More important than “organic” is where a fruit or vegetable came from, and how long it’s been since it was picked.
Many fruits and vegetables - such as bananas, tomatoes, oranges and peppers - are picked unripe so that they can be shipped without bruising. They are transported through a network of artificially refrigerated distribution centers before arriving on the shelves.
This trip may be many hundreds or thousands of kms and take a week or even more.
But plant food starts to chemically change as soon as it is picked. And its nutrient density goes down the longer it is left off the plant. Spinach, for example, can lose 47% of its folate only 8 days after picking.
And seasonal broccoli has twice the Vitamin C as off-season broccoli from supermarkets.
If the choice is between store-bought and organic, choose organic. But if your priority is nutrient density…then local and seasonal will always be the way to go.
Check out your local farmer’s markets or - better yet and if you have the space - grow some of your own.
