The Importance of Eating Organic & Non-GMO
Ask yourself these questions about what you normally do at the grocery store:
Do you look at the price for organic and non-organic spinach to price out what is cheapest or do you automatically choose the organic spinach, no matter the price difference?
When choosing between a genetically modified and highly processed box of cake mix or a box of organic cake mix all real ingredients in it, do you go for the unhealthy one because it is cheaper or do you purchase the organic one because it is healthier?
Would you choose to buy the diet soda that is filled with chemicals because it is cheap and has less calories, or the healthy drink made with natural ingredients that is twice as expensive?
Do you simply base your grocery list on price? What is your health worth to you? What is the health of your family worth to you? Would you rather eat real organic food that might have more calories and carbs or would you rather eat the fake stuff that has less calories? Is buying organic food important to you or do you choose what you buy simply based on the price tag?
Something that I think a lot about is how much money my family and I really spend on food. We spend a lot of money on food for a few reasons. First, we eat as much organic as we can. Second, I like to buy and try out new products that are food allergy friendly and healthy alternatives to share them with you. Third, sometimes eating the way that we do simply costs more. My friend, Christine (livingcleanwithchristine.com), and I talk about how we just know that the way we eat will cost more. When we see a product that is plant-based, organic, non-GMO and it costs $10 we hand them our credit card without hesitation because we understand that eating "this way" is the price you pay. You pay more now so that you don't have to "pay" in medical expenses later. This is especially true when you have food allergies. I have had this same talk with Kathlena, The Allergy Chef (theallergychef.com). People often get upset when food is too expensive. My husband and I are the complete opposite… I see a red flag when food is too cheap! Why can someone eat a whole meal at McDonald's for $3 complete with extra large soda and not think that it's nuts, but when I eat at Whole Foods and spend $14, I am the crazy one?
It always bothers me when people say that we spend way too much money on eating good, healthy, organic, non-GMO food. Don’t get me wrong, you can easily eat an organic or healthy diet and not break the bank by looking for sales, shopping at farmer’s markets and using coupons. Trust me - I love a good $1-off coupon! I often wonder why, when we drive past a fast food restaurant, there is still a super long line at the drive-thru window. Have these people not seen Super Size Me?
I don’t understand how people can eat off of a “dollar menu” and feel good about it. In my opinion, it would be better to buy organic rice and beans because it is way better for you and will last you longer than anything from an unhealthy fast food restaurant. Plus, your body knows how to break down those rice and beans better than the junk food from a "Happy Meal." Also, spending that extra money on eating organic goes a lot farther in more ways that one.
I do, however, think more and more people are starting to eat organic, which is why we now see so many organic options at Costco and even Target. Last year at Expo East, I overheard someone saying that Costco has more organic options than Whole Foods! Eating organic is finally becoming more and more "popular" with people of all ages, races, religions and background. “A new generation of supporters insists on organic options, along with those seeking the benefits of vitality and longevity through eating organic,” says Mo George-Payette, CEO of Mother’s Market & Kitchen, a California grocery chain that sells organic products. (Delicious Living) In fact, my husband and I do most of our shopping at Mother's Market!
If you simply can’t afford to eat 100% organic, consider these two lists: The Clean Fifteen, which contains the least amount of pesticides, and The Dirty Dozen, which contains the highest concentration of pesticides. (Lists Mind Body Green)
The Clean Fifteen:
avocados
sweet corn
pineapples
cabbage
sweet peas (frozen)
onions
asparagus
mangoes
papayas
kiwi
eggplant
grapefruit
cantaloupe
cauliflower
sweet potatoes
The Dirty Dozen
apples
strawberries
grapes
celery
peaches
spinach
sweet bell peppers
nectarines (imported)
cucumbers
cheery tomatoes
snap peas (imported)
potatoes
hot peppers
kale & collard greens
Here are a few reasons you should start eating real, organic foods:
Avoid GMOs - genetically modified foods are ruining our food supply and, sadly, they aren’t legally required to be labeled here in America OR Canada. There are sixty-four countries that require GMO foods to be labeled, including Australia, Japan and all of the countries in the EU. If you choose to eat organic foods then you don’t have to worry about GMOS. Most packaged foods contain ingredients that are derived from soy, canola, sugar, and corn which are, most of the time, genetically modified.
Avoid Chemicals - unless you are cool with eating a cocktail of chemical poisons that are sprayed all over non-organic food, then keep buying that non-organic food. The National Academy of Sciences reports that 90% of the chemicals applied to foods have not been tested for long-term health effects before being deemed “safe.” The FDA also only tests about 1% of the foods for pesticide residue. (Prevention)
Avoid adding toxins to your body - animal products and plants that are labeled organic are not treated with herbicides, pesticides, chemicals, hormones, antibiotics and synthetic ingredients. Choosing organic food means that you lessen your exposure to all of these horrible additives that shouldn’t be added on your food in the first place.
Support organic farms - which are safer for farm workers. I believe we vote with our dollars. The more organic food we buy, the more in-demand organic fruits, veggies and meats are… which will then lower the price for all of us! The less people get in line at a drive-thru, the same thing happens in reverse. Those fast food chains slowly begin to close.
