Facts About Store-Bought Vegetables:

1. Store-bought organics:

• May be sprayed with chemicals in the field and while transporting to shelves to prevent losses.
• May be grown in dirt lacking key nutrients and minerals.
• May not be picked at the right time of growth.

2. Store-bought vegetables:

• May be packaged in plastics.
• May come into contact with contaminates in transit.
• May have been subject to extreme temperature fluctuation in transit.

3. Store-bought produce:

• May have been cross-pollinated with GMO seeds.
• May have been tampered with along the way to the store shelf.
• May have been injected or coated with a nonfood substance to enhance looks.

4. Store-bought veggies are grown for profit, not human health.

• Commercial produce breeders often develop new varieties based on high yields, fast growth, or the ability to withstand shipping.
• Many modern varieties offer fewer nutrients than varieties did decades ago. Research comparing nutrient content in garden crops using U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data from 1950 to 1999 found significant nutrient drops.
• Many commercial crops are picked early and ripen on the way to stores. Research shows fully ripe crops have more vitamin C than those picked early.3 The downside is that fully ripe fruits and veggies are more apt to bruise during picking and have shorter shelf life—two reasons commercial growers often pick pre-full ripeness.
• Vitamins and antioxidants in some types of produce may be more than 100 percent higher in local crops versus imported ones. Produce from local farmers doesn't have to stand up to long-distance shipping, so they, like you, may choose to plant more nutritious varieties.
• Storage times, temperatures, and exposure all affect nutrient loss. Commercial fruits and vegetables grown in North America typically take about five days to reach U.S. markets, while produce grown outside North America can be in transit for several weeks before it hits store shelves.
• Processing fresh fruits and veggies by cooking, freezing, or other methods impacts nutrients, appearance, textures, and flavors. Water-soluble vitamins, such as B and C, are lost in cooking water. Fat-soluble vitamins, such as A and E, are hit by heat and cold. Fresh green beans can lose 77 percent of their vitamin C over seven days in the fridge, even at proper temperatures.