by Now is the time when many people fortify themselves with vitamins and eat lots of fruits and vegetables. We will show you what is not recommended in the cold season and why.
Our kitchen and refrigerator are usually well stocked, even in autumn, but often with the wrong foods. If you shop correctly, you are not only doing something for your health, but also for the environment and fair working conditions. You should therefore consciously avoid certain foods during the cold season.
1) Strawberries in autumn
Strawberries now mainly come from abroad. For example from Spain, where strawberry plantations are planted due to labor exploitation conditions massive use of pesticides and more questionable Irrigation methods have fallen into disrepute. Or they are even imported from Israel or California.
The following applies to strawberries from Germany: Don’t be fooled! In autumn and winter in this country they ripen only with considerable energy expenditure. In particular, the consumption of electricity for artificial lighting is enormous.
In our Utopia seasonal calendar You can find out what fruits and vegetables you can buy that are grown locally.
2) Imported apples
What is greener: an apple imported from New Zealand or a local apple from cold storage? This question is a well-known ecological dilemma: fortunately we can do it until around mid-December No problem.
Until then there are fresh apples from the region, which are not available cooled using a lot of energy for example Cox Orange, Jonagold, Elstar, Berlepsch must be used. Apples from abroad do not necessarily have to be available now.
In our photo series “Identify apple varieties“, you will find above all varieties of apples that also grow here.
3) Green salads
When it’s cold, green salads come out (like lettuce, batavia, iceberg). heated greenhouse and end up in “immature” shops. That’s why they have less flavor and also contain fewer healthy nutrients like vitamins and phytochemicals.
Get it now too enough salads in Germany Season for example valerian, chicory, radicchio, endive or purslane.
4) Imported nuts
Most nuts in our stores come from very far away: Peanuts from USA and Israel, walnuts from California, almonds from USA and Spain, cashews from India.
This is why, especially in the autumn and winter months, we should eat varieties that also grow here (e.g stored without much energy expenditure become). So: walnuts and hazelnuts from Germany.
5) Conventional citrus fruits
Even though it says “untreated” on the label, they are used in conventional oranges, mandarins and lemons regular residues of pesticides and preservatives found.
Manufacturers use tricks to make them… chemical treatment it is not necessary to specify it: the sprays that are normally applied to the fruit after harvesting are already sprayed on the lemons and oranges hanging on the tree.
AS: Better to buy organic and fair!
6) Conventional ACE drinks
An extra portion of vitamins for an intact immune system? Better not with conventional ACE drinks. THE Fruit content mostly lies only between 20 and 60%.. For this purpose, water, sugar or sweeteners and vitamins are mixed. These vitamins often come from laboratories and their benefits are also very controversial.
If you want to take vitamins in liquid form, that’s better Organic quality direct juices drink: they are healthier and are usually bottled during the respective season. Or you can try one of our healthy winter smoothie recipes made with seasonal ingredients.
7) Winter tomatoes? Better not buy it
We love eating them all year round. But in the cold season almost all of our tomatoes come from the Netherlands, Spain and France, where they are grown in greenhouses with high energy consumption be raised.
Better: avoid “fresh” tomatoes in winter and use pasta, pizza, etc. pureed organic tomatoes in a jar usage. These are harvested when ripe and therefore not only taste better than winter imports, but also contain more nutrients. But it is better to take a closer look when shopping, because jarred and canned tomatoes often come from China and have long transportation routes behind them. If you have your own garden, you can cook tomatoes for the winter yourself, so the transportation routes are the shortest.
8) Cucumbers: not a winter food
The same goes for cucumbers and tomatoes. They are popular year-round, but are only in season here from June to late October. In winter there are greenhouse imports and this means: less healthy nutrients, problematic production conditions and long transportation routes.
Another reason against cucumbers in winter: In some supermarkets you can now only find them wrapped in plastic. The supermarkets’ justification: this way the cucumbers would be better protected during transport.
Instead, we’ll show you how to do it Avoid supermarket packaging Candies.
9) Courgettes
Although courgettes are a squash plant, they are only in season here from June to late October. “Real” pumpkins like Hokkaido or butternut On the other hand, it is available in stock from home cultivation until December and from then on.
We will show some of them You can also eat pumpkin with the peel Candies. Also delicious and warming Pumpkin soup recipe you can try it.
10) Conventional tea
Black and green tea largely comes from China, India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. In conventional plantations they are Working conditions are often miserable. Exploitation, discrimination and poverty are the order of the day. The massive one Use of pesticides it harms the environment and workers, pesticide residues end up in our cups.
You should therefore buy black and green tea from fair trade and with the EU organic seal. Or: prefer herbal teas made from local herbs.
11) Imported grapes
From November onwards, the grapes usually come from South Africa, India, Chile, Peru or Brazil. Since they do not ripen, they are harvested fresh and then transported by us by ship. Depending on the place of origin, this can take up to three weeks – and that’s it as far as freshness goes.
Conventional grapes are too often contaminated by pesticides, because the vine is sensitive to fungi, lice, mites and other parasites. Not only do we suffer, but the environment also suffers. You should therefore only buy fruit that is regional, seasonal and of organic quality.
The seasonal calendar of Utopia
When do strawberries actually arrive from Germany? Which regional salad to eat in winter? Our Utopia seasonal calendar gives you an overview of when fruits and vegetables are in season here.
You can have an overview of all twelve months with the large Utopia seasonal calendar for the whole year – e.g free PDF download for all those who subscribe to our newsletter.
Please read our health information.
** marked with ** o underlined in orange The links to the sources of supply are partly links to partners: If you buy here, you actively support Utopia.de, because we receive a small part of the sales proceeds. Further information.
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