Eating Healthy Matters | October 11, 2021

Fresh & Local:

Eating Healthy Matters

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health. The Crescent City Farmers Market is dedicated to connecting customers directly with local farmers, fishers, ranchers, dairies, bakers and food makers within 200 miles of the Greater New Orleans area. Food from our market is minimally processed, and our farmers go to great lengths to grow the most nutritious produce possible by using sustainable techniques. Buying locally minimizes transportation and processing to ensure maximum freshness, taste and nutrient retention. These fresh products are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants that have been shown to protect against chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. Also, when you buy local, the entire food dollar goes into the hands of the grower, giving them a fair and decent wage, which continues to circulate in the local economy. Eating healthy and local has many benefits for your body, mind, and community.

Picks of the Week:

CCFM Superfoods

Many people are interested in whether nutrition choices can help prevent cancer or slow its progress. Eating a wide variety of plant foods can be beneficial. These five cancer-fighting superfoods are a great addition to your diet:

Garlic
Garlic is a part of the allium family of vegetables, which also includes onions and scallions, shown to fight against stomach cancer. They also have preventive effects against skin, colorectal and lung cancers. Garlic may also lower cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Shop for garlic with these CCFM Vendors: Amorphous Garden, and Star Nursery

Spinach and other leafy greens
Leafy greens such as spinach, chard, collards, kale and mustards are a great source of many nutrients including fiber, folate, vitamin C and several antioxidants in the form of carotenoids. Research shows eating a diet rich in green leafy vegetables can fight the development of mouth and throat cancers. Spinach has even been shown to be among the superior leafy vegetables in fighting prostate cancer.

Shop for leafy greens in season with all CCFM produce vendors.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes get their red color from lycopene, a strong antioxidant. Some research indicates lycopene may protect against prostate and other cancers.

Shop for tomatoes with these CCFM Vendors: Isabel’s Tamales and Produce, Indian Springs Farmers Association, Poche Family Farms, Faust Farm, Joe Fekete Family Farm, Monica’s Okra World and more.

Legumes
Dry beans and lentils contain folate, a B vitamin, shown to decrease pancreatic cancer risk, and they contain antioxidants that prevent cell damage that can lead to cancer. Peanuts are also technically legumes, and chock full of healthy fats, nutrients and protein. The high fiber content in these foods may also protect against colon cancer.

Shop for legumes with these CCFM Vendors: Indian Springs Farmers Association, Poche Family Farm, Williams Produce, Monica’s Okra World, and Louisiana Gourmet Produce

Blueberries
Blueberries, and berries in general, are full of nutrients including vitamin C and K, fiber and antioxidants. Research has shown a diet rich in fruits can lower the risk of mouth, throat, lung and stomach cancers.

Shop for blueberries with these CCFM Vendors: J&D Blueberry Farm, Johndale Farm, Star Nursery and Poche Family Farm

Who is returning to markets and when?

If you have been to markets lately, you have probably wondered: “where are all my favorite vendors?” Post-Ida, vendors are slowly returning to markets, and many of our staple vendors at market are still experiencing delays in production. With that being said, we are excited to welcome back two longtime favorites to our Tuesday Market: Screaming Oaks Mushrooms and Mizell Farms. James with Screaming Oaks will be attending our Tuesday market every other Tuesday (his next market will be October 19th). Mycelium Express hopes to return to other markets soon. Mr. Mizell, who lost a significant amount of his nursery stock during the storm, is back every Tuesday with an array of beautiful plants for all your fall garden needs. For our Thursday market, La Serendipity Vineyards will be returning with their Sparkling Blanc Dubois and their LA Serendipity Blanc! Faust Farms, one of our key produce vendors, will also be a regular at the Thursday Market Mid-City with some late summer produce like eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes. River Queen Greens, a former produce vendor with our Tuesday market, will be joining our Thursday market in the next couple of weeks with microgreens, lettuce mixes, and herbs. As we ease into fall, it is important to remember that many of our vendors are still recovering from the storm and may not return to market for a while, and folks who have returned may have less volume and variety than is normal for this time of year. To help us get them back to market sooner, we encourage everyone to donate to the Crescent Fund. All funds will go directly to supporting farmers as they recover from these difficult times.

Eat Local

As we move into the autumn season and begin celebrating the various holidays during this time of year, instead of falling back into poor eating habits, consider staying in the habit of healthy eating and shopping locally. Join us on the Lafitte Greenway on Thursday October 14th 3:30 pm-6:00 pm for special programming to help you learn the benefits of market shopping and its connection to the environmental concept of "food miles". This program is for all ages and we will have an activity for kids. See you at the market!

Vendor of the Week:

Tiny Greens

While produce has been limited at market due to the lasting effects Ida has had on our vendors’ production, you can easily find a range of fresh and nutrient-dense microgreens and sprouts available at market this fall. Know Dat Grow Dat, growing microgreens and seasonal produce right here in New Orleans, is owned by Mike Beachamp, a retired pharmacist committed to exploring growing techniques of plants to prevent diet-related illness. You can find him regularly at Tuesday and Thursday markets with a variety of prepackaged cut microgreens, as well as live ones so you can grow and cut your own. River Queen Greens, founded in 2017 and operated by Annie Moore and Cheryl Nunes, is proud to be Naturally Grown Certified and produce a rich range of produce, focusing mostly on salad greens, herbs, and microgreens. We also want to warmly welcome Sam Sprouts, a recent addition to our market microgreen team! Sam Sprouts, hailing from Covington, LA, produces an assortment of de-hulled, spin dried, and carefully packaged sprouts, microgreens, and cold-pressed juice. Being rich in nutrients and flavor, sprouts and microgreens will make the perfect addition to your sandwiches, salads, and diet!

Recipes of the Week:

Egg Breakfast Muffin Tin Frittata

Start your day off right with these flavorful protein and veggie packed personal breakfast favorites that are easy to make in advance and enjoy all week long.

What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!