I stole that title from Michael Pollan, whose latest book is In Defense of Food. I heard him on public radio's Talk of the Nation: Science Friday yesterday. Everyone, listen to the interview here! I think his books on food are some of the most important works out there these days. I haven't read the newest book, but I'm heading to Barnes and Noble today to look for it. His whole premise: eat real food, not something concocted in a laboratory--science hasn't done us much good when it comes to nutrition.
How true this is. In the last year, really since I began to work at the Good Earth Food Co-op here in St. Cloud, we have upped the organic content of our diet to nearly 100% (maybe make that 90%). Then this past summer we began to focus on eating at least 70% locally grown foods, organic or not. I am amazed at how much better I have felt since eating this way. We've eaten a lot of organic for years, but eating locally has made the most difference. My body can just tell there's more nutrients in that food. It has not been shipped for days in a truck. It was picked ripe (and in some cases by us even) usually the day we bought, ate and/or processed it ourselves.
I can't tell you sweet the blueberries we picked and froze this summer are tasting now in the dead of winter! And how good they make me feel. And how nice the memory of that day at the berry farm, Eli sitting on the ground picking each blueberry, examining it and shining each one up like it was precious gold. Not many of his berries made it into the basket, but he sure made us smile.
And the best part of all this? The food tastes so good, and it's not that hard to prepare. Last night we ate a delicious roast from the 1/4 portion we bought of the grassfed cow our friends raised last summer. George made it, but it isn't that much effort to defrost in the fridge a day or two, stick it in a casserole dish with some water and butter, salt and pepper and stick it in the oven with some potatoes and carrots. A one-pot meal that cooks itself! We have gotten away from even this simple preparation of food, sadly. But when you start with a good quality food item, it doesn't take much work to make it taste good. Make it fancier if you wish, but when you can't, keep it simple.
So there's my soapbox for the day. Listen to Michael Pollan. Read his books if you want. Gain some of the wisdom and use of it what works for you. One step forward is a step in the right direction (and a step away from the doctor's office).
Happy Eating! Lisa
How true this is. In the last year, really since I began to work at the Good Earth Food Co-op here in St. Cloud, we have upped the organic content of our diet to nearly 100% (maybe make that 90%). Then this past summer we began to focus on eating at least 70% locally grown foods, organic or not. I am amazed at how much better I have felt since eating this way. We've eaten a lot of organic for years, but eating locally has made the most difference. My body can just tell there's more nutrients in that food. It has not been shipped for days in a truck. It was picked ripe (and in some cases by us even) usually the day we bought, ate and/or processed it ourselves.
I can't tell you sweet the blueberries we picked and froze this summer are tasting now in the dead of winter! And how good they make me feel. And how nice the memory of that day at the berry farm, Eli sitting on the ground picking each blueberry, examining it and shining each one up like it was precious gold. Not many of his berries made it into the basket, but he sure made us smile.
And the best part of all this? The food tastes so good, and it's not that hard to prepare. Last night we ate a delicious roast from the 1/4 portion we bought of the grassfed cow our friends raised last summer. George made it, but it isn't that much effort to defrost in the fridge a day or two, stick it in a casserole dish with some water and butter, salt and pepper and stick it in the oven with some potatoes and carrots. A one-pot meal that cooks itself! We have gotten away from even this simple preparation of food, sadly. But when you start with a good quality food item, it doesn't take much work to make it taste good. Make it fancier if you wish, but when you can't, keep it simple.
So there's my soapbox for the day. Listen to Michael Pollan. Read his books if you want. Gain some of the wisdom and use of it what works for you. One step forward is a step in the right direction (and a step away from the doctor's office).
Happy Eating! Lisa
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