Eating for a healthy planet

Most people would agree that eating healthy, nutritious food helps to build a healthy body and a healthy brain. But could it also lead to a healthier planet? For Christine Gingerich, lifestyle coach and author of the healthy-living cookbook “OptimalYOU“, the answer is a resounding yes.

“One of my favourite presentations for school children focuses on how food impacts our body, our brain, and the planet – I don't think a lot of people make that connection,” Gingerich says. In the presentation she sets up two tables, each displaying a rainbow of foods. The difference? One table contains foods that are processed and packaged. The other table contains a display of real, whole foods. In the presentation, it doesn't take students long to determine which table of food is better for their health. But Gingerich likes to take the discussion a step further. 

“Whole food is created to break down, so that our body is able to access the nutrients, and then our brain is able to receive them,” she says. “And the 'fuel' that's left over – apple cores, banana peels and carrot tops – can go back into the earth to decompose and nourish the soil. It's real fuel that is bio-chemically recognized by our bodies and by the planet.”

Gingerich contrasts that to the highly processed food on the other table. “It's so highly processed, we're adding in synthetic nutrients, and synthetic colour to make it look more appealing,” she says. “None of that is good for us.” Then there's the issue of the packaging. “We've been taught about 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” – but where is our 'reduction'? We're not reducing, and we're left with so much unnecessary packaging from this processed food. That's when the students start to realize that this food is not good for my body, it's not good for my brain, and it's not good for the planet either.”

She also encourages people to think about the footprint their food choices leave on the earth. “When you look at the ingredients on packaged food, the footprint for the sugar in it alone is huge! Sugar cane has to be harvested and hauled to manufacturing plants, then it has to be processed, and then it is shipped out, where it's processed again into packaged foods… all of that leaves an incredible footprint on the planet!” When you compare that to the footprint of whole foods, it's generally a much smaller impact on the earth. “Especially in this area where we have so much access to fresh produce and meat and eggs. I can grow and pick my own food that is just steps outside my door, or I can go to a market that's a very short distance away to get food from local producers. The footprint on the planet is much smaller.”

Gingerich hopes her presentations strike a note with students as well as their parents, and helps to encourage a new generation of critical thinkers who are able to take a step back and think about what's right and what's best. And while she admits she's not doing everything perfectly either when it comes to eating for her body and for the planet, Gingerich says making a difference isn't about perfection. “It's not about living perfectly, it's about making progress – asking what can I do today to do this better, to make a better choice? Our choices all have a powerful ripple effect for us and for our planet.”