I have recently started volunteering at The Good Earth Growers at Crocadon Farm in Cornwall and am working in the Edible Flowers section, picking, packing, weeding and planting, and enjoying the fresh smell and beautiful colours of the flowers. It’s a well-known fact that being outside in the fresh air, gardening, or in this case farming and horticultural work, contributes towards a healthy and happy mindset. Working the farm reduces symptoms of stress and anxiety and as well as providing me with exercise and respect for the land there are other more significant benefits. I get paid in vegetables for my work and although I can’t go to a café and swap a bunch of carrots for a coffee, there are numerous benefits to eating local, seasonal organic produce.
eating with the rhythm of the seasons
The concept of seasonal eating is not a new one, but before the arrival of supermarkets, humans were hunter-gatherers and ate food that was available, dependent on the season. In the past, most people knew which vegetables would grow best in their local area, and when was the best time to harvest. Before supermarkets and the introduction of convenience, food and cooking dominated the time and energy of the average household. Most fruits and vegetables were grown in the kitchen garden, and people ate seasonal diets. In the spring and summer months, people ate many more fruits and vegetables than they did in the autumn and winter, but they also found ways to preserve their food during abundant harvests for the colder seasons.
I don’t know about you, but when I think of seasonal produce my memory casts back to foraging for blackberries on late summer walks and picking my own strawberries in the summertime. I also remember visits to the local market in France on holiday, where seasonal produce seemed extra juicy and much tastier than the supermarket equivalent back home.
We seem to have forgotten the natural timeframes and growing and ripening patterns of our fruit and vegetables and, as a result, many of us have no idea when a fruit or vegetable is in season, as our modern lifestyles of convenience have caused us to lose touch with the natural rhythm of the seasons.
Instead, our fresh fruit and vegetables are wrapped in plastic, placed on cardboard or Styrofoam trays, packed in boxes and transported long distances around the globe to reach our supermarkets, often creating a huge carbon footprint in the process. Today, this process seems to be the norm, as we seem to have decided that convenience is a human right, and we take it for granted that we can eat fresh strawberries all year round.
Ritucharya
In the ancient Indian practice of Ayurveda, there is a special term for eating seasonally: Ritucharaya, which is comprised of two words, “Ritu” which means season and “charya” meaning regime or discipline. The changes in seasons are very evident in the environment we live in, and in Ayurveda, the human being is also seen as part of the same ecology, and the body is also seen as greatly influenced by the external environment.
Ritucharya therefore consists of a lifestyle and an ayurvedic diet routine that breaks down what to eat during each season, to cope with the bodily and mental impacts caused by seasonal changes, maintaining health and preventing disease.
There is definitely some truth in this concept, as studies show that crops that are grown and picked at their peak of ripeness contain more nutrients when allowed to ripen naturally on their parent plant. In a study monitoring the vitamin C content of broccoli, it was found that broccoli grown during its peak season in autumn, had a higher vitamin C content than broccoli grown during the spring.
SCIENCE VERSUS NATURE
Before science played a part in agriculture, fresh produce was only to be found during the season it grew in, since growing fruit and vegetables relied on weather and other natural growing conditions. Now, because demand for certain crops is high year-round, they are modified to grow in bulk and to resist disease, in the method known as forcing. They are also sprayed with extremely toxic chemical pesticides that kill everything other than the crop itself. This includes the living organisms that a plant needs to grow and make the soil nutrient rich. As harvested products are metabolically active, ripening and senescence processes must be controlled to prolong postharvest quality, therefore post-harvest treatments, known as ripening agents, are often used, and include the use of more chemicals, gaseous treatments, and heat processes. While this process ensures that farmers can meet consumer demand year-round, researchers have found that artificially ripened produce is often not as nutritious or tasty as naturally ripened produce.
According to a report, by the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), nitric oxide (NO) gas is often applied as a fumigant or is released from compounds such as sodium nitroprusside, S-nitrosothiols and diazeniumdiolates, which are used as a dipping treatment. Other chemical-based agents used as antimicrobials, antioxidants and anti-browning agents include chlorine-based solutions, peroxyacetic acid (PAA), organic acids, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and electrolysed water. One chlorine-based chemical, sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), commonly known as bleach, is also used as a disinfectant for fresh produce, and as chlorine has been associated with the possible formation of carcinogenic chlorinated compounds this is a huge concern. These chemical films are used to protect the fresh produce, but these modifications are not only a health concern, they also take away some of the nutritious benefits of the produce.
PESTICIDES AND OUR CHEMICAL BODY BURDEN
The pesticides, fertilizers, insecticides, rodenticides, herbicides, fungicides and antimicrobials that are all used to grow today’s non-organic fruits and vegetables are also a huge concern. The most widely used group of insecticides are Organophosphates, reportedly used on 81 percent of U.S. conventionally grown crops, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Long-term exposure to organophosphates can cause confusion, anxiety, loss of memory, loss of appetite, disorientation, depression, and personality changes. Some studies in adults and children have linked organophosphate exposure to lymphoma and leukemia. Exposure can also lead to symptoms that include headache, dizziness, weakness, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, muscle weakness and numbness and tingling of the hands and feet (neuropathy), to seizures, difficulty breathing, and coma. This is no surprise as according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the organophosphate diazinon, works by attacking acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that is critical for controlling nerve signals and is not designed to target only “pests”, therefore can also have similar effects on people. In 2004, the US banned residential use of diazinon when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), determined that its ability to damage the nervous system posed a risk to human health, but it is still used for agricultural purposes.
Atrazine, is another chemical of concern – its widely used as a herbicide and is an endocrine disruptor that has been known to cause male frogs to turn into females as it causes testosterone levels to drop drastically and increase estrogen.
A total of almost 400 different pesticides, of varying toxicity, are used in conventional farming, and although a Maximum Residue Level (MRL) for pesticides in foods is set by law, and is below what is deemed the “safety level”, a 2017 study, showed that 3% of conventionally farmed food samples contained over the MRL for an individual pesticide, and at least two samples of every type of fruit and vegetable tested contained residue of more than one pesticide. Whatever the “safety level”, we can’t deny that pesticides are poisons and, unfortunately, they can harm more than just the “pests” at which they are targeted. Pesticides are toxic, and exposure can cause a range of human health effects including respiratory problems, cancer and endocrine disrupting manifestations that interfere with hormones and hormone balance.
Despite residue levels found in conventional foods that are deemed to be “safe”, some argue there are gaps in the regulations, such as the effect of mixing these chemicals and the accumulative impact of pesticide exposure over time on body tissues. Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK claims the range of individual pesticides we are exposure to over an extended period of time could lead to ‘chemical cocktails’.
“GROW FOOD, NOT LAWNS. LET’S VALUE OUR LAND, VALUE OUR HEALTH AND GROW FOOD AS NATURE INTENDED, ORGANICALLY” ROB GREENFIELD
Other reports suggest that low-level exposure to these chemicals can build up in the body and become more and more toxic, creating what is known as the “chemical body burden”. The phrase “chemical body burden,” is used to describe the concentration (or amount) of chemicals in the body at any given time. Each of us has some load of toxic chemicals stored in or passing through our bodies, they can be both naturally occurring and man-made, and enter the body through inhalation, from swallowing them in contaminated food or water, or they can be absorbed through skin. Some chemicals or their breakdown products (metabolites) lodge in our bodies for only a short while before being excreted, but continuous exposure to some chemicals can create a “persistent” body burden.
These chemicals can be detected in blood, adipose (fat) tissue, semen, muscle, bone, brain tissue, or other organs, as well as in urine and breast milk, and studies show that our body burden starts growing before we’re even born, as a woman who is pregnant can pass them to her developing foetus through the placenta; new-born babies have been born with more than 287 man-made and industrial chemicals already in their blood, and this number is thought to grow to more than 700 by adulthood.
Most people are unaware that they carry chemical compounds in their bodies and the health effects of chronic exposure to low levels of chemicals are only beginning to be studied. Once released into the world some chemicals cause toxic reactions, and some have been found to persist in the environment for years; some are even referred to as “eternal” compounds, because they do not degrade; but what is clear is that the accumulative nature of these chemicals can cause a range of non-infectious human health problems, including direct damage to the lungs, liver, kidney, bones, blood, brain and other nerves, and the reproductive systems.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO AVOID PESTICIDES?
If you are concerned about the pesticides On your food, take a look at PAN’s What’s On My Food?, a searchable database designed to make the public problem of pesticide exposure visible and more understandable, or alternatively, check out the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Dirty Dozen™ 2021 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™, or download the APP.
The list reveals produce with both the highest and lowest levels of pesticide residue, according to their methodology, with strawberries claiming the unfortunate number one spot!
The EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™, updated every year since 2004, ranks the pesticide contamination of 46 popular fruits and vegetables. The guide is based on test results by the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration of more than 46,000 samples of produce. It is important to note that the samples are tested for pesticides after they have been prepared to be eaten. This means the produce has been thoroughly washed and, when applicable, peeled. After these preparations, pesticide residues are still detected on many of the fruits and veggies.
Every day, consumers rely on EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to help them make the best choices for their families and reduce their exposures to toxic pesticides.
There are several things you can do to ensure you are getting the most from fruits and vegetables and are not impacting on your health or the environment in the process.
According to the US Environmental Working Group’s latest analysis, nearly 70% of the non-organic fresh produce sold in the U.S. contains residues of potentially harmful chemical pesticides, which is why seasonal organic fruit and veggie boxes make sense. Pesticides remain on our food, even after washing, and according to Pesticide Action Network:
“MANY OF THE PESTICIDES USED TODAY ARE “SYSTEMIC”, MEANING THEY ARE TAKEN UP BY ROOTS AND DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE PLANT – SO NO AMOUNT OF WASHING WILL REMOVE THEM”.
PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK (PAN)
BUYING SEASONAL, ORGANIC & LOCAL
For this reason, I buy seasonal organic fruit and vegetables from local producers, as it’s an ethical and environmental choice; organic food contains fewer pesticides and uses less intensive farming methods and buying local or ordering fruit and veg boxes means no plastic and less packaging.
LESS WASTEFUL PACKAGING
I was always horrified by the amount of packaging that went into my bin after a weekly visit to the supermarket, especially when I found out that an estimated one fifth of my shopping bill was going on packaging alone! Disposable packaging not only costs us money, it requires natural resources to be produced and also costs local authorities billions of pounds to be collected, sorted and recycled. So, if you’re starting out on your zero-waste journey and are looking to ditch single-use plastics and cut down on packaging this is one way to help you make that change easier to achieve.
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION
Organic certification ensures there are no harmful chemicals in the food and guarantees that they are not genetically modified (GMO). GMO stands for “genetically modified organisms” and are foods that have certain genes inserted into the organism of the food, or molecules are added or removed from the DNA of the food product to enhance it in some way. These genes are usually from a virus or bacteria and are designed to alter the way the food is grown. So, when you see those abnormally large, uniformly shaped strawberries at the supermarket, they are most likely to have been genetically modified to produce larger, sweeter fruit.
Choosing to buy organic fruits and vegetables is a great way to vote against pesticides, as it helps keep chemical toxins out of the air, out of the drinking water and out of the soil and it’s also a way of taking a stance against the large chemical producing corporations that have polluted the world’s food and fields. If demand for pesticide-free produce increases, farms and food producers will be more willing to make the switch to natural modes of pest control; by being a conscious consumer and voting for the health of yourself, others and the environment you may also be contributing to a permanent change in the way food is produced.
Another benefit to purchasing organic fruits and vegetables which haven’t been sprayed with pesticides, chemicals and preservatives is that they often have have more beneficial nutrients as they have higher phytochemical levels, which are chemicals that plants make in reaction to their environment. They keep the plant healthy and protect them against animal predators and are extremely beneficial to our health too, as they function as antioxidants, help detoxification, and can reduce DNA damage.
LOCALLY PRODUCED SEASONAL FRUIT AND VEG
Besides the health benefits you can gain by eating in season, seasonal foods produced on local organic farms are fresher, as they do not require long distances for transport, and are typically tastier and full of flavour. Purchasing locally grown organic fruit and vegetables also helps support local farms and maintains farmland and open space in your community. Buying local food supports the local economy, as the money you spend on products from local farmers and growers stays in the community and is reinvested with other local businesses. In addition, food grown locally, processed locally and distributed locally (for example, to local restaurants) generates jobs and subsequently helps stimulate local economies.
Local businesses are the backbone of our economy, the epitome of the UK high street and shopping locally helps ensure a strong and sustainable local economy foundation and helps create local jobs and support local entrepreneurs. Local independents are run by people, not by boards, stockholders or algorithms and have a natural authenticity, good customer service and their supply is based on customer’s choices; if more people chose to pop to the local high street rather than driving to the supermarket stores, this would considerably reduce air pollution, reduce traffic and congestion, and improve the quality of the nation’s high streets.
how to make your own fruit AND VEGGIE WASH
If you do buy your fruits and vegetables from the supermarket you can make your own “fruit wash” to help remove unwanted pesticide residues from your produce, although this is not guaranteed to remove all of the harmful chemicals, it can help.
What You’ll Need
- Spray bottle
- Measuring cup and spoons
- Colander
- Distilled white vinegar
- Water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp grapefruit seed extract (optional)
- Gentle scrub brush
- Organic tea towels
Instructions
- Make your solution: To clean most fruits and vegetables, mix a solution of 1 cup vinegar to 4 cups water inside your spray bottle, then add a tablespoon of lemon juice. For additional antimicrobial properties add 1/8 teaspoon of grapefruit seed extract (optional). Shake well to combine.
- Spray your produce: Place your fruit or vegetable in a colander in the sink. Spray it liberally 2-3 times with the mixture, then let it sit for two to five minutes.
- Rinse: Rinse off the mixture thoroughly with cool water and use a vegetable scrub brush on thicker-skinned produce.
- Dry: Pat dry with a tea towel.
When you buy directly from local farmers, there is more transparency, as you have the opportunity to ask what practices they use to raise and harvest the crops. When you know where your food comes from and who grew it, you know a lot more about your food. As Rob Greenfield, adventurer, environmental activist and humanitarian puts it:
“GROW FOOD, NOT LAWNS. LET’S VALUE OUR LAND, VALUE OUR HEALTH AND GROW FOOD AS NATURE INTENDED, ORGANICALLY”.
ROB GREENFIELD
In conclusion, shopping locally instead of at the larger supermarket chain stores is a great way to reduce your environmental impact and has many benefits. Local growers can tell you how the food was grown and with technological advances such as polytunnels and glasshouses these seasons can be extended even when grown locally.