While at home and abroad, I try and buy a good portion of my food from local farmers’ markets. That being said, I am also a vegetarian who is attempting to eat at least 80% raw. None-the-less take a look at the benefits below, and hopefully you to will convert.
1. You are protecting the environment.
The food that we buy travels on average 2400 km to get to our plates. So the next time you are grocery shopping (no matter where you are), just check where the produce is coming from. Whether it be watermelons from California, or raspberries from Mexico, the longer it travels, the bigger its carbon footprint is. Even if you are not in your home country, this is our world and we all have to protect it.
2. Know who grows your food.
For example, when a label has Chile on it, you can’t be sure if it is being grown on a small farm with purified water, or a farm that uses ethylene gas to ripen its crop. Being able to converse with the owner of the farm or even get down and pick your own fruit, is always comforting.
3. Support local farmers.
As travellers, we have all had strangers in foreign countries help us out from time to time. People can often be very generous, and in return I know I am always looking for a way to pay back. If you can’t pay back the person directly, you can always help their country. By supporting local farms, you are putting money directly in to that countries economy, instead of a supermarkets pocket.
4. The food is often fresher and more nutritious.
When food is presented at a farmers’ market, a majority of the time it is harvested within 24-36 hours prior to the market. Unlike grocery stores where most produce is often harvested days to weeks before it is put on the shelves. The nutritional value of some produce decreases by the minute. So buying local means you are getting the fruits and vegetables as close to it’s peak nutritional value as possible.
5. Taste the flavour of the country.
There is nothing like visiting a country and enjoying a food that is not available or grown back home.
Now although I am not dietician (yet), I really enjoy learning about how the body works, and how to make it run as efficient as possible. So although this article is thoroughly researched, I’m not expert. I just hope to spread the word of healthy eating to all.
If you’re body was a car would you feed it the lowest grade gas?
I didn’t think so.
With love,
Jessica
fully agree, jessica! we have similar philosophies – looking forward to following your blog! keep up the great work.
Thank-you very much!
I look forward to following yours as well!