Benefits of eating Local and Seasonal

Heard of the phrase “Think globally, act local?”. It goes the same to the foods you eat. To forage for food or go back to your roots is not always realistic, one can act locally by consuming foods that are in season. Seasonal eating is en vogue. Each season provides you with lots of fresh produce, making it an exciting time to try out some new recipes.

Putting into practise the consumption of locally grown and seasonal foods has loads of benefits for you, the community and our environment. Running down are some convincing reasons to get back to nature and to follow the trend of eating local, seasonally grown foods:

• Better nutrition: Plants require water, sun to grow, and picking them before they are ripe cuts off the nutrient availability, and so do not fully develop in the flesh of the fruit. Further, genetic modification used sometimes can alter how the crop was naturally supposed to be consumed. Also, eating seasonally, guarantees to consume a variety of produce, which will assist in eating a balanced diet.
• Richer flavour: Produce that is in season quite simply tastes better. It is fresher and has the fullness of its flavour. Locally and holistically grown quality produce with the environment, with love and care, and is in season undoubtedly tastes better than an equivalent that was picked days before embarking on a journey.
• Cost effective: Cost effective is one of the many advantages that comes with Seasonal foods. In an area at the time when it is in season there, the cost of the food produced will automatically go down. Foods that are transported from far off places, the burden of cost of transportation and storage gets transferred to the customers and they end up paying more. Local and seasonal foods are cheaper and better in quality at the same time.
• Food for the environment: Food that has travelled across the world to get to your plate has a much higher impact on our environment. Efficient energy is needed to transport, refrigerate and store it and often, more packaging is needed to keep it fresh. By consuming fresh locally, seasonal foods you can help reduce the environmental costs associated with your food.
• Support of the local economy: Food acts as a medium through which people have been able to come together. It calls for a conversation between people about how to cultivate communities in which healthy living and eating is a regular and accessible practice for everyone. Buying locally means supporting small farmers.

Care for your fresh produce
Perhaps, eating seasonally does not have to be a 100 percent commitment. Going for even a few seasonal produce will improve the nutrient intake, save money and help save the planet. While it is important to consume fresh and seasonal produce, it is equally important to know how to clean them and it must be done without the use of any harsh chemicals and harmful detergents. . Using a safe solution like Marico’s Veggie Clean is an excellent way to clean the surfaces of fruits and vegetables with 100% safety. It is simple to use, you just need to mix one capful of Veggie Clean in 2 litres of water followed by rinsing the soaked produce in it and then running water. It’s affordable, easily available and your safest bet to clean vitamin loaded fruits and vegetables.

Conclusion
There are lots of facts and figures that can come into play when it comes to diet. The usage of some preservatives, additives and pesticides are all things the modern-day consumer has to think about when choosing the food that will go into their bodies. Consuming seasonal and local food is a fun and easy way to become a more conscientious consumer as well as overcome some of the challenges of finding fresh and truly healthy ingredients.