Overall well-being has several factors, including a healthy diet that nourishes the soul and body. A diet that focuses on fresh, seasonal ingredients and incorporates as many whole foods as possible can improve your health, the environment, and your local community. Dr. Bruce Hoffman’s approach to eating seasonally and locally can impact your diet and health, one meal at a time.
Whole Foods and Your Diet
Your diet should focus on whole, organic, unprocessed food as much as possible. This means incorporating foods like seasonal produce, healthy protein, and fats with seasonal vegetables, fruits, and salads into your meals. These foods are rich in vitamins and minerals, have a good amount of fats and protein to keep you full, and are lower in fat, sugar, and salt when compared to processed or packaged foods.
When you eat foods in their natural state, with little to no processing, you are getting as much nutrition from them as possible. The vitamins and minerals in foods such as whole foods are proven to help lower your chance of illness and disease, particularly type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.
Why Eat Seasonally?
Eating food that’s local and in season can improve your health. Seasonal produce is picked at the height of ripeness, which means it has the most flavor and highest nutritional content. These plants are left to grow and ripen naturally.
Produce left to mature longer and be sold locally has more time to build up phytochemicals, like antioxidants, compared to produce that needs to be picked quickly and shipped over a long distance. Food that only has to travel a short distance has more nutrients, like essential vitamins and minerals that help fight off disease. For example, you’ll find higher concentrations of vitamins A and C, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium in local, seasonal produce.
Following what’s in season can lead to more diversity in your diet. Studies show that eating a variety of local and seasonal plants assists your gut microbiota, which keeps you healthy. Have fun exploring the diversity of what’s in season near you.
Choosing to Eat Locally
Many small farms go the organic route and grow products free from herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. When you buy local products from small farmers, there is more transparency in growing conditions, and you can be confident your food is free from unwanted chemicals and substances that can harm your health.
Choosing local food also means less of a chance of contamination. There are fewer steps and shorter distances to travel from the food source to your plate when you choose local products. Food grown far away that travels across long shipping lines is more likely to become contaminated with bacteria that can make you sick.
Dr. Bruce Hoffman’s Advice
Dr. Hoffman believes in eating whole, organic food all the time. When choosing to eat organic, look for local and seasonal options. You may find these items at your local supermarket, but another option is to check out a local farmer’s market. This gives you the unique opportunity to meet the people who grow and pick your food.
Choosing local and seasonal options is a great way to find delicious, nutrient-dense food while supporting small businesses that often use more sustainable farming practices. You may also discover new produce you’ve never tried before, inspiring you to have fun in the kitchen and get creative with tasty, nourishing recipes for you and your family.