Fresh This Season|时令蔬果最新鲜

by Owain Mckimm

Why do strawberries taste different in the summer and the winter?

The fruits and vegetables in local supermarkets usually remain unchanged throughout the year. _(1)_ However, it's also clear that the flavors of these out-of-season fruits are lacking in comparison with those of in-season ones.

How can the lank, patchy spinach of winter possibly compare to the thick-leaved, juicy spinach of spring and summer? There is even a difference in their nutritional values. _(2)_ The reason for this is that the fruits and vegetables delivered to supermarkets out of season are either shipped from other parts of the world or grown in the artificial conditions of greenhouses. These foods are usually harvested before the produce is suitably ripe, refrigerated, and sometimes zapped with radiation to kill germs before the lengthy transportation process. _(3)_ Foods that have been carried halfway around the world have duller colors and blander flavors, not to mention insipid textures.

Another important factor to consider when choosing seasonal foods is the simple matter of price. _(4)_ Thus, local farmers' markets are great places to buy fruits freshly picked and vegetables straight from the ground. Moreover, prices will reflect the supply and demand of seasonal foods. _(5)_ When figuring out what to cook for dinner, check to make sure it's in season first.

(A) Locally-grown products are often cheaper than imported goods due to transportation costs.

(B) These preservative measures not only harm the foods' natural nutritional values but also have negative impacts on their taste.

(C) Therefore, since fruits and vegetables that are in season are often more abundant, they will no doubt be cheaper.

(D) According to Japanese researchers, spinach picked during the summer contains three times the amount of vitamin C as its winter counterpart.

(E) This means we've all eaten foods that are out of season at some point, such as strawberries in the fall, pears in the summer, and watermelons in the winter.

时令蔬果最新鲜

为什么夏天和冬天的草莓尝起来味道就是不一样？

　　在地超市里的蔬果种类通常整年一成不变。这表示我们在某些时候都吃过非当季的食物，像是秋天的草莓、夏天的西洋梨，和冬天的西瓜等。然而，这些非时令水果在风味上很明显不如时令水果。

　　冬天干扁、稀疏的菠菜怎么能跟春夏茂盛、多汁的菠菜相比？它们甚至在营养价值上也有差异。根据日本研究人员的报告，夏季采收的菠菜，其维他命 C 的含量是冬季菠菜的3倍。原因在于这些送到超市的非时令蔬果，不是从世界其他地方运送过来的，就是在温室人工的条件下栽种的。这些农产品通常在成熟前就被采收和冷藏，有时候在长途运送前还会照射放射线来杀死微生物。这些保存措施不仅会破坏食物天然的营养价值，还会使它们的口感变差。食物在运往全世界的途中，色泽会变得较不鲜艳，也会变得较没味道，更别说吃起来的口感了。

　　选择当季食物的另一因素纯粹是价格上的考虑。由于运输成本的缘故，在地种植的产品通常比进口商品便宜。因此，在地农夫市场是购买鲜采水果和刚采收蔬菜的最佳去处。此外，价格也反映出当季食物的供需关系。因此，由于当季的蔬果通常产量丰富，价格当然也就比较便宜。当你决定要煮什么当晚餐时，先确认食材是不是当季的食物吧。

答案：  1. (E)2. (D)3. (B)4. (A)5. (C)