{"id":6778,"date":"2021-09-03T15:00:50","date_gmt":"2021-09-03T19:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/?p=6778"},"modified":"2023-01-04T13:19:36","modified_gmt":"2023-01-04T18:19:36","slug":"my-top-3-fruits-and-vegetables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/my-top-3-fruits-and-vegetables\/","title":{"rendered":"My Top 3 Fruits and Vegetables"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Written by: Amaan Javed<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">D<\/span>ecisions&#8230;decisions&#8230;decisions. We make thousands of decisions everyday. In fact, according to a study conducted by UNC TV, the average person makes approximately 226.7 choices daily on food alone (How Many Daily Decisions Do We Make?). That brings up the question, what dictates whether or not a decision made regarding one\u2019s diet and nutrition is a good one and how do we classify one food as being better than another? Is there a grading system or is it solely based on the satisfaction we get from eating the food? In this blog, I will be focusing on my top 3 best fruits and vegetables along with their nutritional values, tastes and flavours, and honorable mentions. It is important to note that this list is not in any particular order and there are many other great foods which are not included in this blog post.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 12pt;\">Sweet Potatoes:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7259\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan1-1-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan1-1-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan1-1.png 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When many of us hear the name of this vegetable, we instantly are reminded of thanksgiving dinner! But the truth is that this food is packed with vitamins and nutrients that make it an amazing choice to incorporate it into our daily diet. Below, I have listed some interesting facts about this potato:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One sweet potato has 400% of the daily amount of Vitamin A needed (Pathak)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc etc. (Pathak)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">May help with diabetes, cancer, heart disease, macular degeneration etc. (Pathak)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The sweet potato can vary in taste based on the way it is prepared, for example, a baked potato will taste quite different from a cooked potato. All in all, this particular food has a sweet, yet starchy taste. That being said, this makes the potato an amazing ingredient for preparing many different styles of dishes. Two of my personal favourite recipes include:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obe Ata Stew With Chicken And Spinach <img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7260 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan2-1-300x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan2-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan2-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan2-1.png 718w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bonappetit.com\/recipe\/obe-ata-stew-with-chicken-and-spinach\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.bonappetit.com\/recipe\/obe-ata-stew-with-chicken-and-spinach<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Black Lentil and Harissa Veggie Bowl Recipe<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bonappetit.com\/recipe\/black-lentil-and-harissa-roasted-veggie-bowl\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.bonappetit.com\/recipe\/black-lentil-and-harissa-roasted-veggie-bowl<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to growing your own sweet potatoes, there are many crucial steps to follow and things to consider. Firstly, you want to dig a long and wide hole with 10 inch high ridges that are 3.5 feet apart (The Editors). A 10 foot row produces 8 to 10 pounds of potatoes. You are going to want to plant root sprouts, also known as slips, available through online suppliers or nurseries. Approximately 6 weeks prior to planting the roots, store them in a box of moist sand, sawdust, or chopped leaves in 75 to 80 degrees temperature. The potatoes will take 90 to 170 days to mature and are extremely frost sensitive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 12pt;\">Avocados:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7262\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan4-1-300x283.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"444\" height=\"419\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan4-1-300x283.png 300w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan4-1.png 446w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 444px) 100vw, 444px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avocados are a fruit which are often looked at as a superfood, primarily because of the many health benefits which they can bring along. Not to mention, they have an amazing taste! To begin, lets go over some of the nutritional and health value which this superfood holds:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">26% of Daily Value Vitamin K, 20% of DV folate, 17% of DV Vitamin C, 14% of DV Potassium (Gunnars)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 100 gram serving of avocado contains 7 grams of fiber, 27% of RDA (Gunnars)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">May help relieve symptoms of arthritis (Gunnars)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ripe avocados have a very soft texture that melts inside your mouth, leaving a very rich and slightly sweet taste on your tongue. In addition to this flavour, the fact that the fats in avocado are resistant to heat-induced oxidation make it a great cooking ingredient (Gunnars)! One of my favourite foods that are made from avocado include avocado toast. So simple, yet so packed with flavour. Also, it only takes a few minutes to make. There are many variations as to what you can put on your toast, but I have linked my favourite recipe below.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avocado Toast &#8211;\u00a0 With Variations <img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7263 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan5-1-189x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"189\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan5-1-189x300.png 189w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan5-1.png 457w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 189px) 100vw, 189px\" \/><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cookieandkate.com\/avocado-toast-recipe\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/cookieandkate.com\/avocado-toast-recipe\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Growing your own avocado in your home is a very fulfilling and enjoyable, yet very easy, task which anyone can do! I remember doing this with my mother when I was younger. The steps which I took were:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7264 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan6-1-173x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"173\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan6-1-173x300.png 173w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan6-1.png 327w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 173px) 100vw, 173px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remove and clean the pit (Mark)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poke 3 holes with a toothpick (Mark)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Place the seed half submerged in a glass of water (Mark)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Place in soil when the tree is 15 cm long (Mark)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provide sufficient amount of water and sunlight for growth (Mark)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 12pt;\">Blueberries:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7265\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan7-1-300x250.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"397\" height=\"331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan7-1-300x250.png 300w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan7-1.png 418w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 397px) 100vw, 397px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oh blueberries! These berries are full of flavour, easy to take around as a snack, and an amazing ingredient for many different dishes! Not only this, but they also have many researched benefits. In fact, one cup of these berries:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contains 4 grams Fiber, 24% RDI of Vitamin C, 36% RDI of Vitamin K, 25% RDI of manganese (Leech)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can reduce DNA damage and prevent heart disease (Leech)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">May lower blood pressure (Leech)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blueberries are also one of my favorite fruits! They can taste very sweet yet acidic at the same time, perfect for a little snack. Some of my favourite recipes are:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mini Blueberry Tarts <img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7266 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan8-1-265x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"265\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan8-1-265x300.png 265w, https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/amaan8-1.png 453w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 265px) 100vw, 265px\" \/><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/mini-blueberry-tarts\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/mini-blueberry-tarts\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blueberry Romaine Salad<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/blueberry-romaine-salad\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/blueberry-romaine-salad\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creamy Layered Blueberry Ice Pops<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/creamy-layered-blueberry-ice-pops\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/creamy-layered-blueberry-ice-pops\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best season to plant blueberries is spring and sometimes even late fall (Old Farmer\u2019s Almanac). To begin, select a sunny and sheltered spot where the plant cannot be exposed to harsh winds. Blueberries thrive in acidic environments, preferably between a pH of 4.0 and 5.0. Once you have selected a location, dig holes 20 inches deep and 18 inches wide and then plant the seeds. A month after planting, apply fertilizer to the seeds. Make sure to utilize organic fertilizers as they hold benefits for the soil such as improving texture and increasing bacterial and fungal activity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 12pt;\">Conclusion:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although I consider these 3 fruits and vegetables as the best, you may have a completely different set of foods which may fit in your top 3. Some of the honourable mentions for this list include broccoli, bananas, raspberries, carrots, and apples. Therefore, it is evident that the value of a fruit\/vegetable ranges far more beyond the possible biased connotations associated with it. Instead, it is crucial to analyze fruits and vegetables from a perspective which is inclusive of factors such as nutritional value, cultivation processes, and possible environmental impacts. Thank you for reading!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Works Cited:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mark Roper. \u201cHow to Grow an Avocado from Seed.\u201d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Homes To Love<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Homes To Love, 4 Feb. 2021, www.homestolove.com.au\/grow-an-avocado-from-seed-10585.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Editors. \u201cEverything You Need to Know to Grow Sweet Potatoes in Your Backyard.\u201d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good Housekeeping<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 13 Mar. 2021, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.goodhousekeeping.com\/home\/gardening\/a20706654\/how-to-grow-sweet-potatoes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">www.goodhousekeeping.com\/home\/gardening\/a20706654\/how-to-grow-sweet-potatoes\/<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gunnars, Kris. \u201c12 Proven Health Benefits of Avocado.\u201d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthline<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Healthline Media, 29 June 2018, www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/12-proven-benefits-of-avocado#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHow Many Daily Decisions Do We Make?\u201d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UNC<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2018, science.unctv.org\/content\/reportersblog\/choices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leech, Joe. \u201c10 Proven Health Benefits of Blueberries.\u201d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthline<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Healthline Media, 9 Oct. 2018, www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/10-proven-benefits-of-blueberries#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Old Farmer&#8217;s Almanac. \u201cBlueberries.\u201d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Old Farmer&#8217;s Almanac<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2019, www.almanac.com\/plant\/blueberries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pathak, Neha. \u201cSweet Potato Health Benefits.\u201d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WebMD<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, WebMD, 2019, www.webmd.com\/food-recipes\/benefits-sweet-potatoes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Written by: Amaan Javed &nbsp; Decisions&#8230;decisions&#8230;decisions. We make thousands of decisions everyday. In fact, according to a study conducted by UNC TV, the average person makes approximately 226.7 choices daily on food alone (How Many Daily Decisions Do We Make?). That brings up the question, what dictates whether or not a decision made regarding one\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7271,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6778"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6778"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11412,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6778\/revisions\/11412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}