If you’re nearing 30 years old (or a little past it) by the time you read this blog post, you will likely notice a few things about your mind and body: your metabolism is definitely slower, you DO need to exercise regularly, take zen breaks, eat better, possibly with a regular delivery of salad vegetables.
And if you don’t notice, your annual physical exam is there to provide you with the much needed wake up call to change to a healthy lifestyle.
But what does ‘healthy’ mean anyway?
For the people we’ve met at Good Food Community, the definition is expanded to include the role we play in the wellness of the country’s agricultural community and in protecting our natural environment.
How does our consumption affect our general well-being? How does it support smallholder Filipino farmers who need to compete against landowners? How does it reduce our carbon footprint?
New adventures in fruits and salad vegetables
Trying to answer those questions has led some of our subscribers to discoveries about the stories of farmers’ and about the variety of fruits and vegetables we produce in the Philippines. Some of these include:
- Tamarillo
“What’s this?” is an FAQ from our new subscribers.
Originally from New Zealand, this fruit is grown in Bauko, Mt. Province. You can peel it and eat with a dash of salt or soy sauce. Boochamama has even served it as a kombucha blend at Good Food Sundays. The taste is a mix between passionfruit, kiwi and a tomato. Some have to use it for savory dishes like ginataan too.
- Yacon
This sweet tasting tuber is also called a groundapple and is known as a wonder root crop. It’s low in calories and good for your people with diabetes, kidney and digestive problems. Originally from Peru, it was introduced to farmers in Mindanao, Cordillera and Nueva Vizcaya by a Japanese national.
- Brazilian Spinach
It goes by different names: sissoo spinach, Bayam Brazil or even Samba Lettuce. Its leaves are rounded and circled, mid green, and wrinkled. In terms of its health benefits, its rich in Beta Carotene, Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium, Folic acid and fiber — all things that are good for your bones, immune system and eyesight. Try sautéeing it with olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and even bacon for a quick lunch.
If you’re up to switch to a healthier, more conscious lifestyle, we recommend you try our Salad Pack. You’ll get a 500 gram mix of any of our salad greens such as Brazilian Spinach, Alugbati, Mizuna, Lollo Rossa, Carlo Rossa, Arugula, Green Ice, Iceberg, Romaine, Spinach, Kale, Herbs.
You can also check out our Seasonal Fruit Share so you can discover yacon and tamarillo for yourself.
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