( Food & Nutrition )
THE IMPORTANCE OF BUYING LOCAL
Dr Joanna explains why buying local isn ' t a passing fad . ' B uy local ’ has become something of a social media catch cry . What started as a grass roots movement with a slight hippie appeal , has become far more main stream . But it ' s not just a fad , it ’ s likely here to stay .
For the most part this is a good thing for our own health , the health and prosperity of local communities , and the health of our planet . Here ’ s why .
Locally grown produce is fresher
As soon as you pick a lettuce , the vitamin C levels begin to fall . The same is true for many vegies and fruits , with some vitamins and phytochemicals ( think antioxidants and other plant compounds ) being more susceptible than others to degradation .
This is why many fruits are harvested before they are ripe , so that the producers and distributers have longer to get them onto shelves and be purchased by consumers .
Perhaps this doesn ’ t matter for some produce and indeed it can be convenient to have some fruits ripening in your fruit bowl . But for many it affects the taste . Tomatoes are a great example . Try buying good quality vine-ripened tomatoes and you ’ ll notice the difference with your nose before you even bite into the fruit . That unmistakeable fresh tomato smell is glorious .
It ’ s not just fruit and veggies where degree of freshness is king . The same is true of extra virgin olive oil . The olives are
harvested only once a year and ideally each year ’ s production of extra virgin olive oil should be consumed by the time the next year ’ s harvest is available . That ensures we are getting the best quality oil with the highest levels of antioxidants and other phytochemicals .
How do you know if your extra virgin olive oil is fresh ? Many brands will include the year of harvest on the bottle and look for the little triangle below . This is your stamp of approval that the oil has passed the high Aussie standards for extra virgin olive oil .
Even grain foods are better fresh . Although they can be stored for relatively long periods of time , if stored in the right environment , micro-organisms can grow and damage the crop and there can be nutritional changes over time . In contrast , if you buy food that has been transported many thousands of kilometres around the world , it is impossible to achieve the same level of freshness . It may sometimes be necessary , but since here in Australia we are lucky enough to have a broad range of climates and growing conditions , we can farm and produce a vast array of both animal and plant foods .
Buying local provides an income and way of life to many in our communities
Buying food produced within Australia by Australian businesses invests money into our economy as well as supporting the families and employees directly involved .
Buying imported goods usually involves many more steps in the chain from the farmer to the end buyer , and unfortunately this almost always means less money to the farmer as everyone along the pipeline takes their slice of the pie . Farmer ’ s markets and home delivered produce boxes direct from market or the producers themselves have become increasingly popular for this reason . But sadly , they often struggle to compete on price with the major supermarkets .
Aussie Farmers Direct was the first independent home delivery service but after 13 years of business had to go into voluntary administration earlier this year , citing the battle with the major supermarkets as the reason .
The good news is that they have been picked up by Melbourne based business YourGrocer , an initiative that allows you to buy from your local grocer , baker , butcher , fishmonger and so on , and have your products delivered together to your home . The service is not yet available to those outside of Melbourne but look out for similar businesses in your area .
That doesn ’ t necessarily mean we have to completely eschew the supermarkets . They too provide local employment and often support the community in other
6 OH ! MAGAZINE ( JULY 2018 )