Fresh ingredients really should be the basis of any good meal, and we should try to use them as much as possible. I guess we all know that, and of course, there will be times when it’s not possible to use all fresh ingredients when we’re cooking.

But, if you can try to incorporate fresh ingredients in your diet more often than not, there will be many benefits. With that in mind, here are some of the reasons why fresh ingredients are so important. 

Nutrient Content 

When it comes to good nutrition, there is nothing better than fresh ingredients. The older the food is, even by just a few days, the more likely it is that some of the nutritional value will be lost. This is true for fruit, vegetables, and even herbs. So, eating things that are very fresh – as fresh as possible – will give you much more of the good nutrients you need. 

A good example of this is broccoli. Broccoli is jam-packed full of wonderful nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber, and potassium. However, these nutrients can be easily destroyed by heat, so if the broccoli is frozen or canned, some of the nutritional value might be lessened.. 

Texture And Flavor

The fresher the food, the better the flavor. This is why ingredients you grow yourself, and eat just after picking, are the tastiest. It’s also why, when, you buy older produce from a supermarket, you might find the flavor lacking. That lack of flavor tempts you to add salt and other potentially unhealthy ingredients, to give it flavor. 

Also, fresh ingredients will often have a better texture than older food. Fresh food is crisper and firmer and often a lot juicier – tomatoes and berries, for example. In general, it’s just a more pleasant experience to eat fresh food. 

Reduced Chemical Exposure 

If you buy fresh food or grow your own, that food is much less likely to have been exposed to any chemicals, especially if it’s organic. If a food has been preserved, though, chemicals are often involved in the process.

It’s not ideal to consume a lot of chemicals, so wouldn’t it be better not to have to worry about this at all? Fresh, organic food will have less chemicals to worry about, and you can enjoy your easy grilled zucchini recipe with less worry. 

Sustainability 

Another great reason to use fresh food is sustainability. Very fresh food will not have traveled from a great distance, so it’s less detrimental to the planet. Processed food, on the other hand, might have traveled thousands of miles and used a lot of fuel and energy to do so. Try to buy from small local producers or grow your own.

Hopefully, this post has encouraged you to use more fresh ingredients in your own home cooking!