From Sakara In-House Nutritionist Colleen Coffey, MS, RDN, LDN
In the food industry, many corporations and restaurants cut corners to save time, energy, and money—and the first thing to go is often high-quality, nutrient-dense ingredients. They opt for foods that are inexpensive, inflammatory, and low-grade, and typically lower in body-building nutrients. (The nutrients we receive from food are the raw materials our bodies need for growth, rejuvenation, and repair of cells and tissues—meaning we really are what we eat.)
We’re often asked why we, at Sakara, are so particular about the ingredients we source. Well, we prioritize high-quality, nutrient-dense, real foods because they reflect how we want to look, feel, and show up in the world.
Below, a breakdown of how we approach sourcing, and tips for finding higher-quality ingredients when prepping meals at home.
How Sakara Keeps Quality Top of Mind
Our in-house chefs and nutritionists keep sourcing and quality top of mind while dreaming up our exclusive recipes and weekly menus. We’re committed to providing our clients with the high-quality, functional ingredients that allow for total mind and body transformation.
Here are few standards that you can always expect from Sakara:
- Opting for organic ingredients to lower our client's day-to-day environmental toxin intake.
- Sourcing locally whenever possible.
- Seeking out and cultivating relationships with farmers that stand by their quality (and operate non-toxic, biodiverse farms).
- Maintaining an independent, above-industry-standard supplier approval program that vets the safety of food before we initiate a first purchase.
- Third party-testing products and supplements to ensure that they are pure, potent, and within specifications.
Sourcing Tips for Your Everyday
Learning more about where your food comes from will help you determine its quality and ability to nourish your body wholly. Where possible, opt for organic, local, and non-conventional produce. (Tip: Talk to the farmers at your nearby market about their practices and expertise, and take time to research online the brands and sources you love.)
If you find that your foods come from monoculture—a.k.a. mass production—farming, they’re most likely lacking the nutrient density of more sustainably farmed foods. (Significant evidence shows that the higher crop yields are correlated with reductions in nutrient density in the plants, which is mainly driven by the poor, overused soil.) Monoculture crops are also typically burdened with greater amounts of pesticides and herbicides to protect them from an influx of pests that thrive in this sad, biodiversity-lacking soil. These chemically contaminated foods are then associated with a variety of negative health impacts, like cancer, asthma, and diabetes, making the choice to hone in on our sourcing all the more important.
For produce that'll benefit both the environment and your body, seek out organic farming methods, be that crop rotation, biological pest control, or polyculture. As opposed to monoculture, polyculture—planting several kinds of crop species on the same piece of land and at the same time—helps make better use of the soil. Because the crop species complement each other, the soil becomes rich in nutrients, which creates a healthier ecosystem and innately reduces the need for pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides.
Plant diversity-promoting polycultures also lead to greater biodiversity in the local ecosystem, which may reduce our risk of disease. With more biodiverse soil and plant nutrient density, and less toxic burden, polyculture yields produce that is highly nourishing; it’s also more likely to be sourced locally and picked at its ripest, most nutrient-dense form.
Ultimately, we’re here to empower you with the knowledge that puts you in the driver’s seat of your own health. Nourishing ourselves is an ongoing discovery, and the more we listen to how our bodies respond to certain inputs, the more we can live in tune with how we want to show up in the world—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Remember, everytime you sit down to eat: You are vibrant, joyous, and balanced—and the meal (and ingredients) before you should reflect that.
