The Benefits of Eating Locally Produced Foods

An article by Joanna    1 Comment

We have all heard in recent years the praises being sung of eating locally produced foods. I’ve yet to see a grocery store in the last three years that doesn’t have a “homegrown” or “local” section. It’s a great boost, especially in the current state of the US economy, to the local economy – putting money into the hands of local farmers helps many small businesses stay stable enough to make it through these tight years. But aside from the benefits to the people who you are handing your hard earned dough to, what are the benefits of eating locally produced foods? Specifically, what are the benefits to YOU?

Eating Locally Offers The Best Nutrients – Without Travel Concern
When we buy food that is grown or produced near to us, we are able to consume it as close as possible to when it’s actually harvested – which is when the food has the most nutrients. The longer it’s been since the produce left the plant, the less nutritionally valuable it is. Which isn’t to say that preserved foods don’t have nutritional value – they do, just not as many of some nutrients as the fresh foods do.

Another concern with food traveling long distances is one that has been in higher attention the last decade or so – bio-terrorism. When your food supply is nearby, or even better – someone you personally know, the chances of contamination of that food is far less likely. When your food travels hundreds or even thousands of miles, it passes through many more opportunities for it to be tampered with – which is definitely not a positive.

Eating Locally Can Help Minimize Allergies
Note: I am not a doctor nor am I advising you medically to fiddle with this procedure. If you have an interest in this information, ask your doctor for his or her recommendation. DO NOT start a regimen without first consulting with your doctor. Honey is typically only recommended for folks with MILD allergies. Anyone with allergies can be at risk of a severe allergic reaction when exposing themselves to the allergen in question.

Now that’s all said and done, we can proceed. Some doctors and allergists have found, although it’s not been in published studies, that folks eating a regimen of local honey can help to minimize seasonal allergies. When someone is mildly allergic to pollen in the local area, eating honey from local bees allows their bodies to be gradually exposed to small portions of the pollen which allows them to create antibodies to the pollen. These antibodies are what help the body to be more resistant to the allergic reactions of seasonal allergies.

Eating Locally Saves Money
While there are several wonderful aspects of eating locally, one of my favorites is the cost-savings that I enjoy. I purchase large quantities of locally produced food (usually from Amish farmers or at a farmer’s market), and I preserve the food – either by blanching freezing (which retains the most nutrients, the blanching kills microorganisms) or by canning the food. This way, I’m able to control exactly what is used to preserve the foods, avoid using additives I don’t want my family exposed to (like high levels of artificial colorants), and save money because buying the equivalent products at the store are far more than my modest budget can handle.

For us, eating locally is a great way to save money, support our local economy and eat well. When your grocery budget is modest, as ours is, eating well is a concern. There are many people who feel that you cannot eat well on a very low budget, but we are living proof that it is possible. That’s not to say that we are in the best of health – you see, we used to hold the other opinion – but we are well on our way to living healthier.

Now here’s a challenge to you – try to eat one locally produced food this week. Just one, for now. If you don’t have a local farmer’s market, you can try a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) – here’s a link for more information.

Have a food or ingredient you’d like more information about? Let me know! As always, love to the #Mamavation Sistas and check out the scoop on Twitter with hashtag #foodtruth.