Markets

Different kinds of produce also offer different vitamins and minerals. For example, the following foods are good sources of nutrients:

Artichokes, beans and lentils — fiber

Spinach and asparagus — folate

Sweet potatoes, white potatoes and bananas — potassium

Apricots, carrots, grapefruit and tomatoes — vitamin A

Broccoli, strawberries, cauliflower and cantaloupe — vitamin C.

When possible, foods, not supplements, are the best source of these nutrients. That’s because produce is packed with other naturally occurring substances that are good for you.

With this in mind, you’re ready to head to the farmers market and bring some of the plentiful produce waiting for you to your table.

Here are some tips for getting the most from your trip:

Go early. You may not need to be among the first arrivals for a weekday market, but weekend markets get busy fast. If you arrive too late, the best pickings may be gone. Bring cash and reusable bags. Transactions will go easier if you have a pocket of small bills. Plus, you need sturdy bags to carry your items home. Talk to the vendors. The sellers want to talk about their fruits, veggies, jellies and jams. Ask for buying and storing tips. They can often give you recipe ideas too.

For more information or to address specific dietary needs, Kunkel recommends visiting myplate.gov or oldways.org as a source of information and guidelines for what foods people should be eating. Myplate.gov includes sound, up-to-date research that shows the link between eating a diet that’s colorful and the reduction of chronic disease incidents. This source also connects people with farmer’s markets in their area. Kettering Health Network is a faith-based, not-forprofit healthcare system. The network has eight hospitals: Grandview, Kettering, Sycamore, Southview, Greene Memorial, Fort Hamilton, Kettering Behavioral Health and Soin.