This post was written by Lisa Harper, MS Nutrition and intern with Priority Nutrition Care. Lisa is working towards becoming a Registered Dietitian and she is passionate about supporting sustainable food systems so that generations to come will continue to have nutritious and delicious food grown from healthy land.
Food trends come and go quickly and it’s often difficult to determine whether to jump on the bandwagon or let it pass by. The selling of “local” foods is one such trend that has caught on in nearly every area of our food industry from neighborhood farmers markets to public school districts. The health and environmental benefits of local foods standout, making this trend a worthy pursuit. Here’s your guide to why and how to eat local.
Local is hard to define
There is more than one way to define local when it comes to food. In the popular food-centric book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Barbara Kingsolver shares her family’s experience eating foods within a 100 mile radius of their farm in Virginia. That’s is a tough standard for most to follow. Others define local with respect to a state or multi-state geographic area. The larger the geographic area, the greater variety of foods available. The goal is to maintain a relatively short travel distance so that the food can be picked ripe and arrive fresh.
Local is more nutritious
When food travels long distances it must be picked under-ripe to account for travel times because the food will continue to ripen during travel. However, plant-ripened veggies are superior to truck-ripened veggies. Foods that are allowed to reach full maturity on the plant not only taste better but they have more phytonutrients.1 Phytonutrients are pigments and other compounds in fruits and vegetables that have anti-caner and anti-inflammation properties. These nutrients decline with prolonged storage. So for maximum nutrition, fresh is best.
Organic is good, local is better
Should you buy organic or should you buy local? The answer is both, when possible. Studies have shown that organic produce has more nutrients compared to non-organic produce and reduces our exposure to harmful chemicals. However, the produce with the most nutrients is produce that is in season and has been in storage for the least amount of time.2 That means local! When shopping for local and organic, don’t just look for the USDA Organic stamp though and rule out all other produce. Costs for obtaining the USDA Organic certification are often prohibitive for small farms. You can talk to your local farmer at the farmers market and find out whether she farms using an organic model, beyond organic (e.g. biodynamic) or non-organic.
Eating local reduces your carbon footprint
The distance food travels not only impacts nutrition, but it also impacts our environment. Local foods have a lower carbon footprint than non-local options because the food requires less fuel and fuel emissions to get from the farm to your table.3 While we’re talking about reducing carbon emissions, the same study that investigated carbon foot prints of foods found that minimizing meat consumption was the most effective way to reduce greenhouse gasses. If every household ate a vegetarian diet one day a week, the environmental benefit would be equal to every house buying all their foods locally.
Where to shop
Some grocery stores have made it a part of their mission to connect local producers to consumers and they make it easier for you to buy more locally any day of the week. PCC Natural Markets is a great example of a Seattle retailer working to supply shoppers with a plethora of local options, everything from Theo Chocolates to seasonal produce grown within 25 miles of the metro area. You will also find local produce options in Whole Foods, Thriftway and Safeway. Signs in the produce department or produce stickers will tell you where the food is grown so that you can make the most informed decision. If no sign is available, ask a produce worker.
Farmers markets are another great option for filling your fridge with the freshest ingredients from nearby. Seattle farmers markets sets standards for determining which goods can be sold and often prioritize those that are the most local. Farmers markets are a great way to meet your farmer or producer and ask in-depth questions about their growing methods and get great ideas for cooking those beets, greens and garlic scapes.
If you’re ready to fully commit to buying local each week, participating in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program is a great way to get a box of local goods delivered to your house. CSAs allow consumers to buy directly from farms that produce all, most or some of the items you receive each week. Most CSAs are centered on vegetables but include “add-on” options to help you round out your weekly delivery with local proteins, whole grains, dairy, teas and much more. Puget Sound Fresh is a great resource to locate farms with CSA programs in the Puget Sound area.
So, the next time you have the option, eat local for better nutrition, to protect the environment, and to support your local farmers. See you at the farmers market!
References:
1. Characterization and the effect of maturity at harvest on the phenolic and carotenoid content of Northeast USAApricot (Prunus armeniaca) varieties. J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Dec 26;61(51):12700-10. doi: 10.1021/jf403644r. epub 2013 Dec 11. Campbell OE1, Merwin IA, Padilla-Zakour OI.
2. Nutritional quality of organic, conventional, and seasonally grown broccoli using vitamin C as a marker. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2008 Feb;59(1):34-45. Wunderlich SM1, Feldman C, Kane S, Hazhin T.
3. Food-miles and the relative climate impacts of food choices in the United States. Environ Sci Technol. 2008 May 15;42(10):3508-13. Weber CL1, Matthews HS.