Eat a Variety of Foods

STEP 1
EAT A VARIETY OF FOODS
Eating a wide variety of foods is the best way to meet all your nutritional requirements, but the proliferating "variety" in supermarkets does not reflect biological diversity. Three species--rice, corn, and wheat--supply nearly 60% of the calories and protein people derive from plants. And, of 200 crops eaten by humans, only 30 account for 90% of the world's calorie intake.

HOW TO ENSURE VARIETY IN YOUR DIET.

• Nutrition.gov: A complete guide to food pyramids and nutritional requirements.

• Buy produce in season! Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture program). Be sure to inquire before you buy about the growing conditions and what--if any-- pesticides are used.

• Shop at your local natural food store or farmers' market. WWW.LOCALHARVEST.ORG provides a complete list of locally grown food distributed through farmers' markets and CSAs in the United States. For a list of New York farmers' markets, visit NYFarmersMarket.com. Supporting local natural food stores and co-ops encourages conscientious growing practices and many natural food stores buy from local producers.

• Garden or join a community garden and grow your own veggies! Take a look at our complete list of seed resources.

• ASK! ASK! ASK! When convenience dictates a trip to the supermarket, remember to ask the manager to stock what you want. Here are some tips from Mothers & Others Green Food Shopper's Guide. Due to the success of consumer education programs and campaigns, local supermarkets now often stock rBGH-free milk and free-range chicken and eggs.