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A lot of terms get thrown around these days regarding the ever-growing possibilities of food choices. Between "natural" cereals, "heirloom" tomatoes, "heritage" turkeys, and "sustainable" seafood choices, it's easy to get lost or overwhelmed. Educating yourself about these terms can make you realize how much we can all come to appreciate what and how we eat:
When a certain food is described as "natural", it means that is does not contain any artificial ingredients, such as refined sugar or flour, artificial flavor or color, or hydrogenated oils. It may be a cereal, for example, that is sweetened with honey or maple syrup instead of refined sugar. Natural foods are an excellent part of a health-conscious diet.
"Heirloom" is a term associated with plants. Heirloom seed varieties, for example, harken back to a time of increased diversity in the types of plants grown for human consumption. Reviving heirloom foods, such as the many kinds of tomatoes or potatoes I see in my local markets, preserves the biodiversity of the Earth. In contrast, factory farming tends to rely on only a few seed varieties. Tomatoes are a great example. Mass- produced tomatoes are grown for extended shelf life and a thicker skin for better durability in traveling to their destination unblemished. Flavor and healthy growing conditions can become secondary concerns. Heirloom tomatoes, which come in a dazzling array of uniquely colors (and flavors!), are all the rage and are bringing flavor and our country's history to the forefront.
"Heritage" foods bring us the distinctive flavors of special breeds (the red Wattle pork is a delicious and juicy example), as well as reviving the diverse food options we Americans enjoyed in earlier times. What "heirloom" is to seeds and plants, "heritage" is to special types of livestock and grains. "Bourbon Red Turkeys" and Iroquois corn flour are only a couple of the growing list of heritage foods we are able to enjoy thanks to the group' efforts! Each type of food is traceable, so consumers can learn about the animals from birth to table. Visit heritagefoodsusa.com for further information.
"Sustainable" applies to every area of our food choices, from seafood to produce to meats. Sustainable food production describes any farming process where resources that are taken to produce food are returned to the land. Sustainability is a symbiotic pact with nature. When it comes to seafood, for example, eating a farm-raised fish from the ocean that consumed more than its weight in wild marine catch and came from a farm that isn't mindful of pollution in its farming efforts is not a sustainable choice. The fish took and/or damaged more than it created. A fish that is a relatively plentiful breed, line-caught or caught in a net with little or no by-catch, is a sustainable choice. Considering how far your food traveled to reach your plate, referred to as "carbon miles," is another important factor in determining a food's sustainability. Everything you can do to keep your food local and keep it "real" will reward you with richer flavor and connect you to our farming history!
When a certain food is described as "natural", it means that is does not contain any artificial ingredients, such as refined sugar or flour, artificial flavor or color, or hydrogenated oils. It may be a cereal, for example, that is sweetened with honey or maple syrup instead of refined sugar. Natural foods are an excellent part of a health-conscious diet.
"Heirloom" is a term associated with plants. Heirloom seed varieties, for example, harken back to a time of increased diversity in the types of plants grown for human consumption. Reviving heirloom foods, such as the many kinds of tomatoes or potatoes I see in my local markets, preserves the biodiversity of the Earth. In contrast, factory farming tends to rely on only a few seed varieties. Tomatoes are a great example. Mass- produced tomatoes are grown for extended shelf life and a thicker skin for better durability in traveling to their destination unblemished. Flavor and healthy growing conditions can become secondary concerns. Heirloom tomatoes, which come in a dazzling array of uniquely colors (and flavors!), are all the rage and are bringing flavor and our country's history to the forefront.
"Heritage" foods bring us the distinctive flavors of special breeds (the red Wattle pork is a delicious and juicy example), as well as reviving the diverse food options we Americans enjoyed in earlier times. What "heirloom" is to seeds and plants, "heritage" is to special types of livestock and grains. "Bourbon Red Turkeys" and Iroquois corn flour are only a couple of the growing list of heritage foods we are able to enjoy thanks to the group' efforts! Each type of food is traceable, so consumers can learn about the animals from birth to table. Visit heritagefoodsusa.com for further information.
"Sustainable" applies to every area of our food choices, from seafood to produce to meats. Sustainable food production describes any farming process where resources that are taken to produce food are returned to the land. Sustainability is a symbiotic pact with nature. When it comes to seafood, for example, eating a farm-raised fish from the ocean that consumed more than its weight in wild marine catch and came from a farm that isn't mindful of pollution in its farming efforts is not a sustainable choice. The fish took and/or damaged more than it created. A fish that is a relatively plentiful breed, line-caught or caught in a net with little or no by-catch, is a sustainable choice. Considering how far your food traveled to reach your plate, referred to as "carbon miles," is another important factor in determining a food's sustainability. Everything you can do to keep your food local and keep it "real" will reward you with richer flavor and connect you to our farming history!
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