Studies Say Ugly Vegetables Are Actually Better for You – Here's Why

If you grow your own, you probably already know that there's often nothing wrong with an ugly vegetable. That crooked carrot or chard leaf with a few holes in it is just as good. But did you know that these less attractive fruits and veggies can actually be better for you?

The Problem with Perfection

If you're a gardener, you know you can never expect to get all perfect specimens from your vegetable garden. But we go to the grocery store, we tend to sort through all the apples for the most perfectly shiny, unbruised fruit. We wouldn’t dream of buying a bunch of kale riddled with holes.

Large, commercial farms growing produce for grocery stores need to compete. They need to meet the expectations of consumers, so they use pesticides, herbicides, and a lot of coddling to create a beautiful product. These perfect vegetables haven’t had to struggle or defend themselves, which, as science is finding, can actually be a problem!

Try It Yourself

Holes, Bite Marks, and Scars

Plants don't have teeth and claws, so they can’t defend themselves the way animals can. Instead, they rely on chemicals. When attacked, they produce different chemicals to protect against sun scorching, bug bites, and other types of injuries.

Many of the nutrients in plants that you’ve heard are good for you, called phytonutrients, are products of these protective responses. The main ones are polyphenols, resveratrol, and flavonoids. External stress on the plant triggers a secondary metabolism to produce more of these compounds, making them more beneficial to humans who later eat them.

A study from Texas A&M published in 2020 found that fruits and vegetables with more leaf wounds caused by insects had higher levels of antioxidants. The wounding doesn’t have to come naturally either. The researchers mechanically wounded strawberry leaves and harvested healthier, more nutritious berries later.

Another study found that, in general, organic produce has both less pesticide residue and up to 40% higher antioxidant content than produce grown with pesticides. The organic produce had to fight more for survival, and therefore made more antioxidants and similar compounds.

The various phytonutrients and antioxidants damaged plants produce are good for us because they trigger our own internal cell repair mechanisms. The process is not well understood, but compounds that plants produce when stressed may also signal stress in our bodies. This sets repair processes in motion, which can be protective and beneficial. This might be one reason traditional diets high in fruits and vegetables, like the Mediterranean diet, are tied to longevity.

Small and Stunted

Many external conditions can stress vegetable and fruit plants, causing them to develop smaller sizes than you would like. Drought conditions, crowding, and pests can cause plants to fight for their lives. They grow smaller and have less water.

A small, scarred squash might not look as pretty as a big, water-logged squash, but it has more concentrated flavor. For most fruits and vegetables, a smaller size means better taste.

Stunted produce also has more concentrated nutrients. The smaller vegetable or fruit is packed more densely with all its typical nutrients, plus any others created in the stress response. In other words, you get more bang for your buck, in terms of nutrition and flavor, with smaller produce.

Deeper Colors

You might initially be disappointed to see some of your produce develop with darker colors than normal, but this can be a sign of higher nutrient content. Those deeply black berries, extra deep red cabbage, and other unusually dark produce are rich in compounds called anthocyanins.

Anthocyanins are plant color pigments and also powerful antioxidants that are very good for you. Anthocyanins play a role in reducing inflammation, which in turn reduces the risk of several chronic diseases and cancer. Don’t turn your nose up at dark vegetables and fruits. They simply have more nutritional power.

Avoiding Waste

Improved flavor and nutrition profiles may be enough to promote the benefits of eating ugly produce, but there's also the waste argument. Some companies have even made a business of selling rejected, so-called ugly fruits and vegetables at a lower price. Imperfect produce often goes to waste, or at least goes straight into a compost pile, when it could be eaten and enjoyed.

If you care about nutrition and flavor but also sustainability, consider picking out the less attractive produce the next time you shop. And if you're growing your own, don't worry if your fruits and vegetables come out looking less than perfect!