Is organic food worth it?

[ecoadapt]

Organic doesn't always mean pesticide/chemical free. Organic food costs more, so if you go that route do your homework on it first. You may discover that what you are buying isn't really organic at all.

Very well said! You should check whether you're buying are organic, there are a lot out there that only states on the name not on the content!

[LuckyRobin]

To be fair to Whole Foods, it is not an organic food store. It is, exactly as the name says, a whole foods store. Yes, it happens to carry some organic produce, but it's main goal is to sell unprocessed, unadulterated food (while making a tidy profit). It is the consumer who has come to confuse the term whole food with the term organic.

As for organic candy and chips, they are still better than the chemically laden stuff. I mean, are you seriously not going to buy any candy or junk food ever? That's not realistic unless you homeschool your kids and don't have any advertising in your house to tempt them. As someone who homeschooled and didn't have cable TV for a couple of years, it still doesn't make your kid not want to have a treat now and then.

With my son's food allergies, I have been able to find a few treats he can have. A type of chocolate that doesn't have yellow #5, wax, and vanillin in it, and he is satisfied with one or two squares. Organic gummy penguins from Trader Joe's that are colored with beet powder, beta carotene, annato, and berries and made with fruit and not high fructose corn syrup. It was nice to be able to give him a pack after Halloween when everyone else was coming to school with 25 different little mini-candies in their lunches.

And yeah, organic Cheetos are still technically junk food, but compared to the real stuff which has five different things in it that my son is allergic too, it is a prize. With healthier ingredients and non-chemically laden ones, it is a big difference. It's all about controlling the amount you let them have, sticking to the appropriate portion sizes, and making sure the child is eating a balanced meal with the food, not just sitting down and eating a whole bag. Everything in moderation, you know? Never having a little bit of junk food is unrealistic, so why not have the junk food that's towards the better end of the junk food scale. There's really only so much unbuttered air-popped popcorn you can expect a child to eat.

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I do buy organic but I read how and why it's organic before I buy it unless, like I said it's costco and I don't have to buy as big in bulk.

I'd like to read where Costco's organic milk is actually organic. From the website I mentioned above, Costco's organic milk was rated quite low, with the note that its milk is "some or all-factory milk, but better than conventional."

Not doubting you, but it sounds like you've read something different, and I'd like to see it. The problem is that without our going out and seeing the origins of the product, it's so difficult to ascertain authenticity.

[YLTL_Dan]

That's a bit of controversy over what constitutes organic in the dairy industry. Here's one link that rates organic dairies:

The Cornucopia Institute

Horizon is one brand I refuse to buy because it's extremely expensive and, according to various literature, is no different from generic non-organic milk.

What other sites do people use to research the 'organic-ness' of your food?

[madworld25]

is organic food worth it?

I feel like I am in a similar situation. I always feel really guilty about not buying organic mostly because I know that in the long run I am probably just hurting myself more. But organic goods are so freakin expensive! Until the current economy changes drastically....I feel forced to stick with the cheaper, less healthy, options..

[JaneDough]

Healthy organic food is something I decided long ago was not something I would compromise for the sake of my budget. It's the one thing I don't micro-manage for savings. The reason being, as the above poster noted, I would only be cheating myself. I won't compromise on my health. Prevention is far less expensive and safer than medical intervention and with organics I feel better from day to day. I read up on this stuff years ago and when nutrient testing was done on organic vs. commercial foods, organic foods proved far richer in nutrients. I don't really need a study to tell me now, because I can clearly taste the difference - organics are much more vibrant and rich in flavor, and my body feels the difference. Nutrient levels higher, better flavor, reduced toxicity (can never be perfect because of run-over and toxins in our environment from the big guys). I don't want hormones, chemicals and antibiotics in my daily diet, period!

As per your question on how to get organics for less, look and see if you have any coops nearby. Coops are great for getting produce at a lower price (but not so much on prepared goods). Other options are to grow your own garden (requires time and labor, but great savings), try and locate or organize a community organic farm to divide up the labor and share goods. If time and money are a real issue, the next best thing to organics is probably to purchase from Farmer's Markets off the street - these foods are grown locally and are fresh. Lastly, you can continue and buy from expensive big box stores but prepare simpler meals. For years I made bean stews - beans are cheap, can make a batch to last a week. Add various seasonings and veggies, served with brown rice creates a complete protein. Very nutritious, tasty (until you get bored with it ), and cost-effective way to eat healthy. Add to that carrot and celery sticks for snacks throughout the day. I've got more, but I think that gives the idea.

Good luck. Cheers to good Health!

[YLTL_Dan]

As per your question on how to get organics for less, look and see if you have any coops nearby. Coops are great for getting produce at a lower price (but not so much on prepared goods). Other options are to grow your own garden (requires time and labor, but great savings), try and locate or organize a community organic farm to divide up the labor and share goods. If time and money are a real issue, the next best thing to organics is probably to purchase from Farmer's Markets off the street - these foods are grown locally and are fresh. Lastly, you can continue and buy from expensive big box stores but prepare simpler meals.

Great information, thanks! I have a small garden where we grow mostly lettuce and tomatoes... they taste so much better than even the organic foods we buy!

My dad is studying nutrient levels of food right now (just for fun), and it's amazing what's happened over the last couple of decades. He has a very well maintained garden and is now fertilizing with kelp because that's one of the few things that still has the correct nutrient levels - thanks to the ocean.

[JaneDough]

Great information, thanks! I have a small garden where we grow mostly lettuce and tomatoes... they taste so much better than even the organic foods we buy!

My dad is studying nutrient levels of food right now (just for fun), and it's amazing what's happened over the last couple of decades. He has a very well maintained garden and is now fertilizing with kelp because that's one of the few things that still has the correct nutrient levels - thanks to the ocean.

I love when I hear men excited and interested in organics and nutrition. My partner will eat it sometimes, but he's not an enthusiast and mainly subsists on fast food. Oh, and he'll finally take a multi-vitamin now. lol I can only hope. Kudos to you and your dad for seeing the value and pursuing it!

The reason home grown veggies and fruit taste better than even organics is because you have the added benefit of being able to pick them when they are fully ripe; from my former studies, I learned that the initial nutrients a plant directs to the fruit/veggie is used to grow the fruit. Once the fruit is fully grown, that is when the nutrients begin to flood and fortify the fruit, so when they are picked right when they get to the desirable size, before ripening, much of the nutritional value is lost. Farmers have to harvest early or the food would be bad before it even got to you. Commercial farmers use chemicals - once fruits are fully grown they spray them with chemicals (can't remember what kind) that cause them to ripen overnight and then harvest the next day, then use chemicals to preserve them.

I'm itching to grow a garden and do composting but I'm in an upstairs apartment so it's a little more challenging. I grew cucumbers last fall and the container could only sustain one cucumber to harvest at a time no matter how often I fertilized. lol I guess it worked out since I don't have a family to feed. Next time I'll try and get a pot large enough to grow two at a time.

I didn't know about kelp. Do you know if there is a tool/device to measure nutrient levels at home?

Thanks,
JD