Healthy Bite 004 - Organic or Not Organic

Super Simple Healthy Podcast

Welcome to the Super Simple Healthy Podcast! This is Christina Moyes. To Organic or Not Organic, that is the question! Ok. It’s not exactly the Shakespeare quote. But one of the biggest objections I find when people are transitioning to a healthy diet is that it’s too expensive. Specifically, buying organic foods. So today we are going to take a look at what organic actually means, and when and if it’s really necessary to buy. Organic or Not? To Organic or Not? When I was growing up, there was no such label on any of the foods in the grocery store. I know this because my high school job was working as a cashier at our local grocery store. There was no 9 in front of the produce codes to signify organic vs conventional. And there was no “natural” or “organic” section of the store. So what does it mean when a food is labeled organic? Unfortunately, there is not one blanket set of rules for all organic foods. There are different rules for meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, packaged foods and fruits and vegetables. Today, we’ll talk about the category that includes, grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables. In order for fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts to be labeled organic the land on which they are grown, must be free of banned fertilizers and pesticides for more than 3 years. The farmers cannot use sewage sludge to fertilize their fields, the crops cannot be genetically modified (so they are non-gmo) and using ionizing radiation or irradiation to kill bacteria is not allowed. It is important to note, that there is a common misconception that all organic produce is pesticide free. Chemicals are sometimes used on organic foods. However, the majority of them are free of synthetics and are not the same as inputs used on conventional produce. Most of the pesticides used on organic foods are developed from plant and herb components and actually promote the health of the plants and soil. And organic farmers tend to use much less of even these organic pesticides than conventional farmers. So what’s the big deal about pesticides? Conventional farmers use pesticides to keep bugs from eating their crops and to prevent disease from spreading, lowering the risk of losing their crops for the season. Sounds reasonable – right? Except that, pesticides are poison. They kill bugs. We’re not bugs of course, we are much bigger. But while you are eating your non-organic apple, you are also ingesting over 30 different pesticides. Even if you wash the apple, you are eating pesticides that have seeped into the skin. You’re not going to drop dead from eating one apple that has been sprayed with pesticides. Do you know how many you are eating? Pesticides get stored in your colon where they slowly, but surely poison the body. There is an old saying “one snowflake does not cause an avalanche, but the last one does.” Countless studies have linked pesticides to cancer, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease and the endocrine system. They have also been shown to be harmful to unborn fetuses as they are passed from the mother during pregnancy or nursing. Having said ALL THAT. I did not go from buying conventional to all organic overnight. It does cost more, I understand. There is a list called “The Dirty Dozen” which, lists the most heavily sprayed conventional produce. Try to buy those organic. Another rule of thumb is, if you eat the skin, like with berries, apples, peaches, greens or carrots, buy organic. Even if you peel the fruit or vegetable they are porous and the chemicals will seep into the flesh. If it’s something like watermelon, cantaloupe or pineapple where it has a hard rind, organic is not priority. One closing thought: I would rather invest in my grocer than my doctor. It’s up to you. Either way, you pay. Until next time: Think Simple. Be Healthy. https://supersimplehealthy.com