Eat Local Greens!

February 9, 2012 by Dr. Kristi Wrightson

Eating your greens…locally

There has been much focus lately on the need for each person to eat foods that are grown sustainable in their local region.  Although this endeavor sounds adventuresome, it is often confusing to know why (and where) to start.  The benefits to eating local foods span the spectrum between health, environment and economic ones.  As well, there are community benefits that extend past the personal use of local foods, such as supporting farmers using sustainable practices and decreasing fuels used for transport.

The most widely known reasons to start eating regional foods are the health benefits.  Foods grown within 100-300 miles of your home travel less distance to their destination; that means that fewer nutrients are lost in transition.  Foods that are traveling in their local region are often allowed to ripen on the vine, which allows for a fuller flavor when it reaches your mouth.  In addition, these fruits and vegetables are fresher than their well-traveled cousins, allowing for you to eat with the seasons in your region.  As well, eating sustainable foods often means that fewer chemicals are used in the growing process and that translates to fewer toxins in your food.

Supporting local foods not only helps increase your health, it improves the overall condition of the environment.  Food that travels 1-300 miles to its destination uses much less fuel in transport and storage than foods that travel the typical 1200 miles.  Therefore, by choosing to eat locally you are doing your part to reduce air pollution.  Additionally, buying sustainable agriculture allows for less pesticides and chemicals to be used in cultivating the foods, which means less harm on the ecosystem. 

As the number of family farmer’s declines, it is important to continue to support the remaining small producers for the economic benefits.  Buying local foods allows these local farmers to often cut out distributors and middlemen and sell directly to consumers.   This process also allows the farmer a fair wage and establishes a just trade for fresh, quality products and keeps money in the local economy. 

The benefits of eating your greens (reds, oranges, yellows and whites) locally are abundant; however it is often hard to know how to start.  Here are some simple tips on where and how to start buying locally:

• Start by finding out what is in season in your area:
  • http://www.fieldtoplate.com/guide.html
  • Ask your grocer if they can get produce locally and mark it specifically on the price labels
• Find farmers markets in your area to have direct access to farmers and their foods
  • Find a farmers market in your area:  http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/
  • Join a CSA (community shared agriculture), where you pay a fee up-front to a farmer and receive weekly boxes of vegetables and/or fruits during the growing season. 
  • Find a CSA in your area:  http://www.localharvest.org/
  • Start a small garden in your yard to help you and your children learn more about how food is grown and harvested.

To find out more go to:  http://www.foodroutes.org/ and have fun eating your greens locally!! For all of the fun and delicious events focusing on local foods this month visit http://www.santabarbaraca.com/epicuresb/