For example.. a fresh apple from a tropical country, consumed in said tropical country, vs. the same apple that has been imported by and shipped to a different country. Would they have the same nutritional value, or does the imported apple lose some of its vitamins and minerals by being stored and preserved longer?
Thanks in advance :)
As far as nutritional content is concerned typically food transported will have decreased nutritional value compared to produce harvested and eaten right away. As for different nutrition in different parts of the world mineral availability in soil as well as the other things listed above (light, water, co2, nutrients) all determine nutritional status of a crop. The technique of biofortification or biointesnive cropping seeks to expand on these practices that maximize nutrient quantity and quality in produce. For instance lots of sulfur in volcanic soil. Brassica like broccoli, cabbag and cauliflower accumulate sulfur and convert to beneficial glucosinulates that are sulfur based compounds that benefit human nutrition. Shitty soil can mean very little nutritive value.
Produce gradually loses nutrients after it’s picked. So the longer you wait from harvest to consumption, the less nutrients. This process of losing nutrients is slowed by preservation methods, which are improving with technology, and essentially stops during freezing. So produce frozen at harvest or produce bought from local farms soon after harvest are generally the most nutritious. And ‘fresh’ produce at the grocery store that has taken a lengthy journey to be imported will be less nutritious.
Yes, they vary, for example, dragon fruits from Thailand pale in terms of taste when compared with their counterparts grown in Maharashtra India. The nutritional value will also invariably vary. Storage and preservation techniques can also alter the original nutritional value of apples or any other fruits for that matter. To get the most out of fruits stick to the locally procured…Happy crunching.
Yes they do have minimal to major differences in terms of nutritive values due to the handling process.
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