Melt fat 3X faster with local produce With local produce
Fred Pescatore, M.D., reveals how a simple and delicious grocery shopping tweak can fire up metabolism, dial down hunger and calm cellular inflammation to help you slim without struggle
Juicy summer berries from the farmers market, plump tomatoes plucked straight from the garden, fresh corn from the road stand that’s sweet enough to bite into raw… We naturally favor locally grown produce over imported grocery-store fare because it’s cheaper, easier to find and more flavorful—and now science proves that farm-fresh stuff is more slimming too. “Local in-season foods are able to fully ripen and mature before they’re picked, so they’re richer in enzymes, vitamins and antioxidants that are key to weight loss,” explains Columbia University–trained integrative physician Fred Pescatore, M.D. “And since they don’t need to travel
very far to your door, they also retain all of their nutrient power longer.” Case in point: When researchers at the University of California at Davis compared the nutrient content of spinach and green beans, they found that freshly picked veggies contained 66 percent more vitamin C and other antioxidants than week-old ones. That’s a real plus since vitamin C has been shown to rev fat burning by 30 percent. And according to Dr. Pescatore, the higher levels of nutrients in local produce also deliver these powerful metabolic effects:
SWITCH ON SKINNY GENES
The richer store of flavonoids in local berries, apples, onions and bell peppers activate metabolism-regulating genes called sirtuins. When these genes are turned on, they tell cells to burn fat for fuel and prevent the storage of new fat. Flavonoids also work to convert white fat tissue (the flabby kind that bulges the belly) into calorie-burning brown fat—an effect that Japanese researchers found can double resting metabolism.
DIAL DOWN HUNGER
“Local in-season fare tastes better, so you’ll be satisfied sooner and won’t be as hungry,” says Dr. Pescatore. In fact, scientists at the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Center in Chicago report that filling up on superflavorful foods like fresh, ripe fruit sparks more activity in the satiety center in the brain to help dieters cut calorie intake by up to 20 percent without the struggle of tracking portion sizes.
OPTIMIZE LIVER FUNCTION There’s no need to shell out extra for organic produce to steer clear of toxins. “I would choose local food over organic food that came from 6,000 miles away,” shares Dr. Pescatore. He points out that most smaller-scale local and familyowned farms use a combination of organic planting strategies, composting methods and beneficial insects to reduce their dependence on pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. According to research at the University of Stirling in the United Kingdom, these practices slash levels of liver-draining toxins in local produce by up to 80 percent. And reducing exposure to the toxins allows the liver to heal, increasing the rate at which it can convert fat into fuel by as much as 25 percent.
CALM INFLAMMATION Farm-fresh produce is loaded with antioxidants that work overtime to neutralize the body-wide free cellular inflammation that has been linked to increased fat storage, heart disease and diabetes. The payoff: In a study at University College London, subjects who consumed 7-plus daily servings of fruit and vegetables reduced their risk of death over the 12-year study period by 42 percent.
Delicious ways to get the perks
Filling up on local produce can power off the pounds fast—some women FIRST spoke to report losing 9 pounds every week. “Plus, you’ll have more energy, improved digestion and your skin and hair will look radiant,” says Dr. Pescatore. “How much better does it get than that?”
To get started, Dr. Pescatore recommends enjoying at least one serving of locally grown fruit or vegetables at every meal. For best results, he suggests consuming the produce with a source of monounsaturated fat (like avocado, almonds, coconut milk or olive oil), which boosts the absorption of fatsoluble phytonutrients by 33 percent.
The easiest way to find nearby farmers markets and other local produce sellers? Head to LocalHarvest.org, where you can search for market dates and times, details on communitysupported agriculture (CSA) programs and read other local shoppers’ reviews. Adds Dr. Pescatore, “Besides farmers markets, there are many local food cooperatives that will even deliver directly to your door!”