Tag Archives: Organic foods

Organics Part 2 – What to buy?

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If you want to go organic but think it’s too expensive, do not fret! This isn’t an all or nothing kind of  situation. Would going 100% organic be awesome? Sure it would. But it’s not 100% necessary.

Some foods contain more pesticides than others because some crops are just more heavily treated than others. For example, fruits and veggies that you need to peel are often going to contain fewer chemicals because the outer layer will have been removed. This doesn’t mean that all of the scary grossness is gone; you’ll just be eating less. And even with organic food, you’re not going to be completely free of pesticides you’ll just have considerably reduced amounts.

There have been a couple of  published lists about the most chemically laced produce versus the least. I have used a few sources to compile my own list identifying what organic items you should buy. I have also compiled a list of non-organic foods that you can afford to buy because they are less harmful.  This is just a basic overview for you. If you want to go all the way organic, good on you. If you want to just buy a few things organic, equally good. As always, you need to do what’s best for you and your budget. And remember Any Change is Good Change! AC/GC!

 

 

Buy these Organic!!

For the most part the fruits and vegetables that are listed below are the most heavily treated crops. They are also covered in pesticides that can’t be easily washed off. These seem to be foods that we consume often so it’s a good idea to buy these organic if possible.

1. Apples

2. Celery

3. Strawberries

4. Spinach

5. Peaches

6. Grapes

7. Peppers

8. Potatoes

9. Lettuce/Leafy greens

10. Blueberries

 

 

NOT as important to buy Organic:

Below is a list of the fruits and vegetables that are not AS heavily treated with pesticides. They are by no means 100% free of chemicals they are just not as toxic as the list above.

1.Onions

2. Avocados

3. Pineapples

4. Asparagus

5. Sweet peas

6. Mangoes

7. Eggplant

8. Sweet potatoes

9. Grapefruit

10. Kiwis

The above listed items are only fruits and veggies (I’m sure you figured that out) but there a couple other items that are a good idea to buy organic if possible.

  • Baby foods – infants are more sensitive to pesticides because their immune systems are still developing. It’s much safer to opt for organic for their tiny bodies. Lots of companies now offer organic options or you can make your own by blending up whatever delicious food you’re eating!
  • Milk and butter – Pesticides are stored in fats and can easily be passed on to us.
  • Meat – The health and muscle mass of cattle, poultry and pigs is maintained by antibiotics and drugs. There are also many pesticides on the feed they’re given as well. Buy organic, grass-fed meats whenever possible.

Make sure you pay attention to where your food comes from as well. Fruit and veggies that are imported from other countries may have come from places that do not have the same policies about pesticide and standards for what is acceptable. Buying local ensures you know where your food came from!

Tip of the Blog!!

Pesticides and the chemicals that are sprayed on crops are meant to withstand rain and watering. What does that mean? It means you can’t get rid of them by simply rinsing your food. Scary, right? So how do you get rid of all the unwanted garbage on your produce? Use soap! Yep! Plain ol’ dish soap will do. Fill up a bowl and add a few drops of your detergent. Swish it around until it’s foamy and drop in your fruit or vegetables. Use your hands to wash them, rinse well and voila! Squeaky clean food. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the water that you just washed the food in. Ewwwww…..

 

That’s about it. I hope this list is helpful for you but please let me know if you would like more info about this topic! Leave me comments here, on Facebook or follow me on Twitter!

DON’T FORGET!!!

I have recently partnered with Green Grocer Organics http://www.organicfooddelivery.com which is an organic food delivery system in and around the GTA. This company buys local whenever possible and at wholesale prices which means the produce is WAY cheaper for you than grocery store organic prices. And on top of that its free delivery and I can customize my box anyway I want. Honestly, I rarely buy produce at the grocery store anymore, I get everything else I need and my produce is delivery to me once a week. It’s inexpensive and I feel great about the choices I make for my family. If you want to check it out, use my partner code PP1530 so they know you came from staceygreenliving!! (There’s also a discount with your first order :)

Resources:

Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Elson M. Haas with Buck Levin

www.ewg.org

www.thedailygreen.com

Images from : www.tipnut.com, www.leslielovesveggies.com

Going Organic – Part 1

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 Ready? We’re gonna nutshell this puppy cause it’s a big one!

Look for Going Organic- Part 2 later this week!

This is a tricky post because the term organic is so broad. There are different regulations depending on the country that you’re in, different percentages of “organic” that the content needs to be in order for it to be labelled as such- it can be overwhelming to say the least. I have always been interested in organics because I just assumed they were better for me. It wasn’t until I started studying nutrition that I really began to understand why I should be eating organic foods.

 

What is Organic?

Organic foods are basically foods that are produced using methods that do not involve pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are should not be processed using chemical food additives. In Canada on June 30, 2009, the Organic Products Regulations (OPR) came into effect, making it mandatory for products labelled organic to abide by the Canadian Organic Standards. You can check out their website at the bottom of this post.

 

Why buy Organic?

Organic food, particularly produce has received a lot of media attention over the last few years. “This is better for you, that has too many additives” -is any of it legit? Is organic food truly better for you? You are probably thinking “What’s the difference? Why should I waste my money buying organic when I can get the same thing for much less?” I’m going to give you the low-down right now and hopefully with this knowledge you can decide if its right for you and your family.

 

Bring on the benefits:

 Non-organic food is grown using herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and insecticides – all of which are potential cancer causing agents. Not only that, many of the regulations used to govern the use of these products were passed long before the health dangers of such products were considered.

Produce grown in nutrient dense soil is far richer in anti-oxidants which prevent the creation of free-radicals. Organic farms don’t use chemicals to treat their land and that means these chemicals don’t and up in the fruits and veggies they grow. Organic farms use methods like crop rotation, green manures, compost and biological pest control. Basically, healthier soil = healthier body.

Your carrot should not look like a baseball bat.  The produce you find in the grocery store looks nothing like nature intended. Giant fruits and vegetables line the aisles but this is a case where bigger is not better! Fruit and veggies are pumped full of growth hormones to produce disease resistant, gigantic crops. They mature much faster allowing for a quicker profit but at what cost? Your body is paying the price as it struggles to filter all of the unknown chemicals and hormones.

Based on taste alone organic foods are far superior. I wish the computer allowed for taste testing, but really you can just do this yourself. In my opinion organic products just taste better. Non- organics lack a lot of flavour because they haven’t had time to develop naturally. If you’ve ever had a fresh strawberry or even a hormone/antibiotic free chicken breast you know what I mean. But don’t take my word for it, try them yourself.

 

Tip of the Blog!!

You can save tons of money by buying in season organic produce and freezing it for later. Prices rise when you buy your food out of season and things have to be shipped in from other countries. Buying local eliminates the additional travel cost of getting the food to you.

 

EXCITING NEWS!!

I have recently partnered with Green Grocer Organics http://www.organicfooddelivery.com which is an organic food delivery system in and around the GTA. This company buys local whenever possible and at wholesale prices which means the produce is WAY cheaper for you than grocery store organic prices. And on top of that its free delivery and I can customize my box anyway I want. Honestly, I rarely buy produce at the grocery store anymore, I get everything else I need and my produce is delivery to me once a week. It’s inexpensive and I feel great about the choices I make for my family. If you want to check it out, use my partner code PP1530 so they know you came from staceygreenliving!! (There’s also a discount with your first order :)

References:

www.cog.ca – Canadian Organic Growers

www.organicfooddelivery.com - Green Grocer Organics

www.csnn.ca - Canadian School of Natural Nutrition

Images from: colinsbeautypages.co.uk, organic.about.com