by Now is the time when many people fortify themselves with vitamins and eat lots of fruits and vegetables. We will show you what is not recommended in the cold season and why.
Our kitchen and refrigerator are usually well stocked, even in autumn – but often with the wrong foods. If you buy correctly, you are not only doing something for your health, but also for the environment and fair working conditions. Therefore, you must consciously avoid certain foods during the cold season.
1) Strawberries in autumn
Strawberries now mainly come from abroad. For example, from Spain, where strawberry plantations are planted due to exploitative working conditions massive use of pesticides and more questionable Irrigation methods fell into discredit. Or they are even imported from Israel or California.
The following applies to strawberries from Germany: don’t be fooled! In autumn and winter in this country they ripen only with a considerable expenditure of energy. In particular, electricity consumption for artificial lighting is enormous.
In our Utopia seasonal calendar You can find out which locally grown fruits and vegetables you can buy.
2) Imported apples
Which is more environmentally friendly: an imported apple from New Zealand or a refrigerated local apple? This question is a well-known ecological dilemma – fortunately we can until mid-December it doesn’t matter.
Until then there are fresh apples from the region, which are not available cooled using a lot of energy should be used, for example Cox Orange, Jonagold, Elstar, Berlepsch. Foreign apples really don’t need to be available right now.
In our photo series “Identify apple varieties“, you will mainly find apple varieties that also grow here.
3) Green salads
When it’s cold, green salads come out (like lettuce, Batavia, iceberg lettuce) heated greenhouse and end up in “immature” stores. This is why they have less flavor and also contain fewer healthy nutrients such as vitamins and phytochemicals.
Have it now too enough salads in Germany Season, for example, with lamb’s lettuce, chicory, radicchio, endive or purslane.
4) Imported nuts
Most nuts in our stores comes from far away: Peanuts from the USA and Israel, walnuts from California, almonds from the USA and Spain, cashews from India.
That’s why, especially in the fall and winter months, we should eat varieties that also grow here (and stored without much energy expenditure become). So: walnuts and hazelnuts from Germany.
5) Conventional citrus fruits
Even if it says “untreated” on the label – they are used on conventional oranges, tangerines and lemons regular pesticide and preservative residues found.
Manufacturers use tricks to make them… chemical treatment It is not necessary to specify: the sprays that are normally applied to the fruits after harvesting are already sprayed on the lemons and oranges hanging on the tree.
Then: Better to buy organic and fairly!
6) Conventional ACE drinks
An extra serving of vitamins for an intact immune system? Better not with conventional ACE drinks. O Fruit content mainly mind only between 20 and 60 percent. To do this, water, sugar or sweeteners and vitamins are mixed. These vitamins usually come from the laboratory and their benefits are also highly controversial.
If you want to take vitamins in liquid form, it is better Organic quality direct juices drink – are healthier and are usually bottled in season. Or you could try one of our healthy winter smoothie recipes made with seasonal ingredients.
7) Tomatoes in winter? Better not to buy
We love eating them all year round. But in the cold season almost all of our tomatoes come from Holland, Spain and France, where they are grown in greenhouses. with high energy consumption be created.
Better: avoid “fresh” tomatoes in winter and use pasta, pizza, etc. instead. strained organic tomatoes in a jar to use. These are harvested when ripe and therefore not only taste better than winter imports, but also contain more nutrients. But it’s best to take a closer look when shopping, because jarred and canned tomatoes often come from China and have long transportation routes behind them. If you have your own garden, you can cook tomatoes for the winter, then the transportation routes are shorter.
8) Cucumbers: not a winter food
The same applies to cucumbers and tomatoes. They are popular year-round, but are only in season here from June until the end of October. In winter there are imports of greenhouse gases and this means: less healthy nutrients, problematic production conditions and long transport routes.
Another reason that speaks against cucumbers in winter: in some supermarkets you can now only find them wrapped in plastic. The supermarkets’ justification: This way, the cucumbers would be better protected during transport.
We will show you how to do this Avoid packaging in the supermarket he can.
9) Zucchini
Although zucchini is a pumpkin plant, it is only in season here from June until the end of October. “Real” pumpkins like Hokkaido or Butternut On the other hand, it is available in stock from home cultivation until December and thereafter.
We will show some You can also eat pumpkins with the skin on he can. Also this delicious and hot Pumpkin soup recipe you can try.
10) Conventional tea
Black and green tea mainly comes from China, India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. In conventional plantations, Working conditions are often miserable. Exploitation, discrimination and poverty are the order of the day. The huge Pesticide use It harms the environment and workers, pesticide residues end up in our glasses.
You should therefore buy black and green tea in fair trade and with the EU organic seal. Or: prefer herbal teas made with local herbs.
11) Imported grapes
From November onwards the grapes usually come from South Africa, India, Chile, Peru or Brazil. As they do not ripen, they are picked fresh and then transported to us by ship. Depending on the place of origin, this can take up to three weeks – and that’s it as far as freshness is concerned.
Conventional grapes are also often contaminated with pesticides, because vines are susceptible to fungi, lice, mites and other pests. Not only do we suffer from this, but the environment also suffers. Therefore, you should only buy fruits regionally, in season and of organic quality.
Utopia’s seasonal calendar
When did strawberries actually come from Germany? Which regional salad can you eat in winter? Our Utopia seasonal calendar gives you an overview of when fruits and vegetables are in season here.
You can get an overview of all twelve months with the great Utopia seasonal calendar for the whole year – like download free PDF for everyone who subscribes to our newsletter.
Please read our health information.
** marked with ** or orange underline Links to supply sources are partly partner links: If you buy here, you are actively supporting Utopia.de, because we will receive a small part of the sales profits. More information.
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