Practices... - Healthy Diet - Fruits and Vegetables

The sheer variety of available fruits and vegetables is astounding. And their benefits on your health are as plentiful as their diversity. Fruits and vegetables, particularly those grown organically, are a storehouse of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, enzymes, fibre, and many other nutrients required by our bodies...some of which have yet to be identified and/or labeled! The majority of the nutrients are easily absorbed and food combining further ensures optimal nutrient availability.

When purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables, opt for local varieties whenever possible and purchase produce in season (and freeze extras). This supports your local economy and bioregion and prevents the need to exploit land and resources afar in our global village. It simply makes no sense to purchase strawberries from California in the middle of winter in Ontario. The amount of energy (particularly in fuel) expended to transport the strawberries to their final destination is incredibly inefficient and further burdens our already polluted world.

Fruits and vegetables should be eaten raw to ensure maximum nutritional benefit. Heat tends to destroy nutrients and enzymes, reducing overall nutritional quality.