The Market Is Open

As the weather recharges our aquifers, consider the pleasure of ordering watered food from a dry couch. The market is open, and you don’t even need to put on your mud boots to shop.

Yesterday, the market tables were overflowing with beautiful produce. Lately, the Brassicas are strong contenders for our cravings. These sulfur-rich foods such as Broccoli, Bok Choy, and Kale accentuate our tables with bright and dark greens splashed with marooned reds and milked whites. But color isn’t the only delightful aspect of our local produce. These Brassicas not only fit within our cultivated cravings, but they also bolster our microbiomes. According to recent studies, the host of bacteria and archaea in our guts (which help digest and extract needed nutrients) are thankful for the sulfur-infused foods such as Broccoli. As the ecosystem in our gut breaks down food through fermentation, everything from nutrients to immune-boosting molecules to gas is released. (Warning: If you struggle with instilling table etiquette in your children, make sure they aren’t reading over your shoulder.) According to research, as our inner microbiomes convert healthy foods such as Brassicas into energy, they produce… ehm …sulphoraphane, a gas strongly associated with a reduced risk of cancer. I know I’m taking considerable risks here since this is only my second week in writing the weblogs, but look, science is science. Healthy foods induce healthy effects—despite our cultural misgivings. Further, don’t blame me; blame NPR who publishes this kind of stuff.

In the meantime, eat Brassicas with courage and confidence. Here’s to good eating and forgiving friends and family.

Sincerely,

Kyle Holton
Program & Market Manager

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