Add that to not working Mondays, thus having leisurely Monday morning grocery escapades and y'all, I spent 70 minutes at HEB today trying to decide what we should or shouldn't eat! And 10 of those were in the pasta aisle!
Slightly overwhelmed by all the options, I resolved to Google when I got home. So in case you, like me, don't know, "organic" is the only label that is terribly legit. To be organic, food has to pass USDA standards. If its made with multiple ingredients, like say pasta sauce, 95% of those ingredients have to be organic. This means no chemical pesticides, more natural solutions like crop rotation and no growth hormones in animals. "Natural" is a term that can be thrown around on food willy-nilly.
Of course my next question is "What are the implications of not being organic?" Is there research out there that says my health will suffer or my kids could develop autism? (I mean real research - I'm sure I could find nutcases to support anything.) Or will I build a stronger immune system by eating the occasional pesticide coated fruit, the old "a little dirt never hurt" idea?
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| HealthHype.com |
Is organic food better for me and my family?From all my reading I've come to one conclusion: nobody else is really sure either.
USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food. Organic food differ from conventionally produced food in the way it is grown, handled, and processed.
I think for now I'm aiming for whole wheat/grains, low-sodium, fresh (not canned) and of course, that old stand-by, low-fat. I also appreciate this list of items more or less contaminated by pesticides. Perhaps I'll break into the world of organic food with this list.
But come on, who the heck knows. I guess if my kids end up with three eyes each, we should re-evaluate.
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| acorscadden.com |
5 comments:
Oh I've got a ton of info on this topic for you. I'll shoot you an email later :-)
Ahhh... The organic debate...
I've gone back and forth on this myself, and I've done some research. On one hand, I've heard that there are some foods on which the organic label doesn't make a true difference in the quality of the food. On the other,the list that you provided (I think I've a similar one in Glamour Magazine) shows that there are SOME foods that are better to avoid unless they have the organic label.
I have a friend with children who have SEVERE food allergies, and she is VERY informed on this issue. She'll even admit that organic does not ALWAYS mean healthier. However, she owns a share-crop and will invest whole cows that are "organic" with friends. I will buy organic meat myself when it is the more affordable option because the idea of foods riddled with growth hormones scares me.
I haven't found too much to prove this debate either for better or worse. I think the point overall is to avoid processed foods with crazy ingredients in them. My friend believes that this is the key component in avoiding food allergies. Since cutting out most processed foods, she has noticed a significant change in her kids' allergy issues. Also, I try to buy produce that is grown in the USA, just because, as another friend brought to my attention, it's disgusting to think that the fruit you eat has grown in diseased water.
Just some thoughts... :)
Oh! And as far as autism goes, there is no true source that has been detected yet for its cause... except bad sperm. (This research was being conducted at the time I took my Special Ed. course in college.) Immunize your kids and feed them a balanced diet!
Oh! And as far as autism goes, there is no true source that has been detected yet for its cause... except bad sperm. (This research was being conducted at the time I took my Special Ed. course in college.) Immunize your kids and feed them a balanced diet!
I am so impressed by all the knowledge.
I'm totally with you on the growth horomones Linds. That wierds me out more than anything else but oddly enough, my grocery store doesn't carry organic meat...at least not that I've found. And all the fresh organic produce is stuff we don't eat or don't eat often.
One friend made the environmental argument to me. However, it just made me wonder, if I have to drive further or make trips to multiple grocers, maybe I've canceled out any good.
I think it might still mostly be a draw.
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