How About a Low-Carbon Diet?

by WiredBerries Editors — September 17, 2007

We've all heard how a low-carb diet can help keep the weight off, but dieticians and nutritionists say that it's not necessarily about eating fewer carbohydrates. They say it's actually more about choosing nutrient-rich whole grain foods over sugar and white breads.

Now there's a whole new "dieting" trend that men and women around the globe are embracing. It's about making food choices that are not only good for the body, but good for the environment as well. The goal behind the "low-carbon diet" is to slim down our own individual carbon footprint by being more aware of what we consume and how those choices affect the environment.

One simple way to start a low-carbon diet is to start buying local whenever possible. There are plenty of good reasons to buy local food and produce. You're not only supporting your local economy, but you're also helping cut down CO2 emissions by reducing the amount of long haul shipping required. As an added bonus, local food is usually fresher. The produce has more nutrients since they were picked during their prime, whereas far off foods are usually picked before they're ripe to accommodate for the time spent in transit. The difference may seem small, but it adds up quickly as more and more people around the globe start making Earth-friendlier decisions at the market.