Benefits of buying in-season fruits and vegetables

陕西宝鸡市金台区斗鸡中学 陈青素

images/BZ_31_193_874_2000_1032.png

海词积累

1.ripe/raɪp/adj.成熟的

2.consistency/kən'sɪstənsi/n.坚实度;黏稠度

3.preserve/prɪ'zзːv/v.保存

4.abundance/ə'bʌndəns/n.丰富;充裕5.basil/'bæzl/n.罗勒（用于烹调）

Plan to buy your fruits and vegetables during their peak seasons,and you'll not only enjoy them more,butsave money while maximizing nutrition.

Think of the experience of a perfectlyripe,juicy summer tomato—rich red color,perfectconsistency, bursting with flavor. Buying vegetables and fruits in season makes them more enjoyable—and that’s not the only benefit,according to NYC-based registered dietitian Lisa Hayim. “When you purchase produce at peak season,you get more natural nutrients. Because seasonal fruits and vegetables don’t undergo lengthy transit times to get from farm to your kitchen,these essential vitamins and minerals are more likely to bepreservedby the time you’re ready to eat your produce,” she says.In fact,the Cleveland Clinic reports that spinach (菠菜)can provide up to three timesmore vitamin C when consumed in season—September through October.

You’ll also save money.Shorter travel time for your produce means lower shipping costs,which lowers the grocer’s price,and those savings get passed on to you at checkout.“There’s also the law of supply and demand,”says Los Angeles-based registered dietitian Lindsey Pine.“When fruits and vegetables are in season,the farmers will most likely have anabundanceof the crop and prices will go down.”For example,Gaiam reports that out-of-seasonbasilruns$3 per half ounce;in season,it’s just$1 to$2.This is just one of the secrets your farmer’s market isn’t telling you.

If you’re looking for the freshest of the fresh,your local farmer’s market is a great place to start.If you’re short on shopping time,join a CSA(Community-Supported Agriculture) for fresh,picked-that-morning produce sourced directly from a local farm.And when you’re shopping at the grocery store,you can buy in-season vegetables and fruits with this guide to ensure you get the biggest nutritional bang for your buck.

—FromReader's Digest

Reading Check

Answer the following questions.

1.What are the benefits of buying seasonal fruits and vegetables?

2.Why can you get more nutrients when buying produce at peak season?

3.Why is the seasonal produce much cheaper?

4.Where should you go if you’re looking for the freshest produce?

Language Study

Difficult sentences

1.Shorter travel time for your produce means lower shipping costs,which lowers the grocer’s price,and those savings get passed on to you at checkout.

翻译:__________________________________________________________________________

【点石成金】该句中的Shorter travel time...costs为主句，and those savings...checkout为一个并列句，中间的which lowers...price为非限制性定语从句。

2.And when you’re shopping at the grocery store,you can buy in-season vegetables and fruits with this guide to ensure you get the biggest nutritional bang for your buck.

翻译:__________________________________________________________________________

【点石成金】该句中when you’re...store为时间状语从句，主句为后面的you can...for your buck，其中bang for your buck表示“花最少的钱得到最大的效果”。