More Reasons To Choose Organic

Most people believe that Organic foods are cleaner and perhaps better for us, but are they really worth the extra cost? In my previous article on Dangerous Fruits and Vegetables, I describe some of the health risks associated with pesticide exposure. Most of us don’t realize that foods today carry much higher levels of pesticide residue then ever before and that these toxic chemicals are in our air, our water and our bodies. They are stored in our fat cells and disrupt a variety of normal cellular functions. They can be passed from mother to fetus in utero and are even in mothers breast milk, unless she consumes an organic diet.

Too little research has been done on the cumulative effect of pesticide residue consumption and how these deadly chemicals may be linked to diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Parkinson’s. I’m especially concerned for our children, whose bodies are far more vulnerable to any kind of chemical contamination. Mothers exposed to pesticides while pregnant are more likely to suffer miscarriage. Birth deformities are more common in rural areas after intensive spraying. Still, it’s hard to appreciate the risk of maybe one day getting cancer when you are twenty years old and healthy, with buying apples that might be half the price of the organic ones.

I know that when money is tight, we all have to make compromises and yet, taking risks with our health is always a bad decision. Particularly, taking risks with the health of our children is a bad decision and that is why I believe it is so important to provide our babies with a diet that is as near to completely organic as we can get. If it were a choice of having a new bedroom set or fancy stroller for baby or eating organically throughout a pregnancy and for the first 3 years of that babies life – there’s no question which is the wiser investment.

If money were not a consideration, I would buy absolutely everything I consume or use in it’s most organic form. Not just because it’s a better choice for my health, but because it’s a better choice for the environment. Pesticides, herbicides and fungicides deplete soil and run off into our water supply and kill wildlife. When you choose organic products, you are supporting a small but growing movement away from petrochemical, industrial farming and back to a truly sustainable relationship with the earth. Organic farms are keeping alive varieties of plants that have been lost to the big business of monoculture.  They may be the last barrier protecting us from a world of genetically modified, sterile and pesticide ready crops. But perhaps most importantly, organic farming is protecting our soil from erosion and rebuilding precious top soil upon which our lives all depend.

The following list is based on information and studies by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Consumer Reports, and the Environmental Working Group. These foods carry a high level of pesticide residue even after washing or peeling when that is possible. The good news is that choosing organic in just these foods can substantially reduce your families risk of pesticide related diseases.

* Beef, chicken and pork

* Dairy products: Milk, cheese and butter

* Strawberries, raspberries and cherries

* Apples and pears

* Tomatoes

* Spinach and salad greens

* Potatoes

* Stone fruits: Peaches, nectarines and apricots

* Grapes

* Celery

* Peppers (capsicums), green, yellow and red

* Coffee (also Fair Trade)

Here is a list of fruits and vegetables found to contain the least amount of pesticides. Notice that many of these have thick, inedible skins which protect the fruit.

* Asparagus

* Avocados

* Bananas

* Broccoli

* Cauliflower

* Corn (However, almost all corn is genetically modified)

* Kiwi

* Mangoes

* Onions

* Papaya

* Pineapples

* Sweet Peas

Other tips is to buy produce from your local farmers market. You may find farmers who are ‘almost’ organic but not yet certified and their prices may be better than you’d find elsewhere. Also, there are organic farmers who give very reasonable prices to customers who buy a box of whatever is ready to be harvested. This is an economical way to get  your organic veggies and try foods that you may not be accustomed to.

Try to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables so you limit your exposure to chemicals associated with any one product. There are many stores that advertise now, bio-clean, or some label which indicates the food has been assessed to have a low pesticide residue – even though the food is not organic, it may be a better choice. Buy your organic choices in moderation and use them more sparingly to save money. And most importantly, plant your own organic vegetables. There are so many ways to have a patio garden of at least some salad vegetables that will feed your family well for a season. Whatever you can afford, consider it a down payment on your families health and well being when you choose organic.

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