Senad Alic
My five good reasons to grow your own food
Updated: Jan 14, 2021
Growing your own produce is a simple solution to numerous health, environmental, and economic problems. Whether you are growing a single tomato plant or have a large backyard garden, it is beneficial to your health, but also makes an impact to the environment.
There are many good reasons to grow your own, for today I would highlight these five:
1. More Nutritious and much much tastier
When growing your own food, your diet is more diverse and healthy, packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Food in its rawest, freshest form is not only the tastiest way to enjoy it, but also the most nutritional. The majority of produce sold in grocery stores go through a long process of being harvested, shipped and distributed to stores. Once distributed, the produce can end up staying in storage or on the shelf for an extended period of time before being purchased, losing nutritional value.
2. Stay Active, move and grow
Gardening is a fun way to get outside for some fresh air and physical activity. The physical activity required in gardening has proven to promote physical health. Involvement in gardening helps to improve cardiac health and immune system response, decrease heart rate and stress, improve body flexibility and strength. Getting regular exercise can relieve stress, anxiety and depression, while boosting energy.
And on those bad days that we all have, seeing your plants grow is a such a mood booster...
3. Get Vitamin D and grounding
Gardening is a great way to absorb vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D is crucial in order to maintain healthy bones and teeth, and it can also protect against certain diseases. Staying in touch with soil, even as short as 15 minutes, improves the state of your mind and your body.
4. Save Money
You can save a lots of money by growing your own vegetables and fruits. By spending a little money on seeds, plants, and supplies in the spring, you will produce vegetables that will reward you in quality produce throughout the season.
5. Better for the Environment
Long-distance transportation of produce relies heavily on fossil fuels. Growing your own food would help reduce the reliance on this transportation that is harming the environment. Also, by growing your own food, you are not using chemicals or pesticides that can harm environment and making an impact on keeping our Mother Earth a healthier home.
