Buzz, Body, & Bites
A newsletter for actively aging adults Virginia Cooperative Extension Family & Consumer Sciences February 2026 Newsletter
Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Healthy You
Most of us have heard the saying “you are what you eat.” What we hear less often is what our food eats - and where it grows - matters just as much. Over the past several decades, scientists have observed a quiet trend: many fruits, vegetables, and grains today contain fewer nutrients than they did in the past. This isn’t only about minerals like iron or zinc. It also includes thousands of natural plant compounds known as phytochemicals, which play an important role in human health. Phytochemicals include polyphenols, flavonoids, and terpenes. These are what give foods their rich colors, aromas, and flavors. They help reduce inflammation, support immune function, and often leave us feeling more satisfied after eating. Foods rich in these compounds usually taste better and nourish us more deeply, meaning we may need less to feel full and well. Where do these compounds come from? The answer begins beneath our feet. Healthy soil is not just dirt and chemistry; it is a living; dynamic ecosystem filled with billions of microorganisms working in close partnerships with plant roots. Plants feed microbes sugars, and in return, microbes help plants access water, minerals, and nutrients they could not obtain on their own. Together, plants and microbes produce more phytochemicals, resulting in healthier, more nutrient-dense crops. The same principle applies to animal foods. Meat from animals raised on diverse pastures - grasses, legumes, and flowering plants - often contains healthier fats, including a better balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, compared to animals raised on a limited diet. Writer Wendell Berry famously wrote, “Eating is an agricultural act.” Every food choice we make supports a certain kind of farming. As consumers, one of the most powerful actions we can take is to vote with our dollars, supporting food produced in the ways that care for soil, plants, animals, and people alike. Healthy soil leads to healthy plants, healthy animals, and ultimately, healthier humans. Contributed by Dr. Robin (Buz) Kloot, Research Assoiciate Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Heallth, University of South Carolina
Buzz
Recomendations on how to “healthy soil, heathy food, and healthy you”: Know where your food comes from Buy locally grown foods from farms and ranches committed to sustainable farming practices Plant a garden (even in containers) Shop the seasons Buy whole foods rather than ultra processed foods Reduce food waste Diversify by trying unique fruits and vegetables
Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and local governments, and is an equal opportunity employer. For the full non-discrimination statement, please visit ext.vt.edu/accessibility.
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OCI February 2026
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