In 1973, Maurice and Maralyn Bailey watched their yacht sink to the ocean floor after it was struck by a whale. For 117 days, the couple floated adrift in the middle of the Pacific and, though, they were able to catch more than their fair share of fish, all they really craved were the eyeballs! After millions of years of evolution, the body knows what it wants. Those wayward sailors staved off scurvy by sucking on Vitamin-C rich fish eyes. Miraculously, their bodies knew that the eyes contained a nutrient which the couple was sorely lacking.
The Baileys’ bodies aren’t uniquely intelligent or anything like that. We all have access to this deep knowing. Take for example the fact that people eat more raspberries (a summer fruit) in June than they do in December. It’s the same concept. However, problems begin to arise when other factors stick their grubby little noses where they don’t belong. The internet, the 24 hour news cycle, the illuminated screens that surround us every which way we turn can potentially turn us from our natural inclinations and influence us to adopt artificial habits and lifestyles.
Knowledge is the path to liberation from these unnatural sources of influence. Your biology already knows that it’s a good idea, but sometimes the mind needs a little more convincing. Luckily, there are a ton of reasons to go with the flow of the seasons. First and foremost, it tastes better!
Seasonal fruits and veggies are grown in optimal conditions, and that inevitably benefits the harvest. It rains when it’s supposed to, the sun shines as it should, the soil has just the right texture and nutritional content, and the temperature is perfectly suited to produce the ideal orange- all according to nature’s plan. (That is, of course, not taking into account the devastating effects of climate change, which is creating unnatural weather patterns.) These conditions can be emulated and replicated, but it’s never quite as good. Those lab-oranges are tasty, but almost artificially so, as if you can taste the premeditation and control.
This leads to the rather sticky issue of defining “seasonal”. In this day and age of one-day shipping and extraordinary advancements in international trade, it’s possible to import summer fruits in the middle of winter from climate zones where they are in-season. But, under this definition, many of the benefits of eating seasonally are lost in translation or- more accurately- in transportation. Farmers who produce agriculture for the international market must account for the stresses of travel. Because of this, tomatoes in Brazil meant for the shelves of a London grocery in the middle of January often have to be pumped full of preservatives and other chemicals so that they survive the transatlantic voyage with a semblance of freshness.
In addition to preservatives, which is detrimental to human health, imported produce has a larger carbon footprint because of the energy needed to transport them. There is, of course, the obvious use of fossil fuels to power ships, planes, trains and trucks to get the product to market. Not as commonly considered, however, is the enormous amounts of energy required to keep produce cool. Approximately 40% of all food requires refrigeration, accounting for 15% of all electricity consumption worldwide. Refrigeration is such an energy hungry process that it, alone, spews 40% of the carbon emissions produced by food transportation. It’s a dirty cycle because, as researchers are beginning to predict, when the Earth’s temperature rises, more energy will be required to keep food refrigerated.
So when nutritionists talk seasonality, they usually mean produce that is grown in-season within the same climate zone where they will be consumed. In other words: go to your local farmer’s market. Farmhands will pick fruits off the vine on Friday for a market Saturday morning. On the whole, local farms use much less chemicals than do their corporate rivals, making it the healthier option for you and your loved ones to munch on.
Seasonal produce is also the healthier option for your community. By apportioning your hard-earned dollars to local farms, you contribute to a stronger and more vibrant economy in your own backyard, creating more jobs and resources. As someone who is concerned with the welfare of the environment, you can also take comfort in the knowledge that eating seasonally helps to protect biodiversity. As a result of the globalization of agricultural industry, approximately 90% of the food supply is made up of only 100 crops. Eating seasonally provides an incentive to grow crops that are unique to specific regions. Eat seasonally and you are literally preserving the local flavor!
Because this is such an important behavior, one that is beneficial in so many ways, we are excited to announce that the next update of the swrm app will have a special seasonal section! Starting in the new year, you can find out which produce is in season in your area and, of course, provide you with their energy footprints. It’s all part of our mission to empower you with the tools to make your sustainability goals a reality.
