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geri

Jan 28, 2007, 8:03 AM

Post #1 of 5 (1405 views)

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Re: [Oscar2] It must be in the water

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In the almost 10 years I've lived in Oaxaca, I've noticed an increase in obesity and so have my friends. Beans, fruits, veggies and tortillas aren't fattening IF that's all you have to eat, as another poster pointed out. I think obesity is a sign of increasingly better economic conditions, at least here in Oaxaca city. People eat beans and tortillas AND hamburgers and fries. More people have cars and motorcycles, fewer people walk. In the remote mountain pueblos, you won't see many fat people. Interestingly, during the Christmas season, I was in a dept. store and every shopper, and I do mean EVERY, was really large and many were downright obese. They were buying everything in sight. Grabbing whatever the kids pointed to. Then I realized: they were probably from the U.S. visiting family in Oaxaca. Duh!

I'm probably delusional but I don't think there are large feed yards and hormone doctors in this part of the country. The cows are skinny and the beef tastes like cardboard (fat is oh so yummy!!). I like the range fed chickens, however. Also, the fruits and veggies I buy in the farmers' markets here have less fertilizer and pesticides used on them, I think. Many of the locals who live on small farms just can't afford the chemicals. Or maybe I'm seeing my life through rose colored glasses?

Bubba

Jan 28, 2007, 9:33 AM

Post #2 of 5 (1367 views)

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Re: [geri] It must be in the water

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the fruits and veggies I buy in the farmers' markets here have less fertilizer and pesticides used on them, I think. Many of the locals who live on small farms just can't afford the chemicals. Or maybe I'm seeing my life through rose colored glasses?

geri:

I don´t see how any of us can make that last assertion. I´m not saying it´s not true but seems unlikely to me. I believe that Mexican farmers have no compunction at using any and all noxious chemicals and fertilizers available to them to increase yields. Now, perhaps you are correct that the poorest small farmers simply can´t afford these chemicals but in my experience here at Lake Chapala and in Chiapas, much if not most of the produce you buy in local mercados comes from larger commercial farms via the local abastos and these agricultural operations will not hesitate to poison the earth for short term gain. I live right next to the huge and authentic indigenous market in San Cristóbal and I guarantee you that most of the produce comes from the abastos. I also guarantee you that none of the indigenous vendors in that sprawling market has given any thought to the value of organic farming versus the value of crop yields.

I also seem to recall that, at the height of the APPO strike in Oaxaca City, there was a serious produce shortage in the Oaxaca farmers´ market since the large trucks hauling in produce from agribusiness in Puebla state could not get through. So much for "local" produce.

As for small truck farmers, when Lake Chapala was very low a few years ago when I first arrived here, chemically polluted beaches were intensly framed by small truck farmers without a thought as to the suitability of the poisonous soil.

(This post was edited by Bubba on Jan 28, 2007, 9:43 AM)

geri

Jan 28, 2007, 9:42 AM

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Re: [Bubba] It must be in the water

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you're probably right, but they also use animal waste...that's why we disinfect our raw veggies. something's gotta make the garden grow!

Bubba

Jan 28, 2007, 9:56 AM

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Re: [geri] It must be in the water

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That bit about the use of animal wastes as fertilizer is interesting. Last year there was a serious e-coli outbreak at a Sizzler Restaurant in the U.S. traced to raw, peeled melons being served at the salad bar. It seems that, if you don´´t sterilize the melons or other like fruits and vegetables and then use absolutely clean implements to cut and peel the fruit, the e-coli on the outer rind or knife is trasmitted to the peeled sectioned fruit at that beautiful salad bar.

It always amazes me that anyone would eat raw peeled, sectioned fruit bought from street vendors in Mexico. The e-coli you are asking for could come from the tainted field, the hands of the pickers or vendors, the hands or containers of the distributors, tainted water used to wash the fruit or the knives used to cut the fruit. Yum!

Fruit is for home preparation (sterilization) and consumption.

(This post was edited by Bubba on Jan 28, 2007, 10:00 AM)

geri

Jan 28, 2007, 10:16 AM

Post #5 of 5 (1340 views)

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Re: [Bubba] It must be in the water

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Since I hate the boring job of peeling and cutting (esp. grapefruit and jicama), I buy the prepared fruit in bolsas from the street corner bicycle stands and then dip them in Microdyne at home. Doesn't seem to spoil the taste.