Whether you’re already interested or just beginning to learn, now is the perfect time of year to start growing a vegetable garden. The bountiful harvest of the summer months will produce a crop that you will surely enjoy for months to come. There are numerous advantages of starting a garden in your own backyard. Here are five health benefits of growing your own food.
More Nutritious
The number one health benefit of growing your own food is that it will likely be more nutritious than just about anything you can find at a grocery store. Fresh produce straight from the garden is chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Food that is sold in the grocery stores generally has a long journey before it arrives to your house. As it is transported and sits, it loses a great deal of its nutritional value.
You will leverage the most nutritional benefit from your food if you eat it freshly picked from your backyard garden. In addition, most food grown in your garden is organic, boosting its nutritional value even further.
No Harmful Pesticides
Many people choose to grown their own food because they can control the growing environment.
For example, using your own mushroom grow kit eliminates the need to use potentially harmful chemicals and pesticides during the growing process, and makes it easy to grow food without a lot of tools or know-how.
If you encounter issues with pests or other types of diseases, you can generally find an organic solution to the problem. Harvesting your own food also mitigates the risk of food-borne illnesses that plague many conventionally grown products.
By growing your own produce, you reduce the risk that you will contract E. coli, salmonella, and listeria. All of this adds up to food that is better for your body.
More Likely To Eat Fresh Produce
Simply put, fresh grown produce just tastes better. Because of this, you will be more likely to nourish your body with this nutrient-dense food. When you have a large harvest, you are forced to be creative with new recipes so that the food does not go to waste.
Because they are picked at the height of ripeness, they will be at their most tasty stage when you eat them.
Once you realize how amazing a freshly harvested piece of produce tastes, you will be inspired to grow even more varieties in your backyard.
In addition to a traditional vegetable garden, you may also consider planting a few fruit-bearing trees or bushes to expand your options even further.
Another good idea is to plant a windowsill herb garden. You will be surprised at how easy it is to have fresh herbs such as basil and rosemary available all year long.
Gardening Is Good Exercise
Gardening also benefits your health because the act itself is good exercise. The various movements involved with gardening require a certain amount of strength and flexibility.
Digging, weeding, and planting are all good ways to enjoy low-impact exercise. Tilling and raking are also good forms of aerobic exercise that build muscle tone and strength while providing a cardiovascular benefit.
You can increase the caloric burn if you are intentional about working at a consistent pace rather than just puttering around.
Like most types of exercise, you will get out of it what you put into it. Additionally, gardening will also boost your mental and emotional health.
Soak Up Vitamin D
Gardening also naturally puts you outside, supporting the body’s need to soak up crucial levels of vitamin D. This vitamin is important to a variety of functions, including maintaining healthy bones and teeth and offering protection against a myriad of diseases.
Your body needs adequate vitamin D to be able to absorb calcium. A little bit of vitamin D goes a long way.
You do not need to stay outside for an extended time to take in the amount your body needs for optimal health.
Regardless of if you are growing a single plant or if you are cultivating an expansive garden, you will quickly see the fruits of your labor and the benefits to your overall health.
Not only is growing your own food beneficial to your own physical and emotional health, but it is also good for the environment, making you feel good about the choices that you are making.
You can find much more information on living a holistic lifestyle in these free magazines and on our YouTube channel.
Becca is a java junkie from the West Coast. You’ll always find her dancing with her husband and searching for the best mushroom grow kit.
