Eat local & seasonal
Professor David Russell in partnership with Charlotte Harbour
tall�s about new government guidelinesfor healthy eating
I
nJanuary, experts within farming, climate change
and nutrition declared that in order to safeguard
ecological longevity, protect individual health
and feed the projected 10 billion people on earth by
2050, humans must change their eating patterns.
At present, many are consuming excessive amounts
of food with large carbon footprints - we witness
indulgence on well-known culprits such as beef and
gorging on lesser expected fruits such as avocados.
With no judgement from us, we understand how
delicious and nutritious these foods can be when
raised or procured responsibility. Furthermore, as
our lives get busier and more engaged, many are
turning to processed foods that are nutrient-deficient
and contribute very little to overall wellbeing.
,, Our bodies are biologically synchronised with
the seasons and we crave specific foods for reasons
as diverse as heat preservation, hormone balance
and fertility,,
As citizens of this extraordinary planet, it is
our responsibility to look down at our plates and
remain cognisant of our footprint, our personal
accountability to dietary intake and opportunities
available to catalyse positive change.
Moving meat from centre plate
The new guidelines encourage the relocation of
meat from the centre to the periphery of the plate,
with local and seasonal produce at the heart of the
meal. We fully support local food procurement
due to the positive benefits on the local economy,
food miles travelled, and it may even be biologically
advantageous. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest
that humans have evolved to eat seasonally.
Do you prefer a roast dinner or hot pot in the
summer? How about a raw crisp salad in the winter?
If not, you're not alone. Our bodies are biologically
synchronised with the seasons and we crave specific
foods for reasons as diverse as heat preservation,
hormone balance and fertility. It has also been
suggested that thyroid hormone uptake is greater
during the winter as a way of producing more heat
to keep us warm. Similarly, we crave more calories
in the winter to increase fat stores (heat preservation)
and utilise excess calories for heat generation.
In seasonal terms, this would mean craving 'easy-to­
digest' warm foods that don't take as many calories to
break down, such as cooked potatoes, steamed squash
and stewed meat. In the UK, we have access to many of
these foods locally. Alternatively, we are often dehydrated
in the summer and somewhat
overheated - so crave cooling,
water-rich foods that have
antioxidants (offering mild sun
protection') which is logical and
fascinating when thought about.
So, how will we be making
our positive change? We will
continue to recommend and
promote the benefits of local,
seasonal and plant-based2 food
choices to higher education institutions and the large­
scale sectors - this includes major events such as Expo
2020 Dubai, whose major sub-theme is sustainability.
Russell Partnership Consulting will also continue to
deliver nutritional workshops and training courses
to clients, educating staff and workforce on how to
create an optimal food plate for their requirements.
If you'd like to get involved with Expo 2020 Dubai,
do have a look at their website and let us know,
www.expo2020dubai.com/ We would love to hear
from you and your thoughts ...
1 Antioxidants are not a substitute for sun protection.
2 Plant-based is not vegan. Our definition of plant-based is a
meal based around non-animal products but does include animal
protein sources.
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