5 Reasons Local In Season Produce Benefits Your Health | Creative Balance Health

5 Reasons Local In-Season Produce Benefits Your Health

More nutrition and taste for less money

This morning, while sipping your coffee or tea, did you happen to think about where those beans or leaves were harvested? What about the fruit in your smoothie? Did you wonder if they were picked in their natural growing season at peak ripeness? 

Most people don’t take the time to mindfully source the foods they’re eating, and I’m going to tell you, not choosing purposefully is a missed opportunity for both your health and your wallet. Today I’m going to share with you the top five reasons to choose both local and in-season when it comes to the produce you’re eating, plus two great resources to find out what’s in season and how to get it farm-to-table!

Diet is the first foundational step I take with my clients to rebuild their health and vitality. Solid energy and feeling your best come from eating the right, nutrient-dense foods for your individual metabolism and also eliminating the foods that can cause stress on your body. The goal is to design and perfect a diet that improves health and allows you to feel and look your best.

First, and arguably most important, local and in-season produce is more nutritionally dense.

This means more vitamins and minerals are available in that fruit or vegetable for your body to utilize. The longer produce spends on a truck or in storage before being delivered to you, the greater the loss of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients1.

Second, if the nutrient density isn’t convincing enough, foods that are grown locally and purchased seasonally are less expensive.

This is because the farmers need to do less to encourage a bountiful crop and they don’t need to factor in transportation and delivery costs.

Third, fruits and vegetables harvested locally and in season are fresher and taste significantly better.

Because local produce has a shorter distance to travel, farmers can pick at the crop’s peak ripeness, which means more delicious and flavorful food. Conversely, foods harvested in other countries must be picked before ripe so it can make the trip overseas, and to your local market, without spoiling.

Fourth, seasonal food grown locally needs fewer “interventions”.

For certain produce to be available year-round, post-harvest treatments, known as ripening agents, are used. These include chemicals, gases, and heat processes2. Some produce, like apples, pears, carrots, and celery, may be coated with an edible film to protect it3. Other produce, like strawberries, lettuce, melons, and grapes, may be treated with anti-browning agents so it artificially is kept from rotting4. Then, the same produce may be treated with a chemical called ethylene, which triggers the ripening process to improve fruit color and quality5.

Lastly, purchasing in-season and local is a great way to vote with your dollar.

I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather support a local farmer who is avoiding ripening agents, anti-browning chemicals, and heat treatment that kills off precious nutrients. The more money spent locally means the more crops our farmers will get paid to produce which directly benefits our health. It’s a win-win!

If these five points have convinced you that local and in-season produce is far superior, let’s find out what’s growing in your zip code right now! Seasonalfoodguide.org is a valuable resource that shares what’s currently in season and tells you a little bit about that fruit or vegetable. What a fun way to explore new produce you’ve never tried before!

Now that you know what’s in season, the next step is farm to table! Most seasonal farmers markets have now opened for the summer, or you may be lucky to have one near you that operates year-round, like the famous Pike Place Market near me in Seattle. Localharvest.org is a great website to find farmers’ markets and CSAs (community-supported agriculture) that will get those delicious, in-season fruits and veggies from the market to your table in no time.

Mindfully sourcing in-season fruits and vegetables supports your health, your wallet, and your local economy. Choosing seasonal produce is a great way to boost the nutrient density and avoid many toxic chemicals that otherwise would have made their way onto your plate. Take back control of your health and weight naturally, starting with local and in-season produce that is best for your body to instantly boost your energy and feel good in your body again.

SOURCES

  1. Mesenburg, Mary, et al. “Why Local Food Is Better For You.” Rodale Institute, 25 Apr. 2019, Rodaleinstitute.org/blog/why-local-food-is-better-for-you/.
  2. Mahajan, P V, et al. “Postharvest Treatments of Fresh Produce.” Philosophical  Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences,  The Royal Society Publishing, 5 May 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4006172/.
  3. Id.
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Image: Photo by Shelley Pauls on Unsplash

Claire Stanley of Creative Balance Health, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner greater Seattle area

Hi there! I'm Claire

Hi, I’m Claire Stanley, your Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Health Practitioner at Creative Balance Health. I help women over 40 eliminate their business-interfering chronic fatigue so they can restore their Get-Stuff-Done Energy and kick-butt at work, take care of their clients and family, and fully engage in their lives again. 

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