How about a Chioggia beet salad, poached king salmon, a side of steamed artichokes and fresh raspberries for dessert?

If you live in San Mateo County, the ingredients can be pulled from the ground, picked from the vine, wrestled from the ocean and put on your table tonight.

"You can buy fish straight off the boat from the hands of the man who caught it," says Jack Olsen, executive administrator of the San Mateo County Farm Bureau.

An while you're down at Piller Point Harbor, he recommends a visit to one of seven produce stands in Half Moon Bay featuring local fruits and veggies.

"We have a $185-million-a-year agricultural industry in this county," Olsen said. "We are number two in Brussel sprout production and number three in artichokes for the state."

A whole variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables are sold at farm stands, farmers markets and even local grocery stores.

And it's not just the coastal outings and open-air shopping that make easting local, fresh foods attractive. The sustainable food movement goes right to the heart of healthy living.

Just harvested means it’s packed with nutrition and not sent long distances to distribution centers and store shelves,” Donna DeKay, Mills-Peninsula registered dietitian, says.

“Every day of travel costs vitamins and minerals, and every truck on the road sends more carbons into our atmosphere.”

Nutritional value comes through the stem of the living plant. Local foods are picked at the peak of ripeness, while foods that have to travel are picked before they’ve reached peak.

According to research of the health benefits of locally grown produce compiled by the County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Farm Bureau, many of the area’s foods can help contribute to lowering risk for heart disease, cancer and other common dangers to your health.

Those local beets, artichokes, fish and berries are packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, minerals and Omega-3s.

High in fiber and fat-free, the artichoke has been shown to help liver function, thereby helping lower cholesterol and protect against arteriosclerosis.

Cardiologist Jeff Guttas, M.D., emphasizes the importance of eating fresh foods in their natural state without worrying about fat content.

“The concept that fat is bad has to go,” he says. “There are good fats and good sugars found in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts and dairy.”

It’s the synthetic fats and refined grains and sugar found on the shelves of supermarkets that are largely responsible for the epidemic of obesity and diabetes, he said.

“Eat the way nature makes it – as close to the ground as possible – and don’t worry about nuts and fish because they’re fatty.”

The sustainable food movement supports a return to eating foods in their natural state, close to the earth they were grown in.

Yet, the term sustainable is still somewhat nebulous, according to Olsen.

“Sustainable literally means economically viable,” he said. “For many farms in our area it means they have to produce enough to sell locally and in other markets.”

He defines eating locally more broadly.

“We don’t eat anything raised outside of California in our household,” he said. “Because I know anything raised in the state is more than safe for consumption. Our safety standards are high.”

Choosing produce wisely means weighing several factors, he stressed.

“Organic production may not always meet protection for transmigration bacteria that can cause problems in the human system – although regular produce can have that risk as well.”

And while “organic” is assumed to be more natural, it does not mean chemical free, Olsen said.

“There are more than 400 naturally occurring’ chemicals approved for use in organic crops.”

The best practice is to wash all fruits and vegetables before you eat them, he said. And it certainly pays to be more conscious of the foods you consume.

“We are so spoiled we don’t realize a nectarine in the month of February is not coming from the U.S.”

Not all produce in the stores is labeled for origin, Olsen said. “We are currently developing a San Mateo County identity logo for our products in grocery stores and promoting the use of local product in stores.”

He shared another interesting fact. By mid February the average American family has earned enough money to pay for its annual food bill.

So get down to the farm and splurge. It’ll be a treat for your body and your taste buds!

Find farmer’s markets, farm stands and other information on local foods at the following Web sites:

www.sanmateo.cfbf.com
San Mateo County Farm Bureau
San Mateo County Harvest Guide
San Mateo Farm Guide

www.freshasitgets.com
San Mateo County Convention & Visitors Bureau

For more information on sustainable food visit:
www.sustainabletable.org
www.slowfoodusa.org
www.worldwatch.org