Making Smart Organic Food Choices
By Christina Morgan, for Revive Your Life
Is organic produce a waste of money?
Many people are making the switch to organic foods…but with practically everything now labeled as organic and coming with a higher price tag, is it just a fad that’s going to break the average consumer’s bank? Revive Your Life spoke with Katie Cavuto (MS, RD), a registered dietitian and personal chef based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By investigating some of the health studies which support the harmful effects of non-organic foods, as well as heeding her advice, readers can gauge the best strategy for their own lifestyle and budget and begin making healthier choices when it comes to organic products.
Many individuals in the United States want to improve their food choices to support their health, but are limited by finances. The price of many organic foods in the shopping aisles is drastically higher than their counterparts. Cavuto explains, however, “Organic food doesn’t have to be expensive. There are alternatives to the high-end grocery stores. Find out how you can support your local growers by joining co-ops, buying clubs and attending farmers markets. Check out www.farmtocity.org for more information.”
If these options aren’t available where you live, spend wisely by purchasing only certain types of produce organically. If you are on a budget and can’t stock your entire grocery cart with items with an organic stamp of approval, focus on purchasing those items in the list below. A non-profit organization located in Washington DC, the Environmental Working Group, released a list containing the twelve worst foods in the non-organic supply - those which contain the highest level of pesticide residues. They developed their list from analyzing approximately 43,000 tests conducted by the Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2004. The following list contains what is known as The Dirty Dozen - foods that you should buy organic to safeguard your health.
- Peaches
- Apples
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Pears
- Imported Grapes
- Spinach
- Potatoes
- Lettuce
The average person can lower their pesticide intake by 90% by avoiding the non-organic version of the items in this list. It’s true that non-organic produce can be washed with soap, but this will not eliminate all of the pesticides that are present on the food items. Typically, each of these foods above, when eaten in non-organic form, contain two to three pesticides. Cavuto also adds “when buying fruits and vegetables, conventional produce is OK if there is a thick skin (citrus, bananas, mango, etc.) that you do not eat. Organic fruits and veggies can be eaten with the skin on, however, which provides extra vitamins, minerals, and fiber.”
Why is it important to avoid these foods when they are non-organic? Here are just some of the health issues that have been linked to pesticide intake: various cancers, including leukemia, brain cancer, kidney cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, neurological problems, child cognitive development, low birth weight and birth defects, and disruption of hormone functions. Many researchers also believe that there are side effects of pesticides that we do not yet know about.
Aside from health issues, Cavuto also points out, “If you are going ‘green’, eating organic has less of an impact on the environment.” This is an issue that is becoming more important to consumers in society today.
Other food items that should be on a consumer’s watch list when making healthy choices include milk, meat and poultry. Often, the animals providing these products are given hormones and antibiotics. Pesticides can also be used in producing the grain fed to animals providing meat and milk products. Cavuto adds, “I always recommend organic milk and dairy to my clients as a dietician.” Fair Trade Organic Certified coffee is another great choice, because by choosing it, a consumer is supporting fair treatment of the workers involved in the production of the coffee.
What other health tips should we follow when making healthier choices in the supermarket and in cooking? “Make your plate as colorful as possible so you know you are eating a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants,” suggests Cavuto. “An example might be buying yellow, red and orange peppers along with the green.” She also adds, “When buying packaged foods…like crackers and cereals, I always say that if you can’t read the ingredient list (and you can’t pronounce the words), put it back and do not buy it!”
The Environmental Working Group provides a free, comprehensive guide to pesticides in food, and can be found at www.foodnews.org. Learning as much as possible about what you are putting into your body has the potential to improve your health and help ward off more serious disease.
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Thanks for the article. I found it really informative. I have been trying to buy more organic produce for my family whenever I can. The problem is that my grocery budget doesn’t always allow for it because the prices are usually so much higher. I’ve noticed lately that the prices are coming down a little bit. I can often find organic apples on sale for $1.00/lb now. I’m hoping some of the other items will follow suit!
Hi Rebecca,
Unfortunately, the cost is usually the main deterent when it comes to buying organic produce. I’ve found that joining a local organic farm co-op makes the produce more affordable, but these may be hard to find depending on where you live. Focus on buying the “Dirty Dozen” organically and you will have gone a long way in providing healthy produce for your family!
I’m glad you enjoyed the article.
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