In animal testing, birds, rats and chickens who ate organic diets lived longer and healthier than their nonorganic counterparts. Organic crops might provide higher nutritious content in grains, fruits and vegetables than regular crops. However, organic crops are highly dependent on variants such as seasons, weather and the environment. Locally grown organic fruits and vegetables are not available year round, but organic eaters can compensate with vitamin supplements during the off-season.
Step 1
Boost your vitamin C consumption during the cool winter months. Plants such as strawberries, citrus and tomatoes are excellent sources of vitamin C, even more so in organic crops. However, these plants are vulnerable in cold weather and die off quickly with frost.
Step 2
Ensure vitamin supplements contain B-12 for year-round supplementation. Vegans and those gaining all nutrients from organic crops might be especially at risk of becoming B-12 deficient, as this vitamin is only present in animal products, such as meat.
Step 3
Supplement with vitamins containing the mineral calcium in the summer. Organic local crops will only produce most calcium-rich dark, leafy greens in the cooler months of autumn and spring, such as spinach and broccoli. These greens thrive in cooler weather and can taste bitter in the hot summer months.
Step 4
Take a daily multivitamin year-round. A multivitamin is the one sure-fire way to ensure a full complement of vitamins is included in the diet. Unfortunately, the body does not provide any signals that it is vitamin-deficient until it is too late. When vitamin deficiency diseases start showing, such as osteoporosis or rickets, medical intervention is required.
Tips and Warnings
- Different-colored fruits and vegetables favor different vitamins. For instance, bright-orange vegetables, such as carrots and pumpkins, are an excellent source of beta-carotene, or vitamin A.
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