You might think that you can't really go wrong with buying vegetables - they're all healthy, right ...
Truth is, that there are healthier choices that you can make for yourself and your family when it comes to vegies, and by buying (or growing) your vegetables in a sustainable way, you are ensuring this, and, sustainable vegetables (and fruits) are cheaper!
Every living thing on this earth reacts to the seasons. It's just part of survival. So it would make sense to eat seasonally for our optimum health. You will be familiar with this concept if you grow your own produce. When our supermarkets are filled with the same produce all year round it can become really confusing. It's great for variety, but is it great for our health? There is even some evidence that for the most benefit nutritionally, to eat produce from our immediate localised area - that plants and animals grow with the nutrients that we require whilst we are living where we are living. Indigenous peoples with modern diseases (type 2 diabetes etc) have shown a reverse in these conditions by going back to traditional diets. This tells us that we develop a symbiotic relationship with our surroundings - therefore it's beneficial to eat within our localised area.
Even more interesting, there is a notion that we can even influence the plants we grow individually by holding the seeds in our mouth for a time before planting, that the plant will then grow with a unique set of nutrients tailored to us personally. "Before planting, put into your mouth one or more little seeds, hold them in your mouth, under the tongue, for at least nine minutes.” — Anastasia - The Ringing Cedars.
Some people may get right into that, and if you are planting your own garden it could be something that interests you, I'd love to try it just to see if there was any noticeable difference. But how can we ensure that the fruit and vegetables we are buying are sustainable? The easy answer is to buy as local as you possibly can. It's hardly sustainable to have produce being freighted all over Australia or even internationally - and by the time you get it, your produce wont be in the best nutritional shape. Some people like farmers markets, and if you have a good one in your area that sells local produce - then you are in luck. We have a large local one here, but most of the produce still comes from the Brisbane markets. Hardly locally grown, or even supporting our own local growers. How are we able to find out if the produce is even Australian for a start?
The main point is that buying local is buying sustainable. By buying local you are again supporting local growers and you can get to know your product. If you know where something is grown, you can find out more about the growing methods (what sprays are used etc) so you can make informed choices about what you feed yourself and your family. Also, buying local means buying seasonally, and that's a much healthier, more flavorsome (and less expensive) choice as well. Most growers will rotate their crops, and leave some plots to rest for a season or so. This builds up the soil again with all the nutrients that will transfer into your fruit and vegetables. Local produce is not kept for up to a year in cold storage so by the time you buy it, it's left with little or no nutrients. So what you end up paying for is expensive filler. You may as well be eating sawdust for what good it is doing you. Also, over-farmed land requires loads of fertilizer and chemicals just to produce a crop - that's not something I would choose to put in my body and it's certainly not sustainable.
Local produce is fresh out of the growers garden within the last day or so - and that's about the best you can get, whether it's organic or not. Produce that hasn't been driven all over the country over the last week or so will also last longer - and that's more cost effective for us.
What if your only choice is the local supermarket? The best option here is to buy only Australian produce. By law now, supermarkets have to say where their produce is from, so that makes it a little easier. Some will even advertise 'local beans' etc - which is a great initiative (if only they paid the farmers a fair price!). Also buy what's in season. This website http://seasonalfoodguide.com/ is for Australia, and goes by state and is really informative.
In nutshell, if you can't grow it yourself, buy from somebody who does. Growing your own produce doesn't have to mean you require a large, labor intensive garden plot. There are many examples of balcony gardens, courtyard gardens and even vertical wall gardens that look amazing! You don't have to grow everything you eat, but growing some, even just a few herbs is rewarding and beneficial. If you haven't got that option, buy local and seasonally and you will be helping local growers and really helping your health and your wallet.
Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for the third, and last part of this sustainable series - Grains.
Sources: www.ecoliteracy.org/essays/wild-and-slow-nourished-traditionhttp://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/health+healing/news+features/type+2+diabetes+can+be+reversed,16881
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