Welcome to part one of a four-part deep dive into the Healthy Anywhere mantra: Eat Clean + Breathe Deep + Move Often = Never Settle™.
“Eat Clean” may seem a fleeting trend, but to us it is a long-standing, loaded term with an underlying system of science, sophistication, and scrutiny in research.
Delicious + Nutrient Dense + Fresh, Local + Organic + Sustainable
Paramount to Healthy Anywhere is the notion of nourishment – and with food, we want maximum nutrition and enjoyment in every bite. Simply put: the best delicious, nutrient dense food around. Easy to say, yet difficult to do, especially for road warriors.
And what exactly does “nutrient dense” mean? Not all foods are created equal, and we know which foods have higher concentrations of the vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, essential amino acids, fatty acids, fiber, and more, that our bodies need. Nutrient-dense foods contain maximal nutrition per calorie and per bite. A few examples include dark leafy greens such as kale, collards, and spinach; or dark berries such as blueberries and raspberries. Quality animal and plant proteins are also nutrient-dense. Nutrient dense foods are typically whole foods in their natural forms, with no need for a label of ingredients.
Problems with nutrient density arise, however, with time from the source, and with quality of the soil. Nutrients in fresh, whole foods will wane increasingly day-by-day after being harvested*, hence the call for fresh and local foods. Arugula shipped across the country is not as nutritious as what you might find from a quality local source. And the soil itself must be scrutinized. Low quality soil creates lower quality food, no matter what food. So when we eat “local” or “farm to table”, we always want to know the story behind the soil.
Nutrient density starts with soil, from which plants absorb their nutrients. Healthy soil is teeming with organic material, minerals, and microorganisms that together, along with water and gases, form an ecological virtuous circle enabling healthy plants. Spinach grown in nutrient-poor soil will not be as healthful as we need or want. Over-farmed soil is a challenge today, particularly with conventional farming, but this can also apply to large-scale organic farming. Studies point to declining nutrients in produce over the years, and attribute this decline to mass-farming practices that continually reuse and overuse the land with little attention to proper soil restoration and maintenance*. The latter is a challenge to initiate, requiring intense work upfront. Given the production volume required, commercial agricultural practices are more concerned with driving increased yield, at the expense of nutrition and flavor.
Soil health further impacts any animal products we may consume. Animals that live and roam on healthy soils and eat their natural diet of healthy plants, bugs and organisms are healthier; hence any meat or milk will be more nutritious than the alternative. The animals themselves contribute to the ecology of a healthy sustainable farm, helping to replenish and fertilize the soil, and such holistic practice is called regenerative farming. (other variant examples include integrative and biodynamic farming) Such farming also relies on organic practices, protecting the soil – and nearby water subject to run-off – from harsh chemical pesticides. Not to mention, we’d rather not have chemicals sprayed on our food.
If anyone thinks this to be nonsense, overkill, or just the latest fad, I invite them to taste the difference!
Compare conventional butter to a pat of small-batch organic, grass-fed cow butter – and prepare to swoon.
Better yet, how about a conventional grocery store tomato vs a fresh organic heirloom variety from a quality farmers market? (I have low tolerance for tasteless tomato! Each year I eagerly await sightings of organic dry-farmed early girl tomatoes in California. These tomatoes are intentionally smaller to produce a more concentrated and insanely good flavor.)
Many rave about fresh and local, organic, sustainable foods. Personally, I believe that once you taste food that is fresher, more alive, and with flavor – it is hard to go back!
Now back to the business of being on the road.. Are you thinking, ‘sure, this is great – but you’re crazy to talk this way with travelers..’ What if I told you that for every single trip, we triangulate and analyze vast data and information to confirm the best available options, per our Eat Clean criteria? Over the years, a system emerged to give the best chance at enjoying the most delicious and nutritious meals, anywhere.
While obtaining the ideal can be tough and requires elbow grease, we’ve first hand facilitated and enjoyed it – know it well and love it. Yay verily, we’re obsessed with it. How to describe the value of true clean, delicious, eating – for both function and form?
We invite you to “Eat Clean”. Anywhere.
Healthy Anywhere helps executive travelers enjoy delicious, organic foods, and stay healthy, anywhere in the U.S. Our services include: travel nutrition and meal planning, food delivery, fitness support, and accountability. If you or someone you know would appreciate this level of support, get in touch to work with us.
Eat Clean + Breathe Deep + Move Often = Never Settle™
References:
*Rickman, J. C., Barrett, D. M., & Bruhn, C. M. (2007). Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Part 1. Vitamins C and B and phenolic compounds. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 87, 930-944. Retrieved from http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/234-779.pdf
*Davis, Donald R. (2009) Declining Fruit and Vegetable Nutrient Composition: What Is the Evidence? HORTSCIENCE 44 no. 1, 15-19. Retrieved from http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/44/1/15.full
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