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MARQUETTE COUNTY -- It's common knowledge that we need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to keep ourselves healthy.  Doctors recommend eating at least five servings per day to get all of the proper nutrients.

"Vegetables give us a high amount of vitamin A and vitamin C which are the antioxidant vitamins.  The fiber that's in vegetables is wonderful.  You get both soluble and insoluble fiber from vegetables and fruits.  And then, again, those phytochemicals which are in plant compounds which are showing numerous health benefits," explains Registered Dietician Deb Sergey.

What you may not know is that to get the healthiest, freshest, best tasting produce, you should grow it or buy it locally.  That's because traveling fruits and veggies can lose up to half of their nutrients along the way.  Luckily, with numerous farmers markets across the area, it's easy to find a large selection of locally grown produce.

"There's a lot of Michigan things coming out early.  We've got asparagus, cherries, blueberries, strawberries from the Copper Country, a lot of the vine crops are starting...zucchini, cucumbers.  They're all starting to come out of Michigan now," describes Spiessl Produce owner, Peter Spiessl.

So what should you look for when you're ready to buy?

"Looking for ones that are seasonal, which they would be offering.  You want to make sure that the produce appears fresh and colorful, crisp.  You want to avoid bruised products or decaying products, wilted products; look for those that look and smell good.  You'll get the most nutrition and flavor, and you'll want to go back for more," Sergey says.

Whether you choose to buy or grow your own, doctors also recommend that you always wash your fruits and vegetables before eating them.