Whether someone told you that exotic strawberries make a great snack or that it is important to get your everyday intake of mushrooms or some imported broccoli – pause and think!

Yes, there are different food items with different nutritional properties but here is the catch – it is definitely a lot better to eat locally grown food. It does not matter how “healthy” or how “exotic” people claim some foods are – make sure you are not eating food that has travelled far and has been preserved with chemicals!

In case you have difficulty remembering this tip, always remember – Think Global, Eat Local!

1.       Flavour

Locally grown food is full of flavour because it has been picked fresh when the time is right and has not been harvested way earlier so that it can be shipped. Sometimes local stores have produce that are just about one day old in stock and there is nothing healthier than this.

2.       Eating local means eating seasonal food

We all wish to eat mangoes all year long but eating local food means you are eating good flavourful food that is meant to be eaten for that particular season. This not just means you are eating fresh but also means that you are eating in sync with the environment around you!

3.       Nutrition content

Shorter time between harvest and cooking means that your food has more nutrients! Food that has been shipped from abroad has sat in delivery counters for too long and possibly has too many preservatives that can harm your health.

4.       Safer food supply

The more steps you add in the distribution channel between foods being produced and consumed, the more the opportunity for the contamination of food. As long as you keep this cycle short, you are ensuring that you get healthy food!

5.       You can stay more aware

If you are purchasing and eating locally grown food, you can always find out more information about how it is being grown. You can interact with the producers and find out more about the farming practises to ensure that you are not consuming something is dangerous for your health.

 

References:

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/7_benefits_of_eating_local_foods