Bula and Kia Ora from Fiji and New Zealand!

From across the big blue Pacific comes 2 places whose cultures and foods I have been wanting to explore and learn more about. 

Bula! from Fijians who are a group of generous, smiling and happy people. Much like the French Polynesians, they are at higher risks for obesity and diabetes, but the availability of local foods seemed much better here. Fresh fruit was available (think tropical guava, passionfruit, papaya, oranges and melons - as in my picture below) as well as a variety of local veggies, including a local spinach, taro (purple veggie in 5th picture below), cassava (long, cream colored food also in 5th picture below) and yams/pumpkins. There is also a strong Indian influence in Fiji which provides options for lots of delicious vegetarian dishes and curries. The third picture below shows a pumpkin and chickpea curry with local spinach. And of course, being an island nation in the ocean, the availability of fresh fish and seafood is also plentiful, local and delicious. Every meal I had in Fiji was outstanding actually!

And yes, Fiji water is truly sourced from the mountains of Fiji. I even spoke with a man who actually grew up near the spring where the water comes from.

Just a few more hours south by plane sits the islands of New Zealand.  Recently, New Zealand was ranked #1 globally for work-life balance. Their employers offer 4 weeks/year of paid leave, high minimum wage and lots of personal freedom. The trails are packed with hikers and bikers, and the country supports this by fostering a connection to nature through ample national parks and roadless areas. 

In addition to having plenty of opportunities to be active outside, I noted a large agricultural community. Everywhere I went were farmers in their fields, or driving big tractors down the highways. While known as the kiwi country (for both the national bird and a delicious fruit), they also grow apples, grapes, potatoes, sweet corn and more. The grocery stores provided proof that they are selling local produce and I often enjoyed the local strawberries which you can buy in any grocery store. They had great flavor and actually tasted like a strawberry, unlike our over-sized and barely ripe California varieties. Absent are the big box, impersonal corporate chains of America (unless you get close to the big cities). Instead you find small, local stores run by people who live there, invested in their own community. In a country where there are more sheep than people and the ocean surrounds the entire country, of course there is an abundance of fresh lamb and seafood. The local grocers offer fruit, veg, eggs, and meats sourced directly from nearby growers. 

There is a lot of venison on the menus in New Zealand, with most of it coming from their fenced deer farms which you see occasionally along roadsides. Some of these are hunting estates with the red stag being a prize for trophy hunters, but I also saw does as well as elk cows in fences which I was told are all grown and raised for meat. A popular menu item that I found almost everywhere was a type of hand-held meat pie. I saw them called Boomers or just "pies." The one in the picture below was made with venison and plum, and it was delicious with the meat being so tender and juicy.

Also of interest, I discovered that New Zealand Manuka honey does not cause GI bloating (for me personally at least), unlike all honeys I have tried in the US. Although the fructose content appears to be similar or even higher in manuka honey, its gentler effects are possibly due to its high content of MGO (methylglyoxal) which provides strong antibacterial properties while lowering inflammation. MGO also acts as a soothing prebiotic which feeds the good gut bacteria. While traditional honeys produce hydrogen peroxide (which can be irritating to the gut), manuka honey's potency comes from MGO, which is non-irritating. So as a sidenote, intolerance to honey may not be a FODMAP issue (ie. not the fructose content), but instead a peroxide vs MGO tolerance issue.

As we know, there is no debate over local goods being far better for us than goods brought from long distances, especially when they are perishable. Their nutrient content is higher and the natural resources expended to get them to their market is far less. 

I see the rest of the world doing it, and I hope we can continue to expand our use of local foods as well.  America has its pockets of freshness, but there is still a long ways to go for us. That’s why the world can be (and should be) a teacher. By learning from each other, we all grow and flourish.