10 Health Benefits Of Eating Locally Grown Foods

10 Health Benefits Of Eating Locally Grown Foods

By choosing locally grown foods instead of those from the supermarkets, you support your neighborhood, help the environment, and keep your family healthy.

Locally grown foods are just what you need if you want to add something healthy and fresh to your plate.

Choosing to buy locally can bring numerous benefits to your health and even to your community, among other things.

Today, you can pick from many places that sell locally grown foods, from your farmers’ market to even a roadside stand.

These are the places where you can find healthy options when it comes to your diet. They’re also great foods to nourish the kids. And even those with certain food sensitivity can find something to buy.

Top Benefits Of Eating Locally Grown Foods

If you skip the farmers’ market or you just haven’t had the opportunity of buying locally grown foods, these benefits might change everything.

Here’s why it’s better to buy foods from your local farmers instead of supermarkets:

1. No Preservatives

The food that is grown locally does not need long trips, it isn’t transported across the country so it doesn’t need any preservatives to stay fresh.

So because the transit between your farmers’ market and the farm from which the foods come is usually short, there is no need for any chemicals or preservatives to be added to make sure everything stays fresh.

2. No Pesticides

Almost all the local food producers choose to get rid of bugs and any pests by using natural and organic pest repellents.

This is a major difference between the foods that are produced on a larger scale, where the food can be sprayed with lots of chemicals and pesticides.

3. Promote A Balanced Diet

When you go to the supermarket, you choose packaged or processed foods that won’t do any good for you or your diet. They lack essential nutrients in comparison to fresh foods.

This is why it’s great to buy locally. It will be easier for you to eat more healthy vegetables, proteins, fruits, and even whole grains.

4. Help With Better Nutrition

Your locally grown foods are full of nutrients because they’re fresh (picked on the same day you buy them) and don’t contain any chemicals.

In the supermarket, you will find all kinds of fruits and vegetables because they are forced to grow no matter the season.

But when you buy locally, you will eat foods that are naturally grown within their season. This is a big plus if you like foods that are full of flavor and texture.

5. They Are Always Fresher

You will find fresh foods at your local farmers’ market that will taste better and will be packed with nutrients.

This is because they are picked the day before or even the same morning so they are nutrient-dense and perfectly ripe.

When it comes to the foods from the big grocery stores, they are picked maybe even a week before they are up on the shelves at the store.

Just keep in mind that, after the fruits and vegetables are harvested, they start to lose some of their nutrients like vitamin C, B, and A.

You will still find nutrients and vitamins in the food that was picked a week before, but the fresher the food, the more nutrient-dense it is.

6. You Can Find New Taste

In the big store, you can often find that the fruit and vegetable aisle is always the same. This leaves you little room for imagination when it comes to cooking. This is why it can be a great idea to buy locally.

You can always find seasonal foods that will make it easier to bring new tastes to your plate.

For example, you will find lots of different types of tomatoes, kohlrabi, rhubarb, and lots more.

7. Know What You’re Eating

When you buy locally you can easily find out everything there’s to know about the foods you wanna buy.

From what type of soil is used to how much water certain plants need. This can be great for you if you want to try some gardening for yourself.

This is the best way to know what you are putting on your table.

Next time you are at the farmers’ market, you can find out everything you wanna know just by asking some questions.

8. You Will Enjoy A Safer Food Supply

If between you and your food source, are too many phases, there is a higher risk of contamination. Especially nowadays with the COVID-19 concern.

When your food is coming from a greater distance, you don’t know if there have been issues at harvesting or if there are safety issues at distribution.

Plus, it is more likely that your food contains chemicals and preservatives to make it through shipping.

The best way to avoid all this is to buy locally grown foods. You know where the food comes from and it will be free of any chemicals and preservatives.

9. Helps You With Some Diet Related Needs

There are people who have certain food sensibilities that can make it hard to eat whatever they want.

If hormones, preservatives, or other food chemicals are definitely a no-go, then you need to buy your food locally.

These foods are clean and will help you with any digestive or food allergy issues.

10. Brings Benefits To The Environment

How you will impact the environment is up to you. There are many things that you can do to live a life that will benefit your surroundings.

From recycling to reducing your carbon footprint, even choosing local foods can be a good thing.

When you are buying locally grown foods, you help keep the green spaces and farmland in your community. It also means less packaging when transported and even less pollution in the process.

Stay Healthy, Choose Local!

Locally grown foods can have an endless list of benefits.

It is really good for your body and your health when you know what you eat and you get the best of foods you can find out there.

Eat what your body needs, get all the vitamins and nutrients you can get while also doing something good for your community and your environment.

Choose locally grown foods to support your neighborhood, your environment, and your body!

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