by - Important information about nutrition in autumn and winter
- This Fruit you’d better not buy now
- Legumes and vegetables: Courgettes, cucumbers and co. less healthy
- These are them correct alternatives In the cold season
Most people want to take plenty of vitamins, especially in the winter strengthen. Known to be included Vegetables AND Fruit Many of them. However, you should avoid some foods in cold weather Better to give up. We’ll tell you why and show you good alternatives ON.
Fruit in autumn and winter: This is important when shopping: strawberries, apples and the like.
It is very important to take a look when buying food Environment and working conditions throw away. With thoughtful and conscious shopping you not only do something good for your health, but you also support it fairer working conditions and climate. It is therefore best to consider whether you really want to buy the following types of fruit and vegetables in winter.
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#1 Strawberries: A popular fruit that you should avoid in winter is Strawberries, as they usually come from abroad at this time of year. Foreign strawberry plantations have become substantial in part due to heavy use of pesticides. According to the Federal Center for Nutrition, in 2018 alone, 77,145 tons of strawberries were imported from Spain. But even if you buy strawberries from Germany: they arrived already some time ago in winter no longer in season. That means they’re just below extreme energy expenditure it can still mature. That’s why it’s best to buy regional and seasonal strawberries in the peak season from June to July.
#2 Apples: You buy it at the supermarket in winter Apples, you automatically find yourself in a dilemma similar to that of the strawberries. Most apples are imported goods, for example from Italy or New Zealand. Considering the long transport routes, this is certainly not good for the environment. But local apples offer one until about mid-December good alternative: Regional varieties such as Golden Delicious, Boskop or Topaz are generally not yet chilled with much energy.
#3 Citrus: “Untreated”? Despite what is stated, this is not always true. Pesticide and preservative residues are regularly discovered in oranges, mandarins and lemons. The reason: If producers use sprays on citrus fruits still hanging on the tree, there is no need to specify the chemical treatment. If you want to be sure that no pesticides have been used, you should look for organic and fair-trade labels.
#4 Grapes: You may have noticed that when it comes to grapes, it usually arrives from abroad from November onwards. These include, for example, South Africa, India, Peru and Chile. The grapes then usually follow a very long transport route, sometimes by ship. As a result, the environment suffers. To preserve their freshness, imported grapes are often contaminated with pesticides. It is best to buy only organic grapes regionally and within the season. In Germany the grape season runs from September to October.
Vegetables and legumes in winter: These varieties are less healthy in winter
#5 Salads: At the time of purchase salads You should also pay attention to seasonality and country of origin. Salads like this Chicory, valerian or lettuce they are also available in winter from local crops. However, other lettuces, such as iceberg lettuce, come from heated greenhouses and often end up in supermarkets not yet fully ripe. In this case they not only taste less good, but they also contain fewer healthy nutrients.
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#6 Tomatoes: These can be used in various ways for cooking and baking. They are not only delicious, but also very healthy. However, if you buy tomatoes in winter, they mainly come from the Netherlands, Spain and France. To bring tomatoes to Germany not only require long transport routes, but they are also grown in greenhouses in the country of origin using a lot of energy. If you want to cook pizza, pasta or other things in winter, you should avoid fresh tomatoes. Instead, offer yourself pureed or jarred canned tomatoes A. Here too it is recommended to pay attention to the organic certification and the country of origin.
#7 Cucumbers: Just like tomatoes are Cucumbers are not winter vegetables. In Germany they are only in season from June to the end of October. The goods we receive in winter are imported from greenhouses. This not only means problematic production conditions, but also less healthy nutrients and long transport routes. In winter you should avoid buying cucumbers.
#8 Zucchini: Although courgettes are part of the pumpkin family, they are only in season until the end of October. This differs from pumpkins like Hokkaido or butternut, which you can find grown locally until late December. Like other foods, it’s worth buying courgettes in season and using pumpkins in the winter.
#9 Walnuts: If you like eating dried fruit, you’ll notice that many of them come from far away. For example, there are peanuts from Israel, walnuts from California, cashews from India and almonds from the United States. If you want to do something good for the environment, this doesn’t mean you have to give up dried fruit completely. For example, there are walnuts and hazelnuts from Germany that ripen in autumn and winter. This way you can get delicious and fresh nuts even in winter.
Juices and teas: here’s what to pay attention to when it comes to drinks in winter
#10 Tea: In the cold season a hot tea is a real highlight. However, the conventional one is coming Black and green tea especially from China, India, Sri Lanka and Kenya, where working conditions are often miserable. Here you are Exploitation, discrimination and poverty not a foreign word; Pesticides are also often used. When purchasing tea, it is important to look for Fairtrade certification and an EU organic seal. Otherwise you could switch to locally grown herbal teas.
#11 Some juices: The well-known ACE juice is not suitable for providing extra vitamins to your immune system. A look at the fruit content shows that it is only between 20 and 60%. The main ingredients are water, sugar and sweeteners. Sometimes laboratory vitamins are also added, the benefits of which are controversial. It is better to use organic natural juice or prepare a smoothie yourself from seasonal fruits.
Bottom line: Poor working conditions, fewer nutrients and pesticides make many foods less advisable in winter
Many foods are imported from abroad. It is not uncommon for bad working conditions to prevail there; Additionally, foods that are out of season often contain fewer nutrients. It is important to pay attention to fair trade and organic labels to support workers on the one hand and to ensure that no pesticides have been used on the other.
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