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The Latest Trend in Healthy Eating |
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CSAs Help Keep Your Family Fit
 Each week I look into the box I pick up from my CSA and think, “My parents would be proud.” They always encouraged me to try new foods and eat vegetables, and now as an adult, I’m reaping the rewards. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and the concept is simple. Local farmers are essentially selling a share in their farm. In some instances, this means CSA members can actually pitch in to work the farm, in others, it simply means you share in the harvest and receive a box of seasonal produce. Regardless of the specifics of your local CSA, the benefits of belonging to one are endless. Here are just a few examples of why you’ll want to consider it for your family this summer.
You’ll try new foods and recipes. CSA farms send produce at its peak, which varies each week and by season. Because these farms grow such diverse produce, you’ll receive items that you might not have picked up at the grocery store. Our CSA in Southern California includes lesser-known items like cherimoya and olallieberries along with items that aren’t as popular like boysenberries and fava beans. Using this produce turns families to cookbooks or their favorite recipe Web site to find effective uses.
You’ll get incredibly fresh produce. Because CSAs distribute their produce locally, you’ll get it much earlier than at the grocery store, where it’s often shipped in from overseas. This also means that the produce won’t be covered with chemicals to prolong its shelf life. According to dieticians, this has other benefits as well. “The fresher the item, the higher the vitamin and mineral content,” says Dietitian Amy Hollister of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “Seasonal buying is more economical too. When produce is plentiful, prices are lower.”
You’ll help protect the environment. Not only does your CSA use less chemicals than larger farms, your food doesn’t travel as far either. A study in Iowa found that eating regionally (purchasing food grown/raised within 100miles of your home) means that you’ll consumed 17 times less oil and gas than a diet based on food that is shipped across the country.
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