Organics 101

The book The Unhealthy Truth, is so packed with interesting information that it will take several enteries to tell you about it. This blog will be Organic 101. It can be so confusing out there with all the different labeling that goes on. Robyn has a great section in the back of her book that breaks it down. Here is a summary of that section.

Health Benefits of buying organic:
A recent study into organic food found that it appears to :
-Strengthen your immune system
-Improve sleeping habits
-Cut the risk of cancer
-Reduce the risks of heart disease
-Reduce a child's exposure to hidden allergens
-Promote weight loss.

An insightful four-year, $25 million European study found that:
-Animals fed an organic diet were slimmer (yes, skinnier) than their un-organic fed counterparts because fat cells appear to trap and store the heavy pesticide residues found in un-organic produce.
-Organics appear to promote weight loss by reducing your exposure to chemical pesticides that bind to fat and once absorbed may stay in the body for a lifetime (over 350 chemicals can accumulate in our body fat!).
-Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants.
-Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidants.
-Organic food also had higher levels of beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc, critical minerals in the development of a child's brain.


Here is what you are getting when you buy somehting organic:
The term "organic" refers to foods grown and process without chemical toxins, artificial ingredients, chemical preservatives, or ionizing radiation. The guidelines for organic foods were established on October 21, 2002, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To use these terms, producers mus pay additional fees and follow strict guidelines and regulations:
-100% Organic- All ingredients are organic.
-Organic-95 percent or more of the total ingredients are organic.
-mad with Organic Ingredients- At least 70 percent of the ingredients are organic.


Organic Fruits and Vegetables must be grown without the use of:
Synthetically created chemical pesticides
synthetically created chemical fertilizers
sewage sludge
genetic engineering that appears to introduce novel proteins, allergens, viruses and toxins into crops.
irradiation (a type of chemotherapy for produce)


Organic Beef and Chicken
Fed only 100% organic feed, are not the offspring of cloned animals, and have never been administered growth hormones or antibiotics. In addition, their meat must never be irradiated.
-Natural (or All Natural) meat or poultry products contains no artificial ingredients and are minimally processed. They are not necessarily organic.
-"No hormones administered" or "no antibiotics added" is sometimes seen on labels, but it can only appear if the producer can document the absence of hormone or antibiotic administration.
-Free-range or free-roaming poultry have access to the outdoors with out a minimum time. They are not necessarily organic.
-Cage-free poultry means nothing as most chickens are kept indoors (but cage free) if they are grown for meat.


Organic Milk
Comes from animals that were fed 100 percent organic feed and were not given antibiotics, prophylactic drugs, or genetically engineered and synthetically created growth hormones (such as rBGH) for at least the last year. (RBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) is a genetically engineered, synthetic chemical protein hormone vaccinated into cows to artificially boost their milk production.)


Organic Eggs
-Produced by hens that are fed 100 percent organic feed and have never been given growth hormones or antibiotics.
-Cage-free eggs are produced by hens that are not confined in cages. The hens might not have access to the outdoors, though, and are not necessarily organic.

Organic Seafood
-The USDA currently has no guidelines set for seafood: However, farm-raised fish is often caged underwater and treated with pesticides to prevent the spread of disease.


Organic Bread
Cereal and grain crops are regularly sprayed with pesticides that collect in the grain's outer layers, raising concerns about chemical residues in un-organic bread, cakes and cookies.


The following terms are often found on packaged products and can be confusing.
-Natural is often a misnomer. There are no true guidelines for this term when used on packaged products, although it is used frequently and often assumed to mean organic or healthier.
-Gourmet is another misleading term that leads consumers to believe that they are purchasing a product made with finer ingredients, when in reality there are no established guidelines or regulations.


The Dirty Dozen

According to the Environmental Working Group, "The Dirty Dozen" is a list of twelve fruits and vegetables that contain the highest levels of chemical and pesticide residues.
-Peaches
-Apples
-Sweet bell peppers
-Celery
-Nectarines
-Strawberries
-Cherries
-Lettuce
-Imported grapes
-Pears
-Spinach
-Potatoes



I know that buying organic is more expensive but there are a few cheaper options to consider.

-Check the internet and see if there is a CSA (Community supported Agriculture) in your neighborhood. It's a great way to support local farmers and get great organic produce weekly.

-Do a search for "slow foods" on the internet and see what you come up with.

-Shop your farmers market and roadside stands. (Ask to make sure they don't use any yuck stuff)

-Costco often has organic produce avaliable at very good prices.

-Check your local craigslist or newspaper ads for people that have produce to sell.

-See if there is a community garden close and join it. This is a great way to get involve with people in your community.

-Best yet, plant your own garden and eat yummy stuff all summer long. If you are ambitious, you could do some canning and freezing!