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| TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 07, 2010 |
Dear Readers,
Some of you may ask, what is the big deal about ORGANIC produce? I mean, really? Who wants to spend more money on ugly-looking food, more time scouring our fluorescent-lighted grocery store aisles for pretty green packaging and more worry on whether your beef is (or is not) going to cause your estrogen levels to sky rocket?
These are good, practical questions. I know we’re all through with spending New Year’s resolutions on no carb diets. Let’s be realistic here. No man can live on bread alone, but no American can live without bread for a year. Right? Instead, I think we can turn this new decade over to a healthier lifestyle. It’ll take some change, but, my furry creatures of habit, sometimes change is a good thing.
Resolution #1: Educate yourself on WHICH items should be purchased organic and which don’t really matter. For example, we know that organic foods have to do with their lack of sprays, pesticides, fungicides, antibiotics, artificial hormones and chemically treated fertilizers, but which fruits and veggies (and meat products) are better for us when they’re organic? I’ll make this easy on you and give you some answers in Resolution #2.
Resolution #2:
- Buy organic milk. The commercial dairy industry has a whole chemical system when it comes to agriculture.
- Buy organic potatoes. These guys grow as a root in the ground and therefore soak up all sorts of pesticides and fungicides into their flesh. These guys have one of the highest pesticide contents of all veggies and fruits. In 2006, a U.S.D.A. test found 81 percent of potatoes tested still contained pesticides after being washed and peeled, says New York Times writer Tara Parker-Pope.
- Buy organic peanut butter. Peanut farms have a pesky problem with mold and are therefore doused with fungicides. How many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have you made in your day? There are great health food store options to grind your own organic peanut butter at the store as well. This would be an added treat for those kids who love their PB&J.
- Buy organic ketchup. Organic ketchup has twice the amount of anti-oxidants in them. That means bye bye free radicals and cancer causing agents.
- Buy organic apples. These guys are known to be contaminated with pesticides since they can’t prevent the large amount of bug munchers themselves. That means they are sprayed frequently and liberally. Organic apples do not have this problem. Also, do not be alarmed if you organic apple isn’t shiny enough to create a beaming glare. That amount of shininess is NOT natural. That is a wax that the commercial apple industry sprays onto their apples to give them that Snow White apple effect. As with Snow White’s apple problem, shiny does not mean non-poisonous.
Hope this was helpful y’all. Have a wonderful January.
Cheers,
Amy
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