The environment and the food we eat are closely related. It benefits both your body and your planet to eat locally and seasonally. Eating berries and tomatoes in the middle of January encourages shipping food across the country and around the world causing air and water pollution, depleting nutrients and breaking an important ecological link.
Here is a shocking statistic: Americans make up 5% of the worlds population and consume 24% of the worlds food. 40% of that food gets thrown out creating the largest component of municipal solid waste and contributing to U.S methane emissions.
Monoculture farming and chemical fertilizers change soil chemistry and cause plants to become more vulnerable to pests and diseases. The nutrients in fruits and vegetables come from the soil they are grown in, and so the food we eat today is far less nutritious than in previous generations.
We are getting less health benefit per calorie from our foods. Organic nutrients need to be returned to the soil as compost or other waste to keep the nutrient value in the soil high. Food produced organically, without pesticides and chemical fertilizers, is 25% more nutrient dense providing more nutrition for the money. Simply changing our habits and being mindful of what we buy and how we eat can have a personal and global health impact. We need to eat well to be well.
Kristen Coffield
I am a passionate advocate for food as medicine, life navigator and culinary coach. This is my space for sharing what excites, inspires and motivates me to live my best life. It began as a recipe blog for nourishing, simple, weekday meals and has become something much bigger… a guide to resilient wellness. I am excited to share my knowledge of how daily habits can cumulatively help you to live like you mean it and age like you want to.
