The green diet is a healthy way of eating that can conserve calories and environmental resources. It doesn’t necessarily mean becoming vegetarian or vegan, but omnivorous collegiettes™ who are watching their waistlines can take a few hints from their veggie-loving friends. The green diet is an environmentally conscious effort to eat foods that are grown and harvested as nature intended.
Here are five ways to green up your diet:
Opt for Organics
Organic foods are grown without synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilizers. They are not genetically modified to have an unrealistic shelf life or to grow into identically formed, perfectly plump produce. Since organic foods are not always budget-friendly, you should concentrate on the “dirty dozen”—twelve foods that are known to retain the highest level of pesticides, even after washing: peaches, celery, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, kale, cherries, potatoes, and grapes.
Choose Local & Seasonal
Buying local, seasonal food is a great way to support your community and help out the environment. On average, our food travels over 1,500 miles to get to us, which takes an enormous toll on the environment. Take advantage of farmers’ markets (there’s one right here in Orono—visit www.snakeroot.net/orono) and when you’re at the grocery store, choose the fruits and vegetables that are in season.
Stay Sustainable
By choosing sustainable seafood and meat, you can greatly reduce your carbon footprint. Conventional farming practices in the United States are detrimental to the environment, and recent studies show that meat sold in grocery stores can contain high levels of bacteria (don’t worry—it’s safe as long as you thoroughly cook it). The best choice is to buy organic or grass-fed beef and local sustainable seafood (TIP: look for Marine Stewardship Council or Friend of the Sea labels on seafood products).
Eat Real Food
Whole foods are an important component in the green diet, so there’s no need to give up starchy comfort foods like wheat, rice, oats, and barley. Whole grains are unprocessed and unrefined, meaning you get all the nutritional benefits. Whole grains also produce less pollution and emissions, since energy isn’t wasted on stripping away important nutrients to make refined foods such as white bread, white rice, and conventional pasta.
Less is More
It’s important to consider packaging when you shop for food, as many studies have been conducted to test the safety of packaging materials. Toxic chemicals such as chlorine, dioxin, phthalates, and Bisphenol A (BPA) have been found in plastic wrappings and tin can linings. Over time, these chemicals can seep into your food, particularly with temperature changes and prolonged reuse. It’s best to buy whole foods sans plastic and dry goods that can be stored in glass, ceramic, or stainless steel containers.
Images from Blisstree.com, TreeHugger.com, FindMeACure.com, TheGrazingMind.com, Quiet-Environmentalist.com
Sources
www.reuters.com
www.care2.com
www.sustainabletable.com