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Fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals that are good for your health. Whether fresh, canned, or frozen, produce has many benefits.

Fresh produce

Fresh produce is rich in flavor and nutrients. Generally, the fresher the produce, the better in terms of nutrition. You may opt to purchase in-season produce at the local grocery store, or even grow your own!

Tip: To avoid fresh produce from going bad, freeze it for another time.

Canned produce

Buying canned produce is cost effective and long lasting, but often times, it is higher in sodium and slighter lower in nutritional value.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, canned foods can be just as nutritious as fresh and frozen foods because canning preserves many nutrients. The amount of minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, protein, fat and carbohydrate remain relatively unchanged by the process of canning. Interestingly, though, the heating process that may harm some vitamins can actually increase the antioxidant content in canned foods.

Frozen produce

Like canned foods, frozen produce is often packaged at the peak of freshness has high nutritonal content and flavor. It also has a long shelf life. In addition to a time-saving convenience, frozen foods can be a benefit for individuals with limited kitchen space or utensils. Not only can frozen foods be more affordable in price, but they also can aid in reducing food waste.

To get more nutritional tips like this, contact one of LifeCare Alliance’s registered dietitians! Schedule a one-on-one session to learn important diabetes management/nutritional therapy. Contact Elana Burak at 614-437-2912 or by email at eburak@lifecarealliance.org.

Getting Started

Planting your own fruits and vegetables can be a fun hobby that leads to real flavor and nutrition! Here’s how to get started:

  1. Find a space where you want to plant your veggies (remember: it needs to have at least 6 hours of sun exposure).
  2. Grab some potting mix and dirt.
  3. Pick your favorite vegetables and herbs and get to planting!

Here are some easy-to-grow favorites: Radishes (grown from seeds), leaf lettuce (grown from seeds), cherry tomatoes (grown from a plant), bush beans (grown from seeds), and many more!

To grow your own herbs, grab a pot, some potting mix, grab rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, chives or whatever your favorite herbs might be and place it in the pot. Get ready to add some nutrition and flavor to your diet!