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Jun 3, 2016
Eating healthy from the garden
Burpee  Edible Gardening Team Members

It's National Donut Day? Yikes! You’ll need to grow and eat your veggies if you want to combat any habits like that! Experts say a diet high in antioxidants can not only keep your body in top shape, it can strengthen the immune system and possibly slow the aging process (sounds good to me!). These powerhouse nutrients are found primarily in the fruits and vegetables in your garden that have vitamins A, C and E; beta-carotene; selenium; and lycopene.

So if you’ve decided to start a vegetable garden, you're already on the right path to healthy eating! Cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes and peppers are all great sources of antioxidants and easy to grow! For more food for thought, keep scrolling...

Beta-carotene: You’ll find this antioxidant in colorful fruits and vegetables, especially those with red, orange and yellow hues. It can be converted to vitamin A, which is essential for bone development and good vision.

Vitamin C: Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is needed to form collagen in bones, cartilage, muscle and blood. It also helps the body absorb iron. Besides citrus fruits, this antioxidant is also found in peppers.

Lycopene: Found often in red-colored vegetables, this carotenoid is present in your skin, liver, adrenal glands and lungs. With other nutrients, numerous studies show lycopene reduces incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration in the eye.

But even if it’s Donut Day, you can still make healthy choices during mealtimes. It’s easy:

  • Start your meal with a simple fresh salad. You’ll fill up with good stuff!
  • Use color as a guide to fill your plate. You’ll naturally seek out green and red veggies to balance your meats and starches.
  • Always cook extra vegetables to keep as leftovers. Even if your time is limited, you can have veggies with every meal.
  • Just like plants, we need plenty of water. Drink at least one large glass of water before or with every meal.
  • Seek out higher nutrition in every bite. Add a slice of tomato or spinach leaves to increase the value of your main dish.

DID YOU KNOW...
Choosing to grow vegetables from Burpee's BOOST Collection is an even easier way to get more nutrition from your garden. BOOST plants are specially selected for their higher levels of antioxidants than other home garden vegetable varieties. Learn more about BOOST vegetables here.

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