Locavore: Local Vs Imported

In the recent years there has been a raise in the general population regarding fitness, good health and healthy eating. This has again led to lot of new diet and exercise regimes, each claiming to be better than the other. Along with the different exercise regimes like Power Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, cross fit training etc. there are many diets doing the rounds like Keto diet, Atkins diet, Paleo diet, Low carb high fat diet, super food diets and many more. These have also given rise to a school of thought that certain food have all the health benefits and are the ones to be consumed to lose weight and remain healthy,
Technology has turned this world into a Global market place and there is an interesting phenomenon in many countries that imported foods are better than local grown indigenous food grains and there is a rush to procure those foods of the departmental stores. This phenomenon is very prominent in the Indian context. Suddenly a good number of the urban population who can afford are making rounds of the stores selling foreign food items like, Quinoa, Couscous, goji berries, cranberries and many more. However, food activist really don't feel the same way and they are trying to make people understand the connection between localization of food systems, the promotion of environmental sustainability and social justice.
There are several benefits of eating local produce. The very first positive point is that the fruits and vegetables are freshly picked. Studies have shown that more nutrients are formed when food ripens, so the sooner people eat the fresh food the more nutritious they are as these freshly picked fruits and vegetables do not have to travel long distances. Buying local food is also beneficial for both the small farmers and the consumer because it eliminates the middleman thus it also becomes cost effective.
When it comes to the Indian context there is an urgent need to stop looking towards west and start learning from our past. The influx of processed food has become a cause of concern with indigenous food grains that we used to traditionally consume disappearing fast. It is the need of the hour to embrace localism. It should be like a call of duty as eating locally will not just ensure that we are getting the right nutrients but it will keep the small farmers who still practice organic method of farming in business and encourage ecological diversity. We need to give back to the coming generation age old Indian grains that have lost their way. India was never a two grain nation. Now Wheat and rice dominate the scene. Some of the ancient Indian grains that should make a comeback into our kitchen are Bajra or millet, Amaranth or Rajgira, Sorghum or Jowar, Ragi or Nachni, as these Indian unprocessed grains are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and dietary fiber.
However, the irony is that in this day of technology and advertisement, health-conscious people today eat oats and quinoa, and have totally given up on our ancient Indian grains.

By: Madhuchanda Saxena
Content: https://foodsecurityfoodjustice.com/2016/01/29/local-food-or-imported-food/