Arts & Entertainment Eating local for health and well-being
Originally printed 3/15/2012 (Issue 2011 - Between The Lines
News) ANN ARBOR - You've heard it all before: buying local
supports the local economy, creates jobs, helps the environment,
and saves energy. But have you thought about the impact that
buying and eating locally produced food can have on your health?
Eating a locally focused diet has the potential to increase your
physical, emotional, and social well-being. If you are
concentrating on eating food grown or produced within a few
hundred miles of your home, it is less likely that you will be
consuming high amounts of processed food, which often contain
high amounts of refined carbohydrates, sugar, fat and artificial
flavors and preservatives. You are more likely to consume higher
amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, which will be higher in
minerals and micronutrients than their conventional counterparts
from thousands of miles away, especially if they are also grown
organically. While it's t