The 100 Mile Diet is a movement that began as a book by Canadian writers Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon, the idea of which is to only consume foods grown and produced within 100 miles of where you live.Eating Locally
Those who adhere to a 100 mile diet plan are known as "locavores," those who eat what is local to them. This usually pertains to fruits and vegetables, but can be applied to meat and fish as well.Anyone interested in trying the 100 Mile Diet should do some research to find reliable markets and places within a 100-mile radius that sell locally-grown foods to determine whether the diet is feasible.c
Why Go On a 100 Mile Diet?
Freshness and Taste: locally grown fruits and vegetables are picked and harvested within a 24-hour time period of purchase by the consumer, making for fresh foods that taste wonderful due to their freshness.- Nutrition: in almost all food that is grown, the nutritional value therein begins to decline as soon as they are harvested. The closer to harvest these foods are purchased and eaten, the more nutrition garnered for the locavore who eats them.
Purity: organic foods that are sold locally are free of pesticides and fungicides much of the produce you'd find at a general grocery store still has clinging to them.- Variety: visit a farmer's market and you'll see just how wide a variety of foods are offered locally, some of which aren't even available at wholesale grocery stores.
- Energy Conservation: buying locally means you aren't requiring your foods to be
shipped in from across the country or the world, lessening the amount of petroleum used to ship them. More so, organic production doesn't rely on petroleum-derived fertilizers or pesticides, conserving even more energy. - Environmental Protection: organic foods are grown to preserve soil, air and water resources while promoting biodiversity, unlike non-organic foods which contaminate soil, cause erosion and generally pollute the earth.c
- Community Support: buying locally supports local farmers and boosts the local economy as well.c
References
Fast Facts
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Authors
J.B. MacKinnon and Alisa Smith -
Book
Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally (April 2007) -
Fact:
People who eat locally are called "locavores" -
Slogan
"Local Eating For Global Change" -
Fact:
Food in North America typically travels 1,500 miles from farm to plate
Disclaimer
The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact your doctor before beginning the 100 Mile Diet.
