News from Absolute Health Chiropractic

Organic fruits and vegetables are grown without the use of pesticides. They are generally more expensive, and according to research, more nutritious than conventionally grown produce. For example, a four-year EU funded organic food project called the Quality Low Input Food (QLIF), conducted a study that found that organic produce contains up to 40 percent more antioxidants and higher levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc. Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidants. A 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry found that organic foods are better for fighting cancer. Researchers have gone so far as to say that eating organic foods can help to increase the nutrient intake of people who don't eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, helping improve health and longevity.

The public is becoming more informed and educated about diet and nutrition and are aware that organics are a far better choice than conventionally grown foods. The large food chains such as Publix, Kroger, and even WalMart are jumping onto the health food bandwagon, offering a variety of organics.

For many people, however, the cost of buying organic is prohibitive. So what can the average person with an average (or lower) food budget do to incorporate more healthy organics into their diet?

The Shoppers' Guide to Pesticides in Produce is produced by The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that advocates policies that protect global and individual health. The Shoppers' Guide is based on the results of nearly 43,000 pesticide tests. You can DOWNLOAD YOUR OWN SHOPPER'S POCKET GUIDE to carry with you in your wallet while food shopping.

Here's some tips you can use to increase the nutritional levels of your diet:

The following twelve foods have the lowest pesticide load when conventionally grown and are the safest conventionally grown crops to consume.

12 FOODS YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY ORGANIC:

Broccoli
Eggplant
Cabbage
Banana
Kiwi
Asparagus
Sweet Peas (frozen)
Mango
Pineapple
Sweet Corn (frozen)
Avocado
Onion

The following 12 foods have the highest pesticide load when conventionally grown and should be bought or grown at home organically.

12 FOODS YOU SHOULD BUY ORGANIC:

Peaches
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Lettuce
Grapes (imported)
Pears
Spinach
Potatoes

Another thing to look for when food shopping is GMO, or genetically modified foods. ALWAYS AVOID THEM. Here's how.

Look at the PLU Code on the label.

A conventionally grown product carries a 4-digit PLU Code (Ex: conventionally grown banana: 4011)

An organic product carries a 5-digit code, starting with the number 9: (Ex: organic banana: 94011)

A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) product has a 5-digit code, starting with the number 8: (Ex: GE banana: 84011)

Here's some tips on how to incorporate more organics into your food budget without going broke.

Buy in bulk
Form a buying club - pool resources with other shoppers
Follow the 80/20 rule - 80% of the benefits come from 20% of the purchases
Buy produce in season
Choose local foods over organic foods - they are often raised organically and cost less
Look for local farms and co-ops
Skip prepared and pre-cut foods - they cost more
Buy lots of fresh produce - they cost less than canned versions
Grow your own fresh veggies if you have space. There are many good resources for container gardening if space is an issue.
Buy organic in the things you eat most

One last note. The most important foods to buy organic are animal, not vegetable, products. Animal foods tend to concentrate pesticides more. For example, non-organic butter can have up to 20 times as many pesticides as non-organic vegetables.

Prioritize your organic food purchases this way:

Organic meats, eggs, dairy products
Organic produce