By Brooke Rodgers – Holistic Health Coach
Taking the initiative to buy a week or a month’s worth of produce at the local grocery store may be appealing and adventurous to some and others? Well…downright dreadful. But, we all have to eat to survive, right? Eating clean, fresh, and as pure as possible is probably one of the best things anyone can ever to for themselves and loved ones. So, there are a few things to keep in mind while on the food and produce prowl that most likely still guarantees the satisfaction of nature’s wondrous nutrients without the contamination of genetically modified seeds, herbicides and pesticides.
There is an ongoing controversy over the higher cost of organic produce that leave many consumers relying on more, “penny friendly” conventional produce. But, the “organic” trend continues to grow. But, what these “conventional” consumers aren’t wholly aware of is that a few extra dollars put toward organic produce can save them thousands of dollars in invisible healthcare costs at a later point in their lives. Isn’t it worth it?
There is enough that we are exposed to on a daily basis when it comes to pollution and toxins. Why does it have to be in our food, one of nature’s most pleasurable commodities of life? These are the moments of nourishment and intake of effective fuel for our body to absorb, utilize, and allow us to “keep going.” What most consumers aren’t aware of is the amount of chemicals (pesticides, herbicides) that soak through into the fruits and vegetables leaving more harm in the body than beneficially nutritious on top of the potential dangers of how the produce was grown (either through genetically modified organisms and other man-made synthetic processes).
So, to avoid this destructive situation, some of the most important fruits that must be purchased as “certified organic” are peaches, apples, nectarines, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, pears, and grapes (imported). The most common fruits that detected about 32- 35 dangerous pesticides are strawberries, pears and grapes. Some of the chemicals detected were Iprodione, Methomyl (hormone disrupter), Captan, Dimethoate, and Thiabendazole (pesticide known to damage the reproductive system). Our scrumptious, melt in-your mouth, juicy peaches take the cake with anywhere from 3 to 9 pesticides within a single sample.
The vegetables that are strongly encouraged to purchase as “certified organic” are sweet bell peppers, celery, spinach, carrots, kale, apples, lettuce, and potatoes. Sweet bell peppers detected about 64 different pesticides on over 80% of sampled bell peppers which means that on a single sample 11 kinds of pesticides were detected. The next runners up in the pesticide race are potatoes and lettuce. Some of the pesticides detected on these poor, damaged veggies were Methamidophos, Acephate, Edosulfans, and Chlorpropham.
Other products worth purchasing as organic would also be any and all animal products including eggs, chicken, beef, and of course dairy. Organic animal products and dairy typically do not have injections of synthetic growth hormones and antibiotics into the animals and are usually in a free-range, stable, humane and healthy environment. Some of the other fruits and vegetables that one may purchase that do not have to be organic and have potentially smaller amounts of pesticides, if any at all that are detected, are bananas, oranges, kiwi, pineapples, broccoli, onions, cauliflower, asparagus and avocadoes. So, let’s bring it back to nature’s basics and keep our bodies and the ones we love healthy and realize that it is well worth it to spend a few extra pennies.
For more information please visit www.smartmoney.com/spending/deals/buy-organic-without-breaking-the-bank-21545/, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13737389/page/2/, http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods?click=main_sr, http://www.culinate.com/mix/dinner_guest/what_to_buy_organic_in_winter, or please email Health Coach Brooke at [email protected] for further discussion.