Since 2005, communities everywhere have promoted localized eating to help stabilize the economies of more rural areas and make the food industry more sustainable. But did you know that eating local produce can also have health benefits?
It’s true! Read on to learn about the health benefits of eating locally harvested produce compared to grabbing produce in the store!
The Benefits of Eating Locally Harvest Produce
1. Fewer Chemicals
When food, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, need to be transported, it has to be sprayed with various chemicals and pesticides to keep it safe and fresh during transport. As a result, consumers ingest many of these chemicals, which have been tied to serious health issues.
However, there is no need to add these same chemicals when it comes to local produce since the fruit and vegetables will only be stored for a few hours rather than a few days.
2. Less Chance of Contamination
When fruits or vegetables need to be trucked or shipped, they must be handled by various people. From the time they are harvested to the time they are unloaded from the truck, many food handlers have touched your produce. Some fruits even go through transfers from a boat to a truck, doubling the number of people that come in contact with your produce.
Not to mention that these transport vehicles typically aren't spotless. Buying locally removes many of these produce handlers which means there is less chance for your food to be contaminated by bacteria or viruses on its way to your home.
3. More Nutrients
Because produce spends so long in transit, they must be harvested long before they are ripe. Fruits and vegetables contain the most nutrients for your body when they are fully ripe.
When you shop locally, the produce is typically harvested only when ripe because it doesn't need to spend days or weeks in transit. This means you get more nutrients from your produce when you shop locally which is better for your body (not to mention they taste better when ripe too!)
4. Active Benefits
Shopping locally often has physical benefits for your body as you will likely need to walk somewhere other than your grocery store to buy local produce. So whether you head to a farmer's market Saturday morning (instead of sitting in front of the TV) or walk to a nearby farm, you will get your steps in!
Ready to Commit to Eating Locally Harvest Produce?
Here at Farm Fresh Meals, we are committed to using locally sourced ingredients, which means you can get the benefits of local produce just by ordering our meals!
Whether you need gluten-free or paleo, our meals can help you to adapt to eating local foods. Look at our menu, where you can order a la carte or subscribe and save.