a Better Taste
The fresher the produce, the better the taste. Have you ever tried to eat a manky old carrot? Yuck! But fresh from the garden is a different story. Fruit and veg are often already a week old before you even bring them home from the shop. That broccoli has travelled a long way from the farm to get to you. Compare this weeklong journey with the 2-minute trip from your garden to the plate, and there’s no wonder it tastes better!
And it’s More Nutritious!
Food is also more nutritious the sooner it’s consumed after harvest. It turns out that just hours after being picked, your fruit and veg is less nutritious than straight after. It’s not a small difference either, as much as 50% of your foods nutritional value can be lost in a week. Spinach in particular only retains 10% of its vitamin C one day after harvest.
You’ll Keep Moving
Try gardening while sitting on your bum. Go on. It’s more effort than it’s worth to try gardening lazily – you’re forced to move around correctly and get some exercise. This makes it a great way to keep active and get in a light workout. Even after all the heavy lifting of planting your seeds is over, you’ll still have plenty of maintenance work to do that’ll get you off the sofa.
Vitamin D for Your Bones
Getting outside has mental benefits. Still, there’s also the physical benefit of soaking up the sunlight and allowing your body to produce some good-old vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for bone health and also helps keep your muscles healthy. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to properly absorb other nutrients in our diet – like calcium and phosphate.
Growing your own Food is Satisfying
There’ an undeniable satisfaction that comes from planting, growing and eating your own produce. It’s a sense of pride that a simple trip to the supermarket could never replace. Growing your own food can be incredibly rewarding, both mentally and physically. And nothing is stopping you from getting started right away. See for yourself just how easy it is to begin.
