Placergrown.org is a wonderful resource for farmers markets in Placer County. Here is a list of items that are "in season":
Arugula, Beets, Blueberries, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cherries, Collard Greens, Cucumbers, Eggs, Garlic, Herbs, Honey, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lemons, Lettuce, Mizuna, Onions, Pea Shoots, Potatoes, Spinach, Sprouts, Strawberries, Sugar Snap Peas, Summer Squash, Sunflower Shoots, Swiss Chard, Turnips, Watercress, Wheatgrass, Zucchini Squash
Other beneficial resources are:
www.sustainabletable.org/shop/eatseasonal
www.foodroutes.org/localfood
www.localharvest.org
Below is a harvest calendar for northern California:
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It is a public health imperative to encourage healthy eating and lifestyles as well as supporting our local community to serve sustainably grown food. It would be imperative to motivate hospitals to invest and purchase seasonal and locally grown foods to the populations it serves. It doesn't make sense and seems hypocritic as health professionals to nourish the sick community with unhealthy food. The first article titled, "Seasonal Foods: A New Menu for Public Health" encompasses ways we can encourage healthcare facilities to serve local and season foods to promote healthy eating choices.
"Obesogen" refers to the "dietary, pharmaceutical, and industrial compounds that may alter metabolic processes and predispose some people to gain weight" (Holtcamp 2012). To combat obesity, it is crucial to develop a healthy eating plan and exercise regularly. I have heard of Obesogens in my undergraduate genetics class. I distinctly remember my professor using Obesogens as an example for epigenetics, the study of how the environment affects an individual's genes. Obesogens are important factors to consider when discussing policy or system changes in an environment. Holtcamp (2012) discusses the importance of Obesogens and its environmental link to Obesity. This article was insightful in providing research studies to support exposure to obesogen can have on biological processes.
I chose to do some light research on the Obesogen, monosodium glutamate (MSG) that is present in many of our foods. I know of Monosodium Glutamate as the chemical comparison to the term "Umami." Umami is the term to describe the sensation as "savory." MSG is added to foods to create this "artificial" flavor of salty and savoring.
Below is the Toxicity Summary of MSG by toxnet.nlm:
In my research, some studies found that the rate of weight gain in experimental animals was greater in MSG present animals compared to controls (Yu; Zhao; Shi; Ma; Yu; 1997). However, a different study suggested that long-term ingestion of MSG did not induce obesity or insulin resistance in a two-generation study of mice (Nakamura; Kawamata; Kuwahara; Smriga; Sakai; 2013). More research will be needed and administered to discuss the effects on MSG on the human population.
The harvest calendar is extremely helpful for those of us who have limited knowledge of what is in season. When I discovered that MSG was harmful, more than 10 years ago, it completely changed the way I saw a lot of food. For instance, I would go into Chinese restaurants and ask if their food was prepared with MSG, most at the time were. It was important to ask so that they were aware that people were informed consumers. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with your thoughts around produce used in hospital food preparations. Hospitals symbolize the beginning of new health with cures and treatments. However, if food served to patients are pesticide-filled, hospitals only add to the problem. Therefore, we must begin introducing locally grown produce in health facilities around the community.
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