A Good Investment: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is - Jersey Fresh Information Exchange

A Good Investment:
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Pssst. Hey you. Yeh, I'm talkin' to you. I got something for you. It'll give you good health, ward off old age, make your skin beautiful, help you lose weight, help the environment and save our farms. What is it? Miracle Cure? Magic Pill? Golden Fleece? Nope. Jersey Fresh.

Allow me to elaborate. The health benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables every day have been confirmed again and again by a large amount of scientific research. For years health practitioners have known the benefits of certain nutrients in the diet, but now scientists are uncovering compounds known as antioxidants which have an array of protectant properties on health. From reducing the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases, to delaying complications of diabetes, antioxidants act as keys to unlock the disease process. Fruits and vegetables are abundant in antioxidants. From their high vitamin A and C content to the pigments that provide the bright colors in their skins, fresh produce is the best source of these essential compounds.

Is it possible to keep the symptoms of old age at bay? Researchers found the longest lived people in the world were those who maintained a traditional lifestyle in Okinawa, Japan. Okinawan elders were found to have low incidence of disease, were physically active and mentally alert, delaying or avoiding the chronic diseases of aging including heart disease, cancer and dementia (mental deterioration). Key to their longevity is their diet, which consists of at least 7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, an equal serving of grains, 2 servings of soy products a day, green tea, and fish several times a week.

If we are going to live to a ripe old age, better have our skin hold up. The key nutrients for skin health are vitamin C, vitamin A, the B vitamins, and essential fatty acids.

Vitamin C feeds the collagen, the elastic cement that holds the cells of the body together. Concerning the skin, collagen keeps skin tight, free from wrinkles and flabbiness. If you are feeding your body enough vitamin C, your skin will be tight and smooth. If you are deficient in vitamin C, the collagen will break down, your skin will lose its elasticity, and become weak, saggy and lifeless. Good sources for vitamin C include fresh fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin A aids in the growth and repair of body tissues and helps maintain smooth, soft, disease- free skin. Again, the best sources of vitamin A are - you guessed it - fresh fruits and vegetables.

And, as we continue down our list, what about weight control? No matter what spin you put on it, the bottom line for controlling weight is a diet that balances calories consumed with energy used. Our lifestyles and food choices have evolved into sedentary living and processed and excessive food consumption. Hence our balance has tipped the scales toward weight accumulation. Besides getting off our duff, what food choices can we make that are low in fat and calories and high in fiber? That's right, fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, foods rich in fiber can increase satiety, making you feel fuller -- and that may lead to consuming fewer calories, which can help with weight control.

Seems like there's an awful lot of reasons to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. But wait - we're not done yet!

Whether it is health concerns or weight control, there is no substitute for including at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day in you and your family's diet. Although vitamin supplements and frozen or canned foods can provide us with many of the nutrients we need, the richest source of an abundance of nutrients is fresh produce.

There's just one little tricky thing about "fresh" produce. You can walk into any supermarket and have an aisleful of "fresh" produce for the taking. But, just how "fresh" is produce that was picked 4 to 7 days before being placed on supermarket shelves, and was shipped an average of 1500 miles? And that is taking account for US grown products. The distances are substantially longer for produce imported from other countries.

Lucky for us in the Garden State, we can buy Jersey Fresh produce that really is "fresh off the farm". Unlike the big production states, where the considerations in farming methods are how to get the crop to you over long distances, Jersey Fresh products are picked at the peak of ripeness and can be on your table the same or next day!

Jersey Fresh at Maple Tree Produce

Now you have some food for thought as to why it's worthwhile to visit a community farmer's market or farmstand or to ask your supermarket to carry Jersey Fresh items. But there's one more reason, perhaps the most compelling: to Save our Farms. New Jersey, with its mild climate, superior soils and rich natural resource base, is ideal for producing bountiful farming. Our long tradition of farming is now threatened by rapid residential and commercial development, attracted by the same natural resources that make the land so suitable for farming, and by proximity to the region's metropolitan areas. New Jersey farmers need our support to keep farming alive in the State. Remember that fields, pastures and waterways provide scenic vistas, open space and wildlife habitat that enhance our quality of life. Farmers are the stewards who protect and nurture much of our open space. Once it's gone, there's no getting it back.

Many of us put some thought into where we spend our hard earned dollars. We want to buy the best for ourselves and our families, and we want to support causes and efforts we believe in. So, when you are making those food purchase decisions for your family each week, why not make an investment in your health and your Garden State? Buy Jersey Fresh and you're buying the best health insurance around and keeping the garden in the Garden State.

For listings of community farmer's markets, roadside markets, pick your own farms and what's in season, go to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture's web site or call your county Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension office.

Cindy Rovins, Agricultural Communications Editor