Fruits and vegetable grown in adverse conditions are good for health

Zee News: Believe it or not but fruits and vegetables grown in adverse weather conditions or insect attacks may have be healthier for you, as these plants release more flavonoid antioxidants.

The amount of flavonoids - antioxidants found in fruits, nuts and vegetables linked to disease prevention - depends on how much stress the plant has endured, says a US government report.
In its most comprehensive study yet on the healthy compounds, the US Department of Agriculture suggests that certain varieties of fruits, nuts and veggies contain more antioxidants than others.
And flavonoid content varies widely between individual samples. For example, a market may display a tub full of red delicious apples, but flavonoid levels in each individual apple may vary, reports ABC online.

The research shows that the difference may be due to stress, which appears to increase the healthful properties of produce. Nutritionist David Haytowitz, one of the study`s authors, says that taxing conditions, such as those created by more natural farming methods, appear to force plants to release greater amounts of flavonoids and other beneficial compounds.
"Insect attacks and weather conditions can be stressful to plants," he says. "Even harvest times are important, as early morning harvests are less stressful than those conducted around noon, since the midday sun adds to a plant`s stress."
Continue to read….