Why buy organic food?

Posted by Lana in Featured, Healthy Eating, Organic | 2 comments

Thinking of going organic? Don’t know which foods are organic  must haves and which ones can be regular ol’ mass produced, antibiotic ridden, pesticide covered ones? Times are tough, and organic food – heck all  food is expensive; that is unless your cart normally consists of ramen noodles, white bread, cheetos and Dr. Thunder…I shudder to think!  Organic foods can be astronomical when you’re on a budget.  I don’t mean to scare you – but there are some foods that are best consumed organic.  The best, and least expensive way to start is to seek out a local Farmer’s Market. A study in 2002 found that about 40% of those farmers don’t charge a premium.  For listings of local farmer’s markets and other sources, go to www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets and www.localharvest.org .

From Consumer Reports:

Critics argue that we’re wasting our money because there’s no proof that conventionally produced foods pose significant health risks. Now, however, there are many new reasons to buy organic. First, a growing body of research shows that pesticides and other contaminants are more prevalent in the foods we eat, in our bodies, and in the environment than we thought. And studies show that by eating organic foods, you can reduce your exposure to the potential health risks associated with those chemicals.

From The Environmental Working Group:

Children Are Especially at Risk

Protecting our families’ health from chemical exposures can start with minimizing children’s exposure to pesticides. It is now well established that pesticides pose a risk to vital organ systems that continue to grow and mature from conception throughout infancy and childhood. Exposure to pesticides and other toxic chemicals during critical periods of development can have lasting adverse effects both in early development and later in life. The metabolism, physiology, and biochemistry of a fetus, infant or child are fundamentally different from those of adults; a young, organism is often less able to metabolize and inactivate toxic chemicals and can be much more vulnerable to the harmful effects of pesticides. The nervous system, brain, reproductive organs and endocrine (hormone) system can be permanently, if subtly, damaged by exposure to toxic substances in-utero or throughout early childhood that, at the same level, cause no measurable harm to adults. The developing brain and endocrine system are very sensitive, and low doses at a susceptible moment of development can cause more of an effect than high doses. It is especially important to reduce pesticide exposures of babies and young children so as to minimize these risks.

The environmental working group’s website lists the dirty dozen fruits and vegetables, and clean 15.  Here’s the list:

Foods that don’t pose a high risk of pesticides:

• bananas
• pineapple 
• papaya
• mango
• broccoli
• onion
• avocado
• eggplant
• sweet corn
• asparagus
• kiwi
• cabbage
• tomatoes
• sweet potato
• watermelon

Foods with high pesticide residue (buy organic if you can):

• peaches
• apples
• bell pepper
• celery
• nectarines
• cherries
• kale
• grapes (imported)
• lettuce
• carrots
• pears

Further researched found that potatoes are high in pesticide levels, and opting for organic Milk  drastically reduces the amount of antibiotic and pesticide loads on our bodies.  As for meat, the best bet is organic especially when dealing with Chicken and Beef. 

In the end, you have to decide if going organic (or partially), is right for you.  On a personal note,  I follow these guidelines, paying particular attention to the foods listed above, and I serve my toddler organic milk. Why risk it? That’s just my two cents.

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