Spring has arrived with early access to eating local. We survived the winter by consuming tasteless fruits and vegetables shipped too many miles to still please the palate. But a new day is dawning. We’re already indulging in the sweetness of freshly-picked strawberries from local farms and soon we’ll cut into crisp cucumbers and slice through juicy, ripe tomatoes. When people tell me that they don’t like fruits and vegetables, I ask them if they’re eating foods that are in season. We can walk into just about any grocery store and find what we’re looking for any time of the year – which is very convenient – but many of us have lost touch with where our food comes from and the cycles of the growing seasons. Other than farmers, no one pays more attention to these seasons than chefs. Because they know the sooner the food gets from the farm to the fork, the better it tastes. In this Mayo Clinic Minute clip on healthy farmers’ market finds, Mayo Clinic executive wellness chef Jen Welper said if you make meals from the rainbow of colors at the farmers’ market, you’ll enjoy foods that are nice to look at and healthy. Because different colors offer different nutrients. It’s easier to find locally grown food thanks to a resurgence in farmers’ markets and a system called community-supported agriculture (CSA) that connects farmers more closely to consumers. You can subscribe to the farm and receive a weekly harvest of whatever’s in season. Some CSAs even deliver your produce to your home or office. As a registered dietitian I can tell you, fresh is best for the body. And people who frequent farmers’ market or subscribe to CSAs are much more likely to consume more fresh fruits and vegetables because they have so much healthy food at their fingertips. This makes it easier to meet the USDA’s guidelines of filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables and the other half with equal portions of protein and grains. Another way to increase those fruits and veggies is by stopping at roadside markets where you can find lots of fresh produce from local farms. Most states’ departments of agriculture offer a list of where to buy local, including roadside markets, CSAs and community-based farmers’ markets. Here’s one for Sourcing fresh foods from...
Introducing a Medical Miracle What if we told you there was a way to extend your lifespan by delaying or completely preventing the types of chronic illness that lead to an early death? Would you assume we were talking about an experimental wonder drug, or maybe some type of expensive treatment only available overseas? If so, you’d be wrong. The real answer is much simpler, safer, and more affordable than that, and you can find it at your local grocery store. We’re talking, of course, about a healthy diet. That’s right: The secret to long life isn’t found in million-dollar spa treatments or genetic modification—it’s held within the foods we eat every day. A popular holistic health guru puts it this way: “Every time you eat or drink, you are either feeding disease or fighting it.” And the very best way to protect your body against potentially devastating chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome is to follow a plant-based diet. What is a Plant-Based Diet? A plant-based diet is simply a diet that is composed mainly of plants rather than meat and animal-based foods. Animal-based foods include beef, pork, venison, and other red meats as well as poultry, eggs, lard, milk and dairy products, fish, and other seafood like shrimp and crab. These are the foods that you should limit, depending on which type of plant-based diet you choose to follow. So what types of plant-based diets are there? Let’s take a look: Vegans eat no meat or animal-based foods at all. Ovo-vegetarians eat eggs, but no other meat or animal-based foods Lacto-vegetarians consume milk and other dairy products, but no other animal-based foods. Ovo-lacto vegetarians eat eggs and dairy products, but no other animal-based foods. Pesco-vegetarians consume fish, but no other animal-based foods. Partial vegetarians (aka flexitarians) eat a vegetarian diet the majority of the time, but may indulge in fish or poultry a few times a week. As you can see, following a plant-based diet doesn’t have to mean giving up meat entirely. You have complete freedom to choose whichever type of plant-based diet best suits your lifestyle and personal preferences. Why You Should Follow a Plant-Based Diet Plant-based diets have gotten a bad rap in the past because previous studies tended to focus on the nutritional deficiencies they may potentially...
By The Registered Dietitians at 2 Your Health When you think ‘Mediterranean’ do images of majestic oceans, tranquil breezes, sumptuous flavorful foods, and opulent sunsets come to mind? What about the rich, deep, woody flavors of authentic olive oil and the pure decadence of wine, aged cheeses, and fresh fruits and vegetables off the vine and from the rich soil of the Mediterranean land? The Mediterranean Diet’s aromatic appeal has...
