Local and out of season
When making our recipes, we have taken into account products that are in season and preferably also from Dutch soil. The main reasons for doing this are the minimal impact on the environment because the fruits and vegetables have not traveled long distances, as well as supporting our Dutch farmers. In addition, the products you buy directly from an organic farmer, farm store or at the market are often a lot cheaper and you get in contact with the farmers who grow your food. Moreover, the rules abroad are different from those in the Netherlands. By buying local, you know exactly what you are getting.
The very best, tastiest and healthiest way is to grow your own fruits and vegetables in your vegetable garden, but not everyone has time and space for that. Having your own herb garden with all your favorite herbs in the windowsill is already a good first step.
Local is healthy
Not only is it important for the environment and your wallet to eat local and out of season, it also benefits your body. After all, we have adapted evolutionarily to the produce that occurs naturally in our country.
For example, the Mexican consumes more corn and kale suits the Dutch much more. Before the great industrialization started, we ate mostly fresh, local products from our own country. At some point, thanks to the spice trade, if you had a little more to spend, you could buy wonderful herbs, spices and exotic products such as nutmeg, garlic and pepper from abroad. But that wasn’t that long ago at all. Our bodies have only been familiar with foreign and exotic foods for a few hundred years, while our genes sometimes take thousands to tens of thousands of years to adapt.
Take dairy products like cheese and milk: the Dutch can tolerate them well, unlike most Asians. They are not genetically adapted to dairy products and can actually get sick from them. We believe that your genes, your culture and your environment largely determine what is the best food for you. For example, as Dutch people, it is much more in keeping with our natural cultural and local eating habits to eat more herring, seaweed, rye, mussels, mushrooms, berries and cabbages from our own country, rather than tomatoes, corn and rice from distant lands.
Ultimate variation
For us, a world has opened up of different and delicious products that just come from the Netherlands and that we use in our vegetable juices and detox juice cures.
Take advantage of the wide range of products, because it is important for your health to vary in nutrients and not eat broccoli or iceberg lettuce all year round. Also eat cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, pointed cabbage and other fine brassicas that are fresh from the land at the time. By eating and juicing with the season, you are taking optimal care of your body and getting a huge variety of nutrients at the right time.
