Both the health community and the environmentalists have pushed for consumers to consider buying local vegetables whenever possible. Health enthusiasts claim the foods are healthier, since they don't require as many chemicals to store and transport the veggies. At the same time, fewer vehicle emissions are needed to deliver the goods over long distances. And, of course, buying local vegetables also helps support your local economy.
Benefits
While large commercial vegetable growers have instituted practices that allow them to produce great quantities of diverse selections, local producers do not have to worry about the strategies employed by big farms to grow and deliver their goods. According to the Harvard School of Medicine, the nutritional value of local produce depends on a variety of factors including storage, packaging, crop variety and production methods. When vegetables are delivered locally, they can be eaten when at their peak freshness and nutrient retention.
Significance
The Food and Drug Administration lists the top 20 most popular local vegetables grown and sold at local supermarkets in the United States. In an effort to provide retailers with point-of-purchase nutritional information on local produce, the FDA compiled the popular veggies in a chart for the stores.
Types
The most popular vegetables that are grown locally and sold at local markets are asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, carrots and cauliflower. Nutritional facts for raw vegetables are included for the list, which also includes cucumbers, celery, green onions, cabbage and snap beans. Iceberg and leaf lettuce make the list as well. Rounding out the top 20 are onions, mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, radishes, sweet potatoes, sweet corn and summer squash.
Considerations
Vegetables eaten raw are higher in nutritional value than frozen or canned vegetables, as well. According to Medline Plus, even home canning and freezing methods can neutralize and destroy many of the inherent nutrients in vegetables. The most nutritious form of fruits and vegetables are those that are eaten shortly after being picked from the plant.
Features
One serving of most of the top 20 locally grown vegetables varies between 10 and 30 calories. Sweet potatoes have about 100 calories in each serving. Sweet corn, at about 90 calories per serving, is the only vegetable with inherent fat content that equals about 20 of those calories. Raw, locally grown produce has very little protein in a serving, ranging from 0 g in radishes and celery to 4 g in broccoli and sweet corn. Potatoes have the highest concentration of carbohydrates, with 26 g in one serving, while lettuce and cucumbers have about 2 g of carbs in a serving. Fresh, raw vegetables are effective sources of dietary fiber, and provide significant amounts of vitamins C and A.
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