Do I Have to Eat 100% Organic? What If I Can’t Afford It?

Do I Have  to Eat 100% Organic? What If I Can’t Afford It?

by Tracy Neely

I recently had a conversation with a friend about the issue of where our organic fruits and vegetables come from. I started thinking about how I could openly talk about this issue with friends and family in a way where they would not feel offended or embarrassed at their lack of knowledge.

I decided to purchase wallet size copies of the “Dirty Dozen” put out by the Environmental Working Group. This is a guide that features the 12 fruits and veggies with the most and least pesticides. I thought this would be a good way to start off a friendly conversation that would be non-threatening and at the same time, would give great information to friends, family and people that I meet in passing.

The Dirty Dozen: A Guideline for Conscious Consumers

Due to the economic crisis, it sometimes can be stressful to put food on our tables, but if you could purchase the following foods organically, you would be doing your family a world of good.

The Dirty Dozen:
The 12 fruits & vegetables with the highest amount of pesticides.

• Apples
• Celery
• Strawberries
• Peaches
• Spinach
• Nectarines – imported
• Grapes – imported
• Sweet bell peppers
• Potatoes
• Blueberries – domestic
• Lettuce
• Kale/collard greens

The Not-So-Dirty Dozen:
The 12 fruits & vegetables with the least about of pesticides.

• Mushrooms
• Grapefruit
• 
  Sweet potatoes
• Watermelon
• Cabbage
• Kiwi
• Cantaloupe – domestic
• Eggplant
• Mangoes
• Sweet peas
• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Pineapples
• Onions

Even though the business of organic produce is small in comparison to conventional produce, it is still a very big business that brought in more than $5.37 billion in annual sales as stated in The Organic Trade Association’s 2006 Manufacturer Survey. I think that is pretty amazing, but I feel so much more could be done for all of us to support organic farming. So much of the organic produce is being imported and you wonder who is watching over the suppliers to make sure organic farming standards are being met.

I think as a society, we have been conditioned over time to think that our fruits and veggies have to look perfect and blemish free for us to feel that they taste good. And nothing could be further from the truth. I have to admit when I first started buying organic produce several years ago, I would pick up produce such as an apple and if it had any type of blemishes, I would think it was rotten. What I now realize, is how much of our fruit has been grown to look perfect and void of taste.

The Real Cost of Conventional Farming and Agriculture:

• Help Small Farmers – there are more large-scale farms raising organic produce which undermines the ability of the small farmer to compete in this organic market. It’s estimated that the U.S. has lost more than 650,000 family farms in the past decade.

• Protect Farm Workers – A Cancer Institute study, found that farm workers exposed to pesticides were six times more likely to get cancer as opposed to non-farm workers.

• No GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) – buying organic produce is a sure way to avoid eating genetically modified foods.

• Protect Our Future Generations – children are four times more likely to be exposed to harmful cancer-causing pesticides in food. If we make good food choices now, future generation will reap the benefits.

• Protect Water Quality – the Environmental Protection Agency reports that some 74 cancer-causing pesticides have been detected in our ground water in at least 38 states.

• No Synthetic Pesticides – the only sure way to keep toxic chemicals off of our plates is to buy organic produce.

A Few Tips When Buying Organic

• Support CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture) – CSA’s member pay in advance for a share of the farmer’s total crop.

• Eat according to the season – Eating seasonal foods helps our body to be balanced and also provides better nutrients that our bodies can absorb and usually an easier time on the budget.

• Support organic vendors at your local farmers markets – Most communities will offer local farmers markets where you can buy locally grown organic produce and usually at a cost lower than what you could purchase at your local supermarket.

• If shopping at your local supermarket, observe whether or not the signs say “conventional” or “organic “ produce.

Let’s all remember that foods are to be celebrated and enjoyed for the nutrients they provide and also the big bold flavors that keep us wanting more. If at all possible, share whatever food you have with someone less fortunate.

Happy Eating!!