Duke in Pictures: Buying, Eating Local

Above, Cate Smith, executive chef for Duke Integrative Medicine and Duke Diet and Fitness Center, slices up a cucumber before a DukeWELL monthly seminar on "Buy Green, Buy Local." During the event, Smith spoke to participants about the benefits of eating locally-produced foods and the best means to find them, like at farmers markets.

To test visitors' food smarts, Smith cut up two cucumbers for a taste test - one from a local chain grocery store and another from a local farmer. Of 10 volunteered guesses, only six could correctly identify the local cucumber, which Smith noted will typically have a distinctly fresher taste.

"The average food you find in a supermarket travels 1,300 miles in 14 days, and by the time it arrives, it's lost most of its nutrients and it's not very tasty compared to what you'd find at a farmers market," Smith said. "Local food usually has fewer chemicals, hormones and antibiotics."

Here are some tips for buying "green" and local from Smith:

Shop in Season - Visit sites for the state's Department of Agriculture or North Carolina Farm Fresh for up-to-date info on what fruits and vegetables are best to buy.

Show up Late - Smith recommended going to a farmers market at the end of each session, when farmers will sometimes be willing to reduce prices so they don't have to transport products back to their farm.

Ask for the Uglies - Even if a fruit of vegetable doesn't look good, looks won't impact its taste, Smith said. Sometimes, shoppers can even ask for a reduced price if produce has blemishes or is slightly bruised.

Stay Fresh - Wash berries in water and a bit of vinegar before putting them in a refrigerator. Smith noted the vinegar will extend their life by several days.

Easy Alternatives - If you can't make it to the Duke Farmers Market or another weekly event, Smith said stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Lowe's Foods and Durham's King's Red and White Market are good, everyday options for healthy produce.

Below, two cucumbers are laid out for "Buy Green, Buy Local" seminar participants to try. Cucumber "A" was bought from a local chain grocery store and cucumber "B" was from a local farmer.