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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for consuming fresh produce has gained much currency. Health-conscious people have, therefore, increased their support for local food as a means to obtain produce with high nutrient density. The more locally sourced and regional food items in our diet, the higher the health benefits.
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In recent years, the trend toward experimenting with other cuisines has been on the rise. Shopping for exotic ingredients, therefore, becomes necessary. For a person in South Asia, this could mean blueberries, Washington apples, kiwi, kale, asparagus, broccoli, lettuce, extra virgin olive oil, and so on. Along with using these inputs in the original recipes, chefs try to use them as substitutes in their local dishes. Although being adventurous in cooking and eating new dishes is welcome, buying locally grown and ethically sourced produce is essential. In this way, we help sustain small farmers and local businesses in our region.
Another aspect to remember is that buying from farmers in our region reduces the farm to table distance. It has great savings in terms of energy consumed and environmental pollution.
Health Benefits of Eating Local Produce
1. Fewer steps from the farm to reach our plates mean shorter food supply chains. It requires less handling of local produce, thus less likely microbial contamination during transport and storage. As the local farm-grown foods don’t need to travel far-away states and countries, none of the chemicals, namely, enzymes, flavorings, and preservatives are used to expand their shelf life. Local produce, as a result, can ripen naturally, resulting in higher nutrients, and not to mention, better zest, crunch, taste, and flavor.
2. Local foods are nutrient dense as they are minimally processed foods requiring fewer pesticides, herbicides, and artificial fertilizers. By using simple cooking techniques like sautéing, steaming, and grilling, the nutrient quotient of these flavorsome ingredients can easily be retained. Furthermore, local food has a shorter time between harvest and your dining table, and it is less likely that their nutrient quotient has diminished. The longer it takes for farm foods to reach our forks, the greater the loss of their nutritional value like vitamins and minerals. Local produce is consumed fresh, which increases their health benefits.
3. Eating local, fresh produce helps reduce levels of inflammation in the body that otherwise might increase the risk for various chronic diseases: diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension as well as many cancers. Once you start making informed food choices, the consumption of inflammatory elements like refined flour, oil, sugar, and processed meats get automatically replaced by more local and seasonal fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
4. It offers a large variety in cooking. Buying and eating in-season fresh products will make available to us what our body needs. Seasonal grown local foods such as lush green leafy vegetables: amaranth, spinach, mustard greens, and vibrant colourful veggies such as sweet potato, mango-ginger, tender pea pods are best picked in winter. Watermelon, musk melon, cucumber, and other water-dense foods keep us well hydrated during the scorching summer days.
5. When we shop locally, we support the environment. Transportation costs, fuel consumption, and storage costs are minimized, which leads to less pollution and lower carbon footprint. As intermediaries are eliminated, the price to the consumer is significantly lower. Local produce also calls for not as much plastic packaging and can be sold without any packaging. In addition, local produce requires minimal processing resulting in lesser food waste.
6. It’s exciting to cook less explored local delicacies that we might not have considered before. It gives us, the minimalists, an opportunity to sit with our grandparents and parents to discuss the origins of our dishes based on our local food produce. Pickling and jam making are a great way to preserve fresh foods with spices and natural preservatives that endow them with several health benefits.
Seasonal, regional, and local food is by and large fresh and more nutritious than food prepared with out-of-season ingredients.
Wrapping Up
So head out to your local food market and explore the in-season produce that is available. You could soon become an ambassador for healthy and sustainable eating along with being a planet warrior.
