Save the earth and better yourself: 8 reasons why growing your own food is the best decision you will ever make

Have you ever thought of growing your own fruits and vegetables? If not, now is the time to start considering it. It may seem tedious and overwhelming, but in reality it is actually easy and simple. You can start by growing them in your backyard, or if you do not have any yard, consider container gardening in your balcony, patio, or on a windowsill. Still not convinced? Here are eight reasons on why you should start growing your own food.

1. Have a healthier family – Nothing can beat the freshness of fruits and vegetables that are homegrown. Serving your family fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the most valuable things you and your family can do to be healthy. Fruits and vegetables grown in your backyard are the best because you harvest them straight from your garden and eat them fresh. Another proven health benefit of homegrown produce was shown in a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Results of the study showed that preschool children who almost always ate homegrown produce were more than two times likely to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day than those kids who rarely or never ate homegrown produce.
2. Spend less on groceries – Growing your own food will help you save money and ensure you food security as you will not have to buy fruits and vegetables from the supermarket. Most fruits and vegetables from the supermarket have already lost their nutritional value as they have been stored for a long time. With less than a dollar, you can buy a packet of seeds and start planting your own produce. (Related: Here are 8 seeds that are great for long term storage.)
3. Help the environment – By growing your own produce, you are already helping the environment in different ways. One way is growing your food without using pesticides and herbicides. This lessens air and water pollution. You will also help reduce the use of fossil fuels. Moreover, pollution from the transportation of fresh produce from around the world to the supermarket will also be lessened.
4. Increase your physical activity – Since you will be doing all the planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting, you are also exercising at the same time. Remember to warm up and stretch your muscles before and after gardening though! Exercising also helps you relax, de-stress, refresh your mind, inhale fresh air, and get vitamin D.
5. Indulge in more tasty food – Nothing beats the freshness of picked out fruits and vegetables straight from the backyard. A study found that homegrown tomatoes are sweeter and richer in nutrients than those sold in the supermarket.
6. Have a sense of accomplishment – Witnessing the seed you planted grow and become the food that you and your family can enjoy is satisfying. Home gardening helps you thrive, nourish your family, and improve health. There is a sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction in growing your own food.
7. No more worries on food safety – Because you know how your plants are grown, you don’t have to worry about food safety. With backyard gardening, you have control over the chemicals and products used during the growing process.
8. Reduce food waste – You are less likely to throw away food. You’ll only pick what you need. And, you wouldn’t want your time, effort, and hard work go to waste, right?

Read more tips on backyard gardening at HomeGardening.news.

Sources include:

SparkPeople.com

VeryEdibleGardens.com

DailyMail.co.uk

HomeGuides.SFGate.com