Growing your own food
From mental rest, to eating better, getting more fresh air and less screen time – we can all benefit from a daily dose of nature. During these ever changing times, it seems like everyone is realising just how important getting outside is to our health and wellbeing. Here are just 3 reasons why now is the time to start growing your own food.
You’ll consider healthier food choices
The process of growing your own food can have a very big (and very positive) impact on the food choices we make; growing food ourselves increases its appeal and cultivates a greater appreciation for quality and freshness. The process of growing food also forces us to think a little more about where the rest of our food comes from, which is almost always likely to steer us toward healthier choices.
Quality and Nutritional Value
In many parts of the world ‘fresh’ produce travels for at least a week to get to you. Allowing for time spent on a supermarket shelf (1-2 weeks), then sitting in your refrigerator (2-5 days), it’s quite likely that a lot of the produce you’re eating is at least 3 weeks old by the time you eat it. The moment a plant is harvested it starts to decompose. Although calories and carbohydrates transport and age well, vitamins and nutrients do not. Did you know that most produce loses around 30% of nutrients just 3 days after harvesting?
Just living with plants, even if we don’t eat them, makes us feel better!
- Improves focus and attention – research has found that having plants and greenery in the workplace can improve well-being, raise productivity and boost creativity.
- Reduces stress and anxiety – gardening for 30 minutes can do more to reduce stress than other ‘stress reducing activities’.
- Promotes physical health – In one of the favourite and best-known studies, patients in the hospital recovered faster and were released sooner when they had a view of greenery.
– Liz –