To Buy Or Not to Buy Organic

TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY ORGANIC?

FRUITS-

Organic Fruit

Berries; Buy organic strawberries & raspberries.

Blueberries & blackberries are good choices for nonorganic berries.

Stone Fruits; Buy organic stone fruits whenever possible. Avoid conventionally grown peaches.

Apples and Pears; Buy organic or minimally treated apples and pears. Buy organic apple juice and applesauce.

Citrus Fruits; Oranges and grapefruits-Do not eat the peel. Tangerines and grapefruits present the lowest amount of residue for citrus fruits.

Vine Fruits and Melons- It's OK to eat non-organic melons in season. However, melons imported from Mexico, especially Mexican cantaloupes (which are typically sold in winter months) frequently test positive for pesticide residues and should be avoided.

Grapes and Raisins- Buy organic when possible, or buy only non-imported conventionally grown grapes from May through late September.

Tropical Fruits- Bananas, pineapples, avocado, mango and papaya are consistently among the non-organic fruits least likely to contain pesticide residue.

VEGETABLES-

Leafy vegetables-choose organic leafy vegetables when ever possible. Bagged organic salad greens and baby spinach are available year round in many grocery stores.

Underground Vegetables- Buy only organic Potatoes, Carrots and Radishes. They must come from certified organic farms that have been farmed organically for at least three years. Non-organic sweet potatoes and beets are an acceptable choice.

Onions and Garlic- Non-organic onions and garlic are fine choices. Organic green onions are better than the conventional version.

Cruciferous Vegetables- Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli are fine non-organic choices with low pesticide residues. Remove and discard the outer leaves of cabbages.

Green Beans and Dried Beans- Organic green beans are the best choice unless you know that your farmer does not spray pesticides or herbicides. Packaged dried beans may or may not have pesticides or fungicide residues, but there is no evidence either way.

Tomatoes- When you can't grow your own, choose locally grown tomatoes in season. Organic tomatoes do contain up to five times higher levels of the cancer-fighting carotenoid lycopene, the chemical that gives tomatoes their red color. Choose organic Ketchup and canned tomato products whenever possible for the additional lycopene benefits of organic tomatoes.

Cucumbers- Buy organic. Nonorganic cucmbers are highly likely to contain pesticide residues and should always be avoided.

Winter Squash (including Pumpkins)- Organic un-waxed squash is better for food; non-organic is fine for ornamental. If you buy non-organic squash, avoid eating the skin.

MEATS-

BEEF - seek out a source for grass-fed or grass-finished organic beef. Organic beef means that no hormones or antibiotics were given to the cattle, that the cattle had access to the organic fields for grazing, and any feed was organically produced and free of animal by-products.

CHICKEN- Organic chickens are raised without arsenic-supplemented feed, without antibiotics, and without hormones. Buy organic chicken buy Rosie or Rocky Natural Chickens. Trader Joe's or Whole Foods carry organic chicken meat.

PORK- organic pigs are rare.

DAIRY PRODUCTS-

MILK - Buy organic milk exclusively. Choosing organic milk is the best way to avoid ingesting undesirable growth hormones through milk.

BUTTER and CHEESE- Buy organic, so you can avoid potential toxins concentrated in the fat.

EGGS- Pastured eggs are well worth seeking out if you can find them. Otherwise choose "Organic" eggs to avoid potential residues from arsenic feed, antibiotics and pesticides. "Cage-free organic" eggs are laid by hens that have some access to the outdoors, but because they are not allowed to have antibiotics, outdoor roaming is really not encouraged. Chickens that lay cage-free organic eggs and organic eggs lead nearly identical lives, so if there is any difference between them it is minimal. "Free-range" eggs come from hens that are fed conventional feed but are housed in sheds instead of cages and given roam to roam in adjoining yards. Shell color is determined by the breed of chicken. Brown eggs mostly come from Rhode Island Red hens, which are often favored by organic farmers. White eggs come from White Leghorn chickens.

SEAFOOD- Buy wild seafood. Avoid farm-raised fish and prawns, and avoid fish labeled organic, as it is likely farm-raised fish.

NUTS, SEEDS AND SPICES- Organic peanuts and peanut butter are highly recommended. If you eat almonds frequently or if you are eating them for health reasons (for example, to increase HDL levels) you should find a source for organic almonds.

Edible Oils- It's a toss-up. Organic peanut and canola oils are better for the environment, but health benefits are negligible. If you buy imported olive oil, it's unlikely to have been sprayed with pesticides. Organic olive oils are easy to find at most organic grocers and food co-ops. Do avoid all partially hydrogenated fats such as shortening or margarine, even from organic sources, as these fats are unhealthy in any form.

Grains- Buy organic rice whenever possible or buy imported rice. For other grains, buy organic if you eat the entire grain, feed it to children, or eat it every day-oatmeal is a food that comes to mind. Organic flour probably has no significant health benefit over non-organic flour, but if there is little difference in price, organic is better for the environment and does not support the farm subsidy system.

Snacks and Processed Foods- Read the ingredients list to see exactly what ingredients are organic, and buy processed food organics only when cost is no object. However, if the food is something that children eat a lot of, whether it's boxed instant noodles, breakfast bars, dry cereals, or cookies, it's wise to buy organic.

To Buy Or Not to Buy Organic

http://www.thehealthyeatingguide.com/organiceating.html

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