A rising question in society today is whether the produce we eat is giving us the nutrition we assume it’s giving, or harming us more than we know.

Vegetables are a part of diets worldwide. They provide the necessary nutritional value with their numerous vitamins and minerals. For many individuals, vegetables make up a large portion of their daily intake.

Vegetables are commonly bought from grocery stores, where they are available in a variety of forms. Commonly, vegetables are purchased processed due to affordability like canned vegetables.

However, canned vegetables are proven to include more sodium, with added salt to extend their shelf life. Excess sodium can be detrimental to the body, possibly worsening one’s health. Nonetheless, this can be avoided by purchasing canned vegetables with less to no sodium.

Vegetables are consumed in other different ways, such as through salads. Pre-prepared salads may include added sauces, flavoring, fried bread, croutons and meats. These ingredients can be high in sugar, saturated fat and salt which should be avoided.

Grocery stores provide vegetables for consumers in several ways, which all ways aren’t necessarily great for the body. Avoiding excessive ingredients that aren’t needed is the healthiest way to buy vegetables for consumption.

A form of vegetable that can guarantee richness in vitamins and minerals would be fresh produce with minimal to no processing. These are low in calories yet high in nutrients, making them ideal for preventing chronic diseases and weight loss. Fresh vegetables nearly entirely retain their nutritional content as they’re not exposed to preservatives, sodium, or high heat that destroys nutrients.

Fresh vegetables are produced in many areas in Coppell that can be bought in stores or at farmers markets. This also includes the Eco Club at Coppell High School, where they grow various produce such as sweet potatoes, bell peppers and squash on the school campus.

“I think fresh food, in general, is more nutritionally valuable, it’s always said to have more nutrients and vitamins when more fresh than processed,” Eco Club officer senior Ashia Agarwal said. 

When plants are grown with additional natural sources such as compost, healthy soil and fertilizers, plants can be guaranteed to be fresh and filled with nutritious content.

“Eco Club tries to use the most natural stuff like the compost, and I think that it puts in more nutrients, as well as soil we create,” Agarwal said. “Because we use compost and natural products, that should lead to more nutrition.”

To ensure a healthier diet, buying vegetables fresh is a great step towards that. While avoiding unhealthy aspects found in processed vegetables, fresh vegetables provide quite the opposite. To obtain fresh vegetables, growing them or going to farmers markets such as the Coppell Farmers Market are great options.

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