The Health And Economic Benefits Of Consuming Fresh Missouri Local Produce

By Donna Wagner


We know we need to eat from a rainbow of colors, and I'm not talking about the bright colored cereal pieces in a box of fruity loops. Most produce is best eaten immediately off the tree, vine, plant or bush. Every hour it sits, it loses a certain number of its vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants and minerals. You want Missouri local Produce that is as fresh as possible.

How fresh is that head of lettuce that was harvest in Missouri last week? What about the strawberries picked in Mexico? Yes, this is still better than not eating fresh yields at all, but if you want to maximize your dollar, start by evaluating your choices. Some supermarkets recognize how important this is to customers and they are beginning to look for native alternatives to long-distance shipping.

Its Fresher- Supermarkets go to huge lengths to pile food high and sell it cheap. Sometimes when the word "fresh" appears on a label, the food may not be that fresh. What do we think of when we think of the word "fresh"? Taking tomatoes as an example, the mass produced ones are usually picked green. It can take up to two weeks for them to arrive at the store, and if they're not ripe, they are exposed to ethylene to force ripening. This is what supermarkets mean by "fresh".

Finding a native farmer who sells yields either to native grocers or at native farmers' markets is your best choice. Farmer's markets are cropping up everywhere because the demand for them is increasing. Most of us are interested in getting the best for our dollar. Buying natively is a good way to ensure this.

In the current age of convenience, the quality of meals is often overlooked. Consequently many developed nations are now grappling with the increased burden of funding health care services. Return to eating delicious, nutritious meals from home-grown yield seems to be one solution that shows signs of working, and is calculated to reduce carbon emissions, and so directly benefits the environment.

Greenhouses yield less flavorsome fruit and veg than that grown on good farmland. Livestock that is solely reared outdoors in good conditions produces tastier meat than animals forced to live in barns. Wild fish has more flavor than farmed fish; again, this is largely due to diet and fresher water.

Buying from a native farmer reduces your carbon footprint on the earth because the produce does not have to be shipped thousands of miles from where it was produced to end up on someone's plate. What kind of gas mileage do you suppose a semi gets? That load of onions being shipped over 2000 miles creates an enormous carbon footprint that will take years to eliminate.

To act responsibly toward your community, toward the earth, and toward the health of you and your family, find a native farmer and buy as much produce as you can from them. Better yet, look for community supported agriculture (CSA, ) and purchase a share. This means that every week you will receive a "share", a box or bag of freshly harvested native yields that supports the farmer and nourishes your family. By purchasing a share, they know that they have you for a customer week after week, and you know that your family will be healthier for it.




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