Creating a garden rich in antioxidants

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Spring is the time we think of planting, growing and just getting outdoors. How about planting your own garden rich in antioxidants to help decrease your risk of chronic disease?

Gardening is one of America's favorite leisure activities and can be fun, relaxing and nourishing, as well as provide a dose of exercise. Perhaps you regularly plant a garden or maybe you have often thought about it, but have never gotten around to it. No matter what stage you are at, here are a few helpful tips and healthful hints to get you into the garden groove.

Time to plant?
While the Northeast has enjoyed an exceptionally mild winter, you will need to wait until after the last spring frost to plant your garden. In New Haven and the surrounding coastal areas, the last spring frost generally occurs during the month of April, while northern Connecticut sees its last frost during the month of May.

Most of Connecticut falls into USDA growing zones 5 and 6. Once you know your growing zone, you can get an idea about what plants will grow better in your area. Luckily for residents of Connecticut, vegetables such as tomatoes and bell peppers are hardy and will grow well here.

Tomatoes rich in lycopene
During the past few years, the tomato plant has gained new recognition in the health care field because it is a great source of lycopene. Lycopene is a member of the carotenoid family of pigments, which are natural compounds creating the color of fruits and vegetables. For example, beta-carotene is the orange pigment found in carrots.

Lycopenes are the most potent antioxidants in the carotenoid family. Antioxidants have the ability to spare body tissue from free radicals, which may damage and degrade your body cells. Research has shown that a diet rich in tomatoes and tomato products is associated with a lower risk of cancers of the lung, stomach and prostate gland.

Researchers have not established a direct link between lycopene and cancer reduction. Lycopene may interact with other compounds in the tomato that account for or contribute to these cancer-reducing benefits. One thing is certain: findings from research studies support the recommendations to increase vegetable and fruit consumption to reduce cancer risk. Increasing tomato-based foods in your diet may be particularly beneficial. Enjoying the fruits of your garden labor can help you consume the recommended 3-5 servings of vegetables per day.

The dirt on digging
Many people enjoy gardening so much, they forget about the exercise benefit of this activity. Gardening can be a great way to work in a workout since it uses all the major muscle groups such as your legs, buttocks, shoulders, stomach, arms and back. Enjoy your backyard gym while you are burning calories; approximately 30 minutes of the following activities will burn:

Watering the lawn or garden - 61 calories
Planting seedlings - 162 calories
Weeding - 182 calories
Digging, spading, tilling - 202 calories

What do you see growing in your garden? The following plants will grow well in this area while bringing a variety of nutrients to your plate. Remember, gardening knows no boundaries; it is truly an activity everyone can enjoy!

Plant	Amount	Claim to fame…
Tomato	1 medium	vitamin C, potassium, lycopene
Bell pepper	1 medium	vitamin C, fiber
Eggplant	1 lb (medium to large size)	fiber, potassium
Carrots	3 medium	fiber, vitamin A
Spinach	1 bunch	vitamin K, fiber, iron
Basil,garlic, parsley	A pinch	Use these herbs to season your foods without adding salt

The Yale-New Haven Nutrition Advisor is created by registered dietitians and dietetic interns who staff the Nutrition Clinic at Yale-New Haven Hospital. For information, contact the Nutrition InfoLine at (203) 688-2422.

For more information on this topic, you could visit:

Home Gardening, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Gardening & landscaping, Home and Garden Television
American Dietetic Association

The web sites above are linked for your convenience. For the most part they are not managed by Yale-New Haven Hospital. While we make every effort to recommend sites of high quality, we do not continuously review, control or take responsibility for the content of sites other than our own. If you are disappointed in the quality of a site we have listed, please let us know.

Other issues addressed by Yale-New Haven Nutrition Advisor:

Last revised: March 10, 2005 (jj)