By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

GARDENING PROVIDES EXERCISE, FUN AND BETTER TASTING VEGETABLES

Question: I’m a gardener and each year about this time I start a vegetable garden in my backyard. I always feel that my homegrown vegetables are better than those that I buy at the grocery store. Is there any proof that homegrown produce is better than the store-bought kind? What about home-canned food?

Answer: This is a difficult question to answer, in part, because medical research on nutrition is what scientists call “longitudinal.” This means that it must be done over an extended period of time. In other words, a change in diet usually only causes a subtle change in health over many years. Looking at fine differences between the nutrition of a vegetable depending on where and how it’s grown adds another degree of difficulty. Medical science may never be able to completely answer that question.

Despite those limitations, there are some factors to consider in attempting to answer your question. Let’s look at a few them.

The greatest health issue associated with most foods is not related to their nutrition value but rather their risk of causing food poisoning from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The spores of this bacteria can withstand boiling temperatures for several hours; and after cooling to room temperature, they can germinate and begin to produce toxin. Leaving the food at room temperature for hours greatly increases the risk of toxin production. Then, this bacterial toxin-laced food becomes a potent poison. Just tasting a small quantity of contaminated food can result in death. Even with the best care available today, 20 percent of poisoned individuals die.

Ingestion of improperly home-processed vegetables, fruits, meats and seafood is the cause of most cases of botulism. Even fresh garden produce can be contaminated with the ubiquitous spores of C. botulinum and, therefore, can also be the source of food-borne botulism.

Fortunately, the methods of food preparation and canning used in commercial facilities make this potentially fatal illness quite uncommon. Following currently recommended home canning methods -- these are not necessarily the same ones Mom used -- also greatly reduces the risk for home-canned food.

On the topic of flavor, however, the commercial foods usually place a distant second to homegrown fresh produce. Home-canned and frozen produce are usually equal to, or superior to, the best commercial products and often more flavorful.

All commercial foods are grown with the use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Many of the products are then treated with other chemicals to reduce spoilage, improve appearance, or in other ways to increase the value of the product. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has determined a “safe level” for each of these products and, in general, foods produced commercially are at or lower than this level. Homegrown produce, in contrast, may have even higher levels of these chemicals because the gardener fails to follow label directions. On the other hand, the gardener may use none of these chemicals.

As you can see, there are pluses and minuses on both sides of the ledger. You’ll have to weigh them and come to your own conclusion. Meanwhile, I plan to have my own garden this summer. It’s good exercise and a lot more fun than buying produce off the shelf!

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701, or via e-mail to readerquestions@familymedicinenews.org. Medical information in this column is provided as an educational service only. It does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnose and recommend treatment for any medical conditions. Past columns are available online at www.familymedicinenews.org.