Eat Local & Seasonal To Stay Healthy

20 years ago, it was unimaginable to see mangoes being sold alongside grapes & oranges in one cart, and nowadays it's everywhere. With the global economy of today, many people can purchase any food they like, at any time of the year, and in almost any part of the world. While there's a lot to be said for convenience, the flip side of this convenience could be harming your body & the environment.
 
Off late, I see frequent entries about imported & "off-season" foods in the dietary updates that I get from my clients, and I found myself writing back to them to please stick to eating LOCAL & SEASONAL foods(whether its fruits, vegetables or even grains). An innate wisdom about Eating Right is to eat as per climate & proximity of food. Fresh seasonal food is alive, filled with all the nourishment and nutrients needed to keep you healthy and thriving!
 
Now, you must be wondering why this whole hue & cry about eating local & seasonal. Ever heard of "FOOD MILES"? Technically it means, "a mile over which a food item is transported during the journey from producer to consumer, from THE FARM TO YOUR PLATE". From a health point of view, the LONGER THE FOOD MILES ARE, THE BIGGER IS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOUR SPINE & NAVEL!! Foods that cover "food miles" lose nutrients in transit. That's the reason we fall prey to seasonal allergies, flu & infection when we eat unseasonal foods from far off places. Eating local food preserves the diversity of our gut bacteria.

Let's take a look at the carbon footprint of your food. In the US, the average meal travels 1,500 miles from where it was grown to the plate. According to food activist & author, Michael Pollan,"It takes 56 calories of fossil fuel energy to deliver 1 calorie of food energy to your plate." As per Indian statistics, for every 1100 calories consumed as vegetarian food, 724 gms of CO2 is emitted. Understandably, locally grown foods have a smaller carbon footprint.
 
Ayurveda also suggests Ritucharya, which means making changes in lifestyle & diet as per seasons. Here is why you should eat local & seasonal food:
 
- Aids digestion and immunity
- Helps prevent allergies
- Balances the doshas
- Strengthens one's connection with the cycle of nature: food grown from local soil & climate assimilates better
- Supplies more nutrition with a rainbow of colours ensuring enough antioxidants
- Ensures food safety: Think of all the preservatives & toxic chemicals used to keep packaged foods from going rancid on grocery store shelves.
 
Even the Macrobiotic theory of health is a strong proponent of eating seasonal foods. Aiming to balance the yin & yang, this approach is believed to support agriculture, local farming, digestion and even mental well-being. No wonder, it's considered one of the best dietary approaches that boost longevity & optimal health.

 For an Indian context, here's a broad guide of foods that you are available as per seasons :
 
SUMMER :
Fruits: Mango, Jamun, Lychee, Papaya, Melons, Plums, Peaches, Apricots, Tadgola, Jackfruit, Phalsa, Karwand, Cherries, Banana.

Vegetables: Cucumber, Brinjal, Gourds(Bottle/ Bitter/Ridged/ Ivy/ Snake), Pumpkin, Potato, Bhindi(ladyfinger), Jackfruit.
 
MONSOON : 
Fruits: Apple, Pear, Banana, Pine apple
Vegetables: Arbi(Colocassia ), Arbi leaves( Colocassia leaves) , Amaranth, Potato, Onion
 
WINTER : 
Fruits: Anar(pomegranate), Grapes, Papaya, Chickoo, Oranges, Kinnow, Strawberries, Ber, Guava
Vegetables: Green Leafy(Spinach, Methi, Bathua, Mustard ), Sweet potato, Radish, Carrots, Beetroots, Yam, Cruciferous veggies(cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli), Peas, Pumpkin, Bell peppers.
 
We are all aware of the dangerously decreasing number of honeybees worldwide and why their perish will deeply impact humans as well as the ecosystem. Evidently, the use of pesticides on crops is killing the bees. Luckily, local farmers are realizing they need honeybees for their crops to survive. And, now they avoid using pesticides and many even keep beehives on their farms to help repopulate the honeybees. Which means you may find real pure honey(besides fresh produce) at many farmer's markets that are sprouting in all major Indian cities nowadays. Eating local produce is a great way of supporting your local farmers,  economy, as well as save the environment & ultimately the planet !!
 
In her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, author Barbara Kingsolver chronicles a year in which she and her family ate as locally as possible, buying everything from within a 50-mile radius of their home. We can all begin this experiment and in the process know our native foods better.. :
 
After all, showing off smart mind & slimmer waistline is better than showing off affluence by eating Canadian blueberries in India!!