Local businesses fill nutrition gaps
Recent headlines related to changing federal policies have drawn attention to the negative impacts of today’s food systems (think: ultra-processed products that barely resemble their original ingredients), but the challenges posed by our evolving diets date back long before the 21st century. We can trace them back to the late 1860s, when the industrialization of agriculture forever changed how we fuel our bodies.
How we got here
Humans originally evolved to eat food that exists in nature – whether gathered, grown, or caught. Seeds, berries, various crops, fish, and other protein sources perfectly met the complex needs of our sophisticated body systems.
Even the earliest processing of these base ingredients to make simple breads or stews collectively contained the macro and micronutrients we needed to thrive. These foods also played an important role in our structural development.
According to James Nestor, the author of Breathwork, the ubiquitous practice of breastfeeding in centuries past helped shape our jaws and teeth, which enabled larger passageways for adequate oxygen intake. Larger mouths meant more room for straight teeth that led to better long-term oral health (and its downstream health benefits) than we experience today. The whole-food diets that followed breastfeeding helped keep the mouth muscles strong, including the palate, which supports better breathing throughout the lifespan, including at night when sleep apnea can develop.
Long-term health impacts
Recent research has revealed numerous long-term impacts caused by the widespread changes to our food systems. Tim Specter, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, warns about the ways that ultra-processed foods have impacted the health of the gut microbiome, which is home to up to 80% of the body’s immune system and is interconnected to nearly every major organ, including the brain.
Containing many additives and little fiber, ultra-processed foods have steadily reduced much-needed microbial diversity, limiting good bacteria while simultaneously increasing the bad bacteria that thrive on these substances. This inverted combination fuels inflammation and the production of other harmful compounds that increase the risk of diseases such as cancer, obesity, and heart disease.
Our reliance on ultra-processed, convenience foods infiltrate our diets at the earliest stages, with babies and toddlers introduced to pureed jars and pouches that contain any number of the 80,000 untested and unregulated chemicals that food companies use to make food taste better. Brilliant food scientists often aim for the “bliss point” in the foods they create (think: chips, cereal bars, protein drinks) where sugar, fat, and salt are precisely engineered to maximize palatability and desirability.
The delicious results are “foods” that are addictive to all ages, while lacking the nutrients our bodies need and offering ingredients that harm our health. Marketing campaigns exacerbate the problem by promising high protein, fiber, or other health benefits – emphasizing those singular elements while downplaying the questionable techniques and chemicals used to artificially lower calories or fat, enhance craveability, disguise harmful ingredients, and otherwise trick taste buds.
Local solutions for improved wellness
The overhaul to our food systems – one that has appeared to be for our benefit and has transpired largely beneath our notice – has occurred over the past 150 years. However, it has not gone unnoticed by researchers and small business entrepreneurs who have risen to the challenge to offer an alternative to ultra processed foods.
14 Carrot Whole Foods
Touting the apt slogan, “Ignore your health and it will go away,” 14 Carrot Whole Foods is one Lexington-based business that is looking to close the nutrition gaps left by the evolution of our food systems. Their mission began in 1991 as a small store offering the healthiest foods they could source. As a result of their fast-growing “Carrot Community,” they opened their doors in their much larger location at 5300 Sunset Boulevard in 2000.
Serving a wide range of diets and preferences (e.g., vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, macrobiotic, raw), they work to meet customers where they are by supplying foods, supplements, and even compostable/reusable storage – all complemented by a 4% back Rewards Program. A 2026 Good Food Awards Finalist, 14 Carrot Whole Foods is known for its commitment to local agriculture and sourcing of Certified South Carolina-grown products.
Garner’s Natural Life works to connect Lexington residents with the nutrition that might be missing from their lives. Owned and operated by Candace Garner and her three sons, the wellness company has expanded over the past two decades to include four locations in the Upstate and the Midlands. The store at 5166 Sunset Boulevard is the latest addition, opening in 2019 and serving customers seven days a week with more than 9,000 products available in store and online.
They specialize in vitamins, herbal supplements, kratom, and clean lifestyle products, such as chemical-free shampoos, natural soaps, and various skin care options. With a long tradition of enhancing health and wellness, the Garner family stays true to their roots in the items they sell – even developing and offering their own line of products – and have been recognized with Retailer of the Year and Best of the Upstate Awards.
With a strong presence in the Southeast and even some locations in the Midwest and Northeast, Lean Kitchen has become a household name since its inception in 2015. The menus vary by location and change frequently, but members of the country’s fastest growing meal prep franchise all share a commitment to fresh, healthy, and convenient meals. They guarantee the food is prepared by chefs in local kitchens, packed in protein, and lacking artificial preservatives. Grab and go. Heat and eat.
Established by husband-and-wife team Grayson and Scottlyn McCullough, the Lexington location of Lean Kitchen, 5135 Sunset Blvd, focuses on offering clean, healthy nutrition to fuel healthy lifestyles. The endeavor was inspired by Scottlyn’s experience as an athlete on the Clemson University Dance Team and their shared love of mission work. Grayson is a pastor and educator. Bringing these two passions together, they have launched a project to improve health and nutrition for women and children in Kenya.