With the pandemic, eating habits have changed due to confinement; However, the challenge will be that in the so-called "new normal," we maintain the food transition with a healthier and cheaper consumption.
The virus will continue to be present indefinitely. In this staggered return to active life, it is necessary to find a healthier lifestyle, strengthen the immune system, and choose food groups rich in essential nutrients.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended consuming a daily minimum of 400 grams of fruits and vegetables (excluding potatoes and other starchy tubers); however, in Mexico, the average daily consumption is 235 grams of fruits.
According to the UNAM Faculty of Medicine, despite the wide variety and availability of fresh fruits and vegetables the country produces, its consumption fell by 30% and beans by almost 50%.
Meanwhile, ultra-processed edible products, available to everyone, have become a severe public health problem in Mexico. Its excessive promotion and consumption have led to high rates of overweight and obesity that place the country as the second worldwide, according to figures from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD ). According to the ecomedia organization, having a healthy consumption has health, environmental and economic consequences such as:
- Save, seasonal products are cheaper. The harvests and growing cycle allow the availability of these products is more generous during the season. As the supply increases, the price decreases.
- Eat richer and healthier. The flavor is better and has a more significant vitamin contribution. At the time of harvest, they retain all of their nutritional and organoleptic properties. Seasonal foods are ideal for dehydration or preservation to help you have a diverse diet in the future.
- Take care of the environment. By respecting the natural cycle and food production area, intensive monocultures that deplete the land are avoided. Besides, the need for transportation, distribution, and storage is less, energy consumption and pollution reduced (gas emissions, use of fuel, packaging material, etc.).
LOCAL CONSUMPTION
The economic crisis derived from the pandemic poses a significant challenge for local companies and businesses. Small businesses and local commerce have been one of the sectors most affected; therefore, the importance of buying local products in the current crisis lies in supporting families that depend on it.
One of the simplest ways to face the economic impact that this pandemic generates is to consume local products to strengthen the local economy.
(Pixabay)
By consuming local, you help businesses forced to suspend work to find a way to continue operating and retain their jobs. Families will recover their income, and the gap of economic inequality will be prevented from widening.
Specialists also recommend purchasing in local markets because when going to supermarkets, we are tempted in every aisle to buy processed food with high content sugars and saturated fats, completely forgetting fresh and seasonal products.
Traducción: Valentina K. Yanes