A SIMPLE SCIENCE
If this year has taught us anything, it’s that quality is over better over quantity, and looking after yourself has never been more important. By Priyanka Elhence
It’s that time of the year when most of us look back in retrospect at the time gone by. And what a year 2020 has been. COVID-19 has really forced us to change the way we live, with a stark reminder that health is definitely the new wealth. And that wealth usually starts off from eating healthy and making better food choices. Many food categories now make up the options available to us: natural; additive-free; raw; organic; minimally processed; clean; whole foods; multigrain; and plant-based. These are just some of today’s trending buzz words that get us excited about what we’re eating.
Eating well starts from simply grown, good-quality ingredients. Having variety is great, but more importantly, knowing where your food has come from, how it’s grown and what exactly you’re putting into your body are what matters to us most. And that’s why better-quality ingredients and produce come at a premium price, because of the labour and care taken at source to grow that food. Sometimes it’s worth paying a little extra for the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your food is sourced from ethical and quality food sources. Of course, cheaper options are much more wallet-friendly, but there’s no hiding from the fact that they just aren’t as nutritious as we would hope them to be, as they are usually brimming with fillers, additives, preservatives, hormones and other undesirable elements. It’s almost ironic how it’s taken a world pandemic to get us to re-evaluate our lifestyles and go back to the basics of cleaner eating.
Increasingly, small-scale, single-origin and ‘boutique’ farmers, artisans and producers are becoming more and more popular because of their incredible efforts in producing food using sustainable and responsible sourcing methods, with full product traceability in some cases. Despite Singapore’s small size, the plethora of such alternative options available to us today is mind-boggling to say the least, be it for allergen-free produce, meat and seafood, fruits and vegetables, or even dairy. The best that the world has to offer is literally available in Singapore now thanks to people who are on a mission to bring better food sources to us. If anything, the problem now is having too many options to decide from. A happy problem to have on your hands if you ask me. If you haven’t already, spend a few minutes gleaning over this issue’s Health & Wellness feature, which sheds light on additive-free foods and profiles some of the producers who are trying to make a difference with their products.
If you’re starting to plan resolutions for next year and thinking of making some changes for 2021, please do continue to make healthier eating a top priority. You’re only as good as the nutrition your body gets so why not give it the best you can? They say the key to life is moderation. I like to think that making wise choices and keeping life as simple as possible also goes a long way too. Whatever you do this December, stay safe and I wish you much health and happiness ahead in the new year.