Your Food Should Not Travel Far

The Columbian Exchange during the Age of Exploration opened both Europe and the Americas to new categories of food that were not indigenous to either area. Europeans learned about coffee and chocolate and corn from American Indians, but Europeans introduced pork and beef to the American diet. You might think that the potato was native to Europe because of the Irish, but actually the Irish learned about potatoes from South American Indians, then they introduced the potato to North America. Although the new foods from the Columbian Exchange did not originate locally, farmers soon learned to grow the new crops or breed the new livestock close to home. Americans do not still import beef from Europe, and Europeans have learned to grow their own corn.

One tip for healthier eating is to opt for food that was produced close to home. That is not always possible, but food that travels long distances to reach your table should be the minority part of your diet rather than the majority. Have you ever tried to take a banana from your kitchen on a car trip, and then eat it later in the day? Although no one will admit to abusing the banana along the way, it is certain to show signs of rough treatment. In order to keep food edible over long distances and spans of time, it must be packaged and preserved in ways that will make it a much less valuable part of your diet.

Hydrogenated vegetable oil and high fructose corn syrup are the devil when you consider their nutritional value, but they are ubiquitous on American grocery store shelves because they are inexpensive ingredients that prolong the shelf life of your food. A healthier choice for you would be to opt for produce from local markets that were grown nearby. You will need to eat them rather than store them because they will not be loaded with preservatives, but they will be more useful to you because they will not be loaded with preservatives.

Attempting to lose weight can be challenging and emotional. If you have tried and failed repeatedly, perhaps it is time for you to consider professional help. If you would like to determine whether you are a candidate for robotic bariatric surgery, contact us at Advanced Surgical and Weight Loss Institute, 375 Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island, FL. Dr. Velarde has over ten years of experience in bariatric surgery, and he is fluent in both Spanish and English.