|
Nutrition Corner Issue 1. |
|
Welcome to the first issue
of Nutrition Corner.
The information contained
in these articles is designed to promote research and debate.
In this issue, we will be discussing the subject of "Vine Ripened" fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains.
Fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains (which we will simply refer to as vegetables) contain more than enough nutrition to supply everything that the body needs to grow and repair itself. No two human bodies are the same, so our individual needs are all vastly different. It takes research to find out your current nutritional needs, depending on your age, level of activity and your level of contentment with life.
This is all sounding a bit too heavy, so it is a lot easier to just eat a wide range of meat and vegetables and hope we cover all our needs. This allows us to enjoy our food until we get sick.
Now, to the main topic, "Vine Ripened" vegetables. Over 90% of the nutritional value in a vegetable is delivered in the last few days before it is fully ripe. I will repeat this. Over 90% of the nutritional value in a vegetable is delivered in the last few days before it is fully ripe. Where does this nutritional value come from? The nutrients come from the soil*, up through the roots, up the stem of the plant and specifically to the vegetables which are about the ripen. This is known as vine ripening.
*Note: vine ripening only occurs in soil which is suitable for the particular vegetable being grown in that soil. Soils can vary from area to area and even within a farm.
Where do you get your vegetables from? If you are like most of us, you will get your "fresh" vegetables from the supermarket. Supermarkets have the highest turnover of vegetables and therefore have the most buying power. When supermarkets buy from farmers, they want large quantities of vegetables which are all of the same standard. The standard level is not as important as the consistency. This way, vegetables can be stored and distributed, and they will have a predictable appearance when they hit the shelves.
When do you think your vegetables were picked? One week before they were ripe? Two weeks? Four weeks? Ask your supermarket.
So, how do we get vine ripened vegetables without having to grow them ourselves (in a variety of soil types)? The answer may surprise you. Frozen and carefully dried vegetables have to be ripe before they are packaged. There is no opportunity for frozen and dried vegetables to soften and change colour in the frozen or dried state. Now, this is no guarantee that these vegetables have not been picked early and put in storage. However, most frozen and dried vegetable companies save thousands of dollars in storage by processing ripe vegetables directly from the farm.
Research has shown that the process of freezing or drying vegetables reduces their nutritional value by only a few percent.
Finally, a note on "organic" and "virgin" soil. Farm plots with organic certification have stopped using most chemicals for a period of ten or more years. Unfortunately, soil can retain harmful chemicals for hundreds of years. Adjacent non-organic plots can contaminate organic plots, as can neighbouring farms. Farms with virgin soils are quite rare, because they have never used harmful chemicals and neither have their neighbours.
An example of virgin soil is the farms in the Amish communities in North America. In the 1950s, the US department of agriculture declared that any vegetable sold on the open market must be treated with chemicals, because there was a "risk" of them spreading diseases. The Amish community did not trade on the open market, so they did not have to comply.
If you have ideas for the next Nutrition Corner, or you want to discuss this article, please contact SAC Tri Club.
Click here
to open SAC Tri Club in a new window
or
Click here
to close this window