Eat Locally

Living well and living green can go hand-in-hand

By Susan Del Gobbo, MPH, RD and Clinical Nutritionist with UVA Health System.

Locally grown sweet, savory and succulent produce will soon be easy to find. Whether you want to reduce your carbon footprint, improve your heart health, or do your part to preserve our enviable natural surroundings, consider eating local this summer.

In general, freshly harvested produce (when eaten raw or lightly cooked) contains higher levels of nutrients such as vitamin C, most B vitamins and some minerals than processed ones. Eating locally also helps sustain our regional economy and may even feel more psychologically comforting. Purchasing fresh produce directly from growers is a pleasant change from supermarket shopping and allows you to support local farms. Did you know that there are almost 3,000 farmers markets nationwide?

There are many ways to buy locally grown food in Virginia.  Here are 5 options:

Patronize farmers’ markets. Charlottesville supports a thriving Saturday market on Water Street just off the Downtown mall; Nellysford in Nelson County and Crozet and Scottsville in Albemarle County also have Saturday morning markets. Fluvanna holds a farmers market at Pleasant Grove on Tuesdays and Charlottesville has a second farmer’s market on Wednesdays at Meade Park. For a complete listing of markets, and information about finding and buying local food, visit www.buylocalvirginia.org, a non-profit focused on local agriculture.

Stop and shop at a roadside stand or visit a pick-your-own farm in the country. You’ll find roadside stands in rural locations as well as along busy roads in populated places. Along with fresh produce, many roadside farms sell locally produced flowers, eggs and honey.

Grow your own. Look for locally grown plants at farmers markets at the start of the season. Even if you are limited to container gardening, seize the opportunity for harvesting fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, cilantro, dill, tarragon, oregano, sage, majoram. They are simple to grow and contain no sodium, a substance in our diets currently being consumed at levels far above what is recommended for heart health. Full of flavor, try adding them to salads, marinades, soups, stews, roasts, and even sandwiches.

Join a Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA). In this program (also known as subscription farming), farmers plant a variety of crops to provide subscribers with a continuous succession of ripe goods. Fresh, often organic, food is delivered to your home or to a specified pick-up location each week. Some CSA farms also offer honey, eggs, grains and meat, or other farm products such as wool. Here are some of the advantages: 

• CSA growers get a fair return on their labor
• Local communities retain the buyers’ food dollars
• Regional biodiversity is promoted
• Stewardship of the land is encouraged
• Small business is supported.

Buy locally grown foods in your grocery store and specialty food stores. From local large grocery chains to independent grocers and natural foods stores, you’ll find locally produced food in the produce, bakery, dairy and meat sections.  Look, for example, for Twin Oaks Tofu, strawberries and tomatoes grown in Albemarle County, meats and dairy from around our region, and spring herbs and greens from numerous local sources.

Savor the Summer

And remember that for optimal heart health, balance eating well with regular exercise. If safe, walk or ride a bike to your local farmers market, savor opportunities to go swimming, tour a local garden or engage in other physical activity that you enjoy. Then slow down and enjoy a warm summer evening complete with a dinner of fresh foods, a modest portion of fine wine, and enjoyable conversation with family and friends.