Shopping for Health

I was thinking today about something I heard once ... maybe it was Weight Watchers, but I'm not sure. The advice was to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store for food. Great advice!

I mean think about it...

1. The produce department should always be the first stop in the grocery store. Grab your fruits and veggies, preferably organic. Maybe you can even find locally grown. The healthiest part of the store! You can often find veggie meats and tofu in this department, too.
   
   
   
2. The meat department is next. Unless you are a vegetarian. Many grocery stores are now carrying more "natural" meats, but buyer beware. Know what you are getting and read the fine print. Natural just means no artificial additives. You may still being buying grain fed and factory farm raised and it may still have gone through a large meat processing plant. However, choosing the lesser evil is still better than buying that Smithfield vacuum packed meat. 
3. Next you have the frozen food department. If you stick to healthy foods like fruits and veggies this department isn't so bad. It's actually full of healthy choices. And frozen fruits and veggies retain more vitamins and minerals than canned ones. Just don't cook them in a big pot of water. Many of the nutrients leach out into the water. Buying prepared foods in this department is not such a good idea, however. Typically, they contain tons of additives and preservatives and are highly processed.
4. Last but not least is the dairy department. This department is full of protein and healthy fats. Remember that non-fat versions often have other added ingredients to enhance flavor so read labels carefully for carbs and artificial ingredients if choosing low-fat or fat-free. Whole milk, cheeses, and butter are good for us in moderation. I prefer to choose organic and choose free-range whenever available. In health food stores you may be able to find local raw milk in the dairy section, which is what we drink.  The taste cannot be matched by supermarket milk. 
5. Then there's the rest of the store. Think about this: the shelf life on some of that stuff is years. That's not natural. Food spoils. If it doesn't spoil fairly quickly, be suspicious. Most of the center store is NOT healthy and DOES contain artificial ingredients like preservatives and sweeteners. Most of it is highly processed and much of it is high in saturated fats and low in vitamins and minerals. This is the icky part of the store. Not convinced? Download the app Fooducate and try scanning some items in the center part of the supermarket. You may be shocked at what you discover! And remember that these overly processed foods have negative consequences for your health and the health of the planet.

Of course, I still recommend and personally prefer buying from local farms. We are in a small-ish city and I am able to get fresh, local, organic products including free-range grass-fed meat, sustainably farmed veggies and fruit, raw or low temp pasteurized milk, eggs, and even honey, jams, and jellies. We also could get grains but we don't eat many grains. I buy soap from a local farm, too! 

If you aren't sure where your local organic farmers are, check localharvest.org. 

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Why Buy Local

I have another list for you. I do love lists. Does that say something about my personality type? Hmmm. That may be a topic for another day! Haha.

Ten Reasons to Buy Local

1. The Walton family doesn't need another mansion, but your local farmer's kid does need new cleats for baseball season. 
2. Local farms create jobs for many uneducated laborers who cannot find employment elsewhere. 
3. If your local economy is struggling, your job may depend on keeping your money local. 
4. Small family farms are less likely to use pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and antibiotics on the food they grow. 
5. Feed lots are disgusting. Thousands of animals crammed into small spaces, standing in their own feces, eating genetically modified grain, are given high doses of antibiotics because the conditions make them sick. You want to eat those animals?
6. Produce in America is shipped an average of 1500 miles to get from the grower to your table. Do you know how much gas those airplanes take? How much smog that creates? How much heat is produced by all those trucks driving lettuce cross-country? 
7. Local products typically have less or even no packaging because they don't travel far. 
8. Most produce is picked 4 or more days before it gets to the shelf, so it must be picked before it's completely ripe. Local produce is typically picked the same day and at it's peak, meaning it will look better and taste better. It will also have more nutrients.
9. Preserve open spaces. If local farms cannot create enough income, they sell their land for development. 
10. Strengthen your community. When you buy local, you meet the people whose products you buy and form relationships with farmers, artisans, bakers, shopkeepers, and more.