Vegetable Garden

There are a number of great reasons for growing your own vegetables. First and foremost is the taste. Home grown vegetables have a much nicer taste than supermarket vegetables and last considerably longer, as some store veggies deteriorate within days of purchase. Secondly, growing your own vegetables is cheaper, and you don't have to be wary of genetically modified food, as you know exactly what has gone onto and into yours.

So how do you establish a vegetable garden? The most important factor in creating a successful vegetable garden is a location with lots of sunlight. Pick the sunniest spot in the garden you can find. If the only sunny area outside is concreted or a balcony, then plant the vegetables in pots. There are a number of types of veggies which are developed specifically to be grown in containers, and the process is easier than ever before.

The soil used for a vegetable garden needs to be nice and crumbly and well-draining, to allow easy access to nutrients, water and air. This will ensure rapid root growth and fast developing vegetables. Compost and animal manure also assist in growth by creating ideal conditions for the vegetables.

Knowing what to plant is the most important factor of a vegetable garden. There is no point planting a vegetable that no-one in your household will eat. Cater to your market, and continually sow seeds so that you have a constant supply of fresh vegetables. Some of the easiest to grow and most rewarding are beans, peas, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, broccoli zucchini and capsicums.

There are many health benefits of eating organic vegetables. Research shows that eating fruits and vegetables (in general) lower your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. They also assist in weight loss by helping to make you feel fuller while consuming less calories. Diets high in fruits and vegetables maximise your intake of dietary fibre and vitamins A and C, and may reduce the risk of some types of cancer.

The recommended minimum intake of fruits and vegetables per day is 5 servingsk, which a large majority of people do not get. Eating fruit or vegetables with every meal is a good way to make sure you get enough, and reap the rewards of healthier eating. Eating a mix of all types of fruits and vegetables is the best way to look after your health as each type contains different components that help reinforce eachother and look after your body. This helps give us a combination of nutrients that benefits us most.

Different coloured fruits contain different phytonutrients. Red fruit and vegetables, such as tomatoes, contain lycopene, which is thought to help fight heart disease and prostate cancer. Green vegetables, like spinach, contain zeaxanthin and lutein, which help protect against eye disease as we get older. Purple and blue fruits and vegetables such as blueberries and eggplant contain anthocyanins, which help protect our body from cancer.

Eating organic fruits and vegetables is even more beneficial, because they do not have pesticides, and the lower toxicity levels will be healthier on your body.