organic options inc

Are Organic Foods Worth the Money?

Food prices have risen faster in recent years than ever before. As many of us are feeling the pinch, it is time to reevaluate some of our food purchases. The term “organic” has been thrown around in the shopping aisles like sprinkles on the jelly donut you’re trying to avoid. It seems like hundreds of new “organic” products have emerged, all with a price tag about 30% higher than the regular option. Is it really worth the extra money, or are we all being duped with a clever marketing campaign to get us to buy essentially the same thing for a lot more?

It is true that organic growing practices are a lot better for the environment. So if you’re swayed by that fact alone, go organic. You actually are supporting practices that benefit the environment. If you want to go deeper into the nutritional value of organic vs. regular foods, research is mixed on that topic. Some studies suggest a higher level of anti-oxidants in organic foods. But other studies have failed to find a significant difference in anti-oxidant levels. The nutritional quality of fruits and vegetables goes down as soon as it is picked. You could argue that a cucumber that was picked yesterday and sold at a farmer’s market has more nutritional value than one that was picked 3 weeks ago and flown across the country to your local supermarket. Overall, it is hard to make a case for organic fruits and vegetables containing higher nutrient levels. Both organic and regular varieties offer similar nutrient content and health benefits.

One argument that does hold some weight is the fact that regular fruits and vegetables are grown with pesticides and herbicides. There is residue from these toxic substances that can build up in the body over time. This increases the risk of cancer and can cause other health complications like fertility problems.

Apples, peaches, and bell peppers have consistently shown the highest herbicide and pesticide residue. The lowest on the list are onions, avocados, and frozen corn.

If you avoid the top 12 on the list of foods that have the highest pesticide residue, you can actually reduce your herbicide and pesticide exposure by 90%.

Here are the top 12 to avoid.

Peaches
Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Pears
Imported Grapes
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes

The best way to eat healthy without breaking the bank is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and to be smart about the balance between organic and regular. Try to buy them in season in the location where you live because they will be fresher. If the organic is close to the price of the regular option, picking organic is better for you and better for the environment. In the case that the organic option is just far too expensive, try to avoid the top 12 with consistently high levels of herbicides and pesticides and you should be in great shape.

Another important diet tip for protection against unwanted diseases is to take a daily multivitamin. Combined with lots of fruits and vegetables every day, a multivitamin will insure you’re getting plenty of all of the essential vitamins and minerals that you need to feel healthy and invigorated every day.

How can I make healthy, organic food choices?

I just finished watching the documentary Food, Inc. which won an Academy Award this year. I am utterly repulsed with the “food industry” in America. I do think I make healthy food choices (don’t drink soda, eat lots of fruit and vegetables, eat whole wheat bread) but I’m looking to do more after watching this film. Please note, I’m not interested in weight loss tips, I’m just trying to see what kinds of tips/suggestions everyone has concerning food.
Also, I live in a city of about 40,000 residents with one Wal-Mart, so I don’t really have a lot of options!

This was an issue for me too, although I haven’t seen the movie. My family, especially my son, is very sensitive to food additives which affect his behavior.

Learn to read food labels carefully. Once you switch to more healthy brands, shopping doesn’t take any more time than normal. I was surprised when I read sour cream labels. I found that many brands have more additives than cream. Try Daisy, it is just sour cream. The more long chemical names you can’t pronounce, the less healthy the food.

Watch for marketing traps. The more modified a product is, the worse it can be for your health. “Healthy” convenience products may have lots of substitutions to make them taste good. Low fat products often add sodium or sugar. No sugar usually means artificial sweeteners which are worse. Also, don’t assume just because a product is organic, that it is healthier. Many processed organic foods have just as many additives (or more!) as the regular versions.

When shopping consider an 80/20 principle. 80 percent of the food should have no label like from the produce section or be whole foods like fresh lean meats, eggs, rice and oatmeal. Dried beans and bagged veggies (frozen or fresh) without sauce count here as well but not canned. The other 20 should be healthy things with labels like whole grain pasta, cereal, and bread; natural cheese; low sodium spaghetti sauces; natural peanut butter; and dairy. Avoid heavily processed foods. You’ll do most of your shopping from the outer aisles. Then get a good cookbook for making healthy meals from scratch.

Keep in mind that you may have behavior changes and/or mood swings for a few days after you get rid of the processed food and other junk as your body detoxes. However, then you should have more energy, better moods, and possibly lose some weight.

Majestic Green Inc.

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