I'm going with logic, folks, when I wonder about the nutritional value of something. And I've had a bit of a theory lately about local food. Sure, much has been written about the nutritional value of fresh food, the environmental benefits of not having to ship it cross-country or around the world, and the community-building benefits of supporting local farmers and keeping money circulating in your local community. But I also believe that local food (fruits and vegetables, in particular) is uniquely valuable because it provides the exact mix of nutrients that we need at the exact time we need them.
In other words, what grows in the summer where you live is exactly what your body needs, and likewise at the other times of the year. For instance, right now I have such an abundance of bitter and cruciferous greens, and this got me curious. What is it in arugula, kale and collards that my body needs so much, specifically now, in December?
Sure enough, a quick search of nutrition facts revealed that what's growing in my garden right now is bursting with vitamin A. And, guess what vitamin A does?
Vitamin A:
* helps maintain mucous linings (think NOSE, as in, the place where germs are caught as they try to enter the body)
* strengthens the immune system (think WARDS OFF INFECTION)
* Improves vision in dim light (think WINTER)
The greens in my garden are my own little anti-flu and cold prescription, it appears.
And so, this theory extends to all other foods. Tomatoes, for instance. They don't grow here now. Guess what? My body probably doesn't need them right now. Citrus. Same thing.
Suddenly, it all seems much clearer to me why I don't need to spend extra for avocados shipped in from across the country. For pineapples. For figs in winter. Remember when I was practically swimming in figs from a local tree in late July? Is it any surprise that figs have the highest mineral content of any fruit, and that mineral loss during heat waves (late July in Atlanta, for instance) can be catastrophic?
I'm surprised this theory doesn't get more coverage, and I'm having trouble finding research to support it. But if there were a more powerful argument for honoring native local foods around the world, in season, I can't think of it. Global availability of the same handful of travel-and-storage hardy fruits and vegetables, to the exclusion of seasonally-appropriate locally-grown food, is a dangerous direction for the health of our planet's people.
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8 comments:
Hi, Pattie! Awesome article. It seems like we're on the same wavelength :), and you're right. There really isn't very much press devoted to the whole idea of nutrition and eating local. Sure, we all know it's good for the planet, but good for us, too?? Seems not enough people are exploring that idea. We should collaborate on an article for Time Magazine (who published one of the first Eat Local articles I saw in a national magazine ;).
I'm curious how you think that applies to people who live in different areas? We are genetically the same but my climate in Iowa doesn't allow for fresh food in the winter. Just canned, frozen or root storage.
My guess would be that those root crops serve your nutritional purposes. Frankly, I'm guessing that, as mammals, those of us in very cold climates are supposed to slow down and sleep more, and the root crops and other preserved foods are enough to sustain us. Of course, this doesn't jibe with modern realities, but maybe modern realities are the problem. See Wendy's blog (above). She's in Maine, and she agrees with this theory.
And, Wendy, I love a collaboration idea.
I have also thought about this and I would like to add that I think there is something about food grown on your own soil too. Somehow your own climate and soil conditions etc provide exactly what you need because it is a direct connection between you, the time of year where you are and the minerals etc in your soil.While my family and I breeze along with fantastic health the rest of the city seems to be forever catching the latest bugs. I am not explaining this very well but I have this kind of feeling that there is a lot more to nutrition than we have facts for .
Fermented, cultured and sun dried foods are the way to go! Sauerkraut, Korean Kimchi,seaweeds, dried berries from summer, dried herbs, spices and herbal teas are packed with goodies.
A little of these goodies added to rice or dried egg buckwheat noodles or some miso added to soups, global eating Yum!
There is a great book by Wendy Zeffertt called Cultured Foods.
Maggie: That's all the stuff I need to learn! I'll check out that book--thanks!
My thoughts were along the same lines as Matt's. Everything is under 14" of snow right now. But you bring up some good points on the nutritional punch of our storage crops. Another spin on it might be the recent evolutionary descisions of our ancestors on what vegetables to learn to store and how those have been nutritionally based in the past several thousand years.
Nice thought provoking article Pattie
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