Acceler Fitness believes that a balanced diet is a paramount factor along with exercise for wellness. While vegetarian or vegan diets have certain advantages, a whole food diet that includes a portion of responsibly raised animal products is often a means to include proteins and other beneficial nutrients. Each trainee has different needs and goals, and your Acceler Fitness nutrition coach will help guide a diet that is right for you.
Locally grown vegetables are a key spoke on the wheel of wellness. In addition to personal health, eating more locally grown vegetables can also lead to a healthier planet.
For nutrition, our Acceler Fitness resources have two primary categories:
Trainees and Trainers. Plus, see our Top Picks
The industrial agriculture complex accounts for over 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions, compared to under 15% for vehicular transportation. Over a third of the country’s vegetables and nearly three-quarters of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California. Shipping produce across the North American continent takes time, and with transit and cold storage, leafy greens like lettuce can often lose over 40% of their nutrients. Food safety is also a concern, especially in cases where lettuce is grown on massive industrial farms near livestock feed lots. Disease and viruses area also an increasing concern, since Covid-19, and a plant-based has the ability to strengthen the immune system.
Overall, Reducing the farm to table distance is good for you and the planet.
Sources:
- Greenhouse gas emissions from food production: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data
- California produce: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/statistics/#:~:text=Over%20a%20third%20of%20the%20country%E2%80%99s%20vegetables%20and,country%E2%80%99s%20fruits%20and%20nuts%20are%20grown%20in%20California
- Vegetable nutrition loss in transit and cold storage: https://www.vegetory.com.my/single-post/2020/04/19/nutrient-loss-in-vegetables-after-storage
- Food safety: https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/poisoned-the-dirty-truth-about-your-food-release-date-news + https://lettuceinfo.org/lettuce-safety/
- Stronger immune system with a plant-based diet: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/covid-19-new-study-highlights-potential-role-of-diet#Doctors-and-nurses-on-the-front-lines
Locally grown vegetables come with a range of benefits that not only affect the consumer but also have broader environmental and economic impacts. Here are some advantages:
- Fresher and More Nutritious: Locally grown vegetables are often fresher than their long-distance counterparts because they’re harvested closer to peak ripeness. This freshness can lead to higher nutritional content, as some vitamins and minerals can degrade over time and during transportation.
- Better Taste: Due to the shorter time between harvest and table, locally grown vegetables often taste better. The produce can be grown for flavor and variety rather than durability and long shelf life, which are necessary for transport over long distances.
- Reduced Environmental Impact: Local vegetables typically require less transportation, which reduces carbon emissions and energy consumption associated with food distribution. Smaller-scale local farms may also employ more sustainable farming practices than larger industrial farms, contributing to soil health, reduced pesticide use, and biodiversity.
- Supports Local Economy: Buying locally grown vegetables keeps money within the community, supporting local farmers and stimulating the local economy. This can lead to job creation and support for small businesses.
- Seasonal Variety: Local produce encourages eating seasonally, which can diversify your diet and introduce you to new flavors and nutrients. Seasonal eating also aligns with the body’s nutritional needs throughout the year.
- Community and Cultural Connection: Purchasing locally grown vegetables can foster a sense of community and connection to the land and local food production. It offers opportunities for consumers to meet and build relationships with the people who grow their food, enhancing the eating experience with personal stories and farming insights.
- Promotes Biodiversity: Local farms often grow a variety of crops to meet the community’s needs and adapt to local growing conditions, contributing to agricultural biodiversity. This diversity can help protect ecosystems and ensure long-term food security.
- Reduced Packaging and Waste: Local produce often requires less packaging and processing than vegetables that are shipped long distances. This reduction in packaging materials can significantly decrease waste and environmental pollution.
- Enhanced Food Security: Localizing food production can enhance food security by diversifying food sources and reducing dependence on long supply chains that can be disrupted by extreme weather events, economic instability, or other crises.
- Educational Opportunities: Local farms can serve as educational resources for communities, offering insights into sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and the importance of local ecosystems. This education can promote healthier and more environmentally conscious lifestyles.
- Food Safety: Local vegetables, that are not grown adjacent to livestock feed lots, often reduce the potential for contamination. In addition to buying locally grown vegetables, consider growing some produce at home in an outdoor garden, on windowsills, or with some of the latest indoor year-round gardening devices and technologies.
- Stronger Immune System: A plant-based diet has the ability to increase the human immune system to protect people from diseases and viruses.
In summary, locally grown vegetables offer a multitude of benefits that enhance not only the nutritional value and taste of the food we consume but also contribute to food safety, environmental sustainability, economic resiliency, and community well-being.