Living Jackson Magazine

Simply the best
by Terri Roberts, RN, CCRN

Including fruits and vegetables in a well-balanced diet can help reduce your risk for certain cancers and contribute to attaining a healthy weight. Many fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants and other compounds that help ward off disease and improve your overall health. Some are packed with more elements to aid in good health than others.

Choosing between fresh fruits and vegetables and processed fruits and vegetables is a situation in which many consumers find themselves.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are available depending on the season. They are typically more costly, and they are difficult to keep from spoiling. The processed fruits and vegetables are usually more economical and have much longer shelf lives.
Processed fruits and vegetables contain added nitrates, sugars and preservatives. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain their natural nutrients while the ingredients mostly have been cooked out of the processed version.

Summer is the season for fresh vegetables and fruits. For those who either grow gardens themselves or know someone who grows a garden, the choice is easy—fresh out of the garden is simply the best.

Terri Roberts, RN, CCRN, CLRN, is a nurse in the ICU at Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, Ga. She has resided in the Barrow-Jackson area for years.

Janet Hurley’s fruit and vegetable stand is located next to Real Deals in Jefferson on Hwy. 11, where she recently moved from a lot near the Jefferson Curves. Her stand offers a wonderful variety of seasonal choices. Among the fresh selections are blueberries, zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, cucumbers and white field corn. She also carries seasonal items, such as pumpkins, gourds, hay, Christmas trees, pansies and vegetable plants. She gets the majority of her stock from the Atlanta Farmers Market, although some items come from local farmers. Hurley is open March-December; hours are Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., and Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Ed Arnold operates out of the back of his pick-up truck at the Exxon station located at Potter’s Crossing, the intersection of Hwy. 11 and Hwy. 124/Galilee Church Road. This 25-year Jackson County resident is retired from General Motors and takes pride in providing quality fresh fruits and vegetables. His loyal customers know where to find him after five years in the same spot, and they know he backs up his offerings with a replacement guarantee. Among the seasonal selections Arnold offers, all of which come from the Atlanta Farmers Market, are yellow squash, summer tomatoes, potatoes, onions, watermelons, zucchini and more. He is open seasonally, and can be found Tuesday-Saturday from around 11 a.m. or noon until 8 p.m.