Eating is probably everyone’s favorite thing to do. Latinos tend to always mention mom or grandma’s cooking since it’s usually very delicious. Whether arroz con pollo, empanadas, mofongo or any other dish, we love our food; but is it really healthy? Some say it isn’t.
Every year the idea of eating organic/local food is enters the minds of more America. In 2008-2009, first lady Michelle Obama took the opportunity to introduce her local food campaign. In a Celebrity Diet Doctor article, Mrs. Obama was quoted as saying, “When food is grown locally, oftentimes it tastes really good, and when you’re dealing with kids, you want to get them to try that carrot. If it tastes like a real carrot, and it’s really sweet, they’re going to think that it’s a piece of candy. So my kids are more inclined to try different vegetables if they are fresh and local and delicious.” And now, cities across the U.S. are launching food campaigns to help their local economy and introduce it to their community.
People worldwide are rediscovering the benefits of buying local food. It is fresher than anything in the supermarket and that means it is tastier and more nutritious. It is also good for your local economy–buying directly from farmers helps them stay in business. However, some people find an issue with the prices. Although it is a little more expensive, the future benefits are long-lasting. LocalHarvest.com provides visitors with a map of farmer’s markets across the country and according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as of mid-2009, there were 6,132 farmers markets operating throughout the U.S. This is a 16 percent increase from 2009.
Surprisingly there are even Latino farmer’s markets. States like Louisiana and Philadelphia are providing their local community with local foods. The Latino Farmers Cooperative of Louisiana is a non-profit network of emerging farmers, enthusiastic gardeners and conscientious consumers brought together by a mutual love for fresh food, local economic growth and sustainable farming. This Latino farmer’s market, open just a few months ago is located in the vibrant (Latino) Norris Square neighborhood of north Philadelphia. It brings a wide selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables from Solly Brothers Farm in Ivyland, PA. So whether it’s to support your local community or to begin eating healthy, the importance of organic/local foods can shed light on many things. Think of it as leading a longer, lasting healthy life.
by guest contributor, Eric Cortes.
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i think that we should focus more on healthy eating to avoid diabetes and cardiovascular diseases~`:
healthy eating should be our top priority since there are many junk foods and foods with no nutritional value these days -,*
Rick It’s so great to have such a thoughtful eorpsnse. There are a lot of grey areas, aren’t there? In a conversation with Vandana Shiva a couple of years ago, she was asked which is better, organic or local? Her eorpsnse: This is not an either/or situation. Both together is the best. (I am paraphrasing slightly.) And it’s a long hard road to get people to eat seasonally here in the North. We’re just too inundated with other ideals, restaurant menus, and advertising. And we don’t have proper storage for the variety of foods we could be eating now, nor the knowledge to grow our own sprouts etc. to fill that dietary niche. In the meantime, I guess we just keep educating, making food more available, forcing our governments to have local food policies, and supporting farmers/eaters. Go Rick!And crannf3g is an Irish word for a type of housing: thatched buildings on stilts built on the margins of lakes, with causeways or ramps to the shore. We use the name to enable us to point out that there are other options than putting our houses on agricultural land. And so that we can have a super-cool treehouse on the farm!
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