Pardon the idea but nowadays, when so many people are worried about things like housing and mortgages, work place discrimination, real estate, fashion, entertainment, vacations and the like, issues like food quality and food awareness may become unnecessarily pushed aside. People have said that it is of course important to watch out for food scams, as fraud could exist on food labels.

Everyone knows that veggies form an important part of a nutritionally balanced diet, but science has only fairly recently started observing that there is a whole lot more to Vegetables than carbs, some protein, and a lot of vitamins and minerals. Each and every type of plant – including vegetables – contain many thousands of defensive chemicals collectively called Phytonutrients, “phyto” from the Greek meaning “plant.”

In common cause with vitamins and minerals, phytonutrients are chemicals which help the plant protect itself against, among other things, the damaging oxidative effects of respiration. Some examples of phytonutrients are flavonoids, catechins, carotenoids, terpenoids, phenols, anthocyanins, isothiocyanates, and a whole range of other compounds with tongue-twisting names. It is thought that phytonutrients (sometimes also known as “phytochemicals”) modify gene expression, each one promoting different healthy physiological functions in human beings. To receive all the benefits that come with phytonutrients’ interactions with our genes, we need to enjoy every day a wide variety of locally grown produce, perhaps preferably organic. A good rule-of-thumb is to eat five different colors of vegetables each day for good health.

Many phytonutrients are found in or just right underneath the skin of a vegetable, and processing typically removes this nutritionally rich layer, which is why fresh produce is recommended over any that has been canned or even flash-frozen. Many phytonutrients also evaporate or are otherwise damaged upon exposure to heat, light, and air, and processing generally involves some sort of sterilization by heat. And many phytonutrients are activated once a plant’s surface has been breached, such as from being cut and picked, with reserves used up within hours or days, long before it has become a part of our meals. And research has observed that plants produce many more phytonutrients when they are not being helped along by pesticides. Pesticides, of course, can often be harmful to human beings. Due to this and many other similar reasons, buying organic and buying locally is highly recommended.

Each vegetable has developed its own unique combination of phytonutrients for its own defense and growth. Luckily, these strange compounds, which are only just beginning to lend themselves to scientific scrutiny, seem to be very good for human beings, perhaps helping to protect us against premature aging and chronic disease. They might interact with our genes to increase the expression of those which encode for antioxidization and detoxification while inhibiting harmful ones which promote inflammation or cancer. Many more years of careful research are needed, but it’s a surety right now that phytonutrients are fundamentally a good thing.

This article has been posted strictly for information and human interest purposes only, not for medical or advisory purposes and does not necessarily constitute the opinions or conclusions of the provider. The reader should not rely upon the validity of any of the information contained herein. The reader should consult a doctor, nutritionist, and other medical professionals when seek advice about food, nutrition, diet, and physiology.