Organic Food Buying Guide
Foods to buy organic; foods to stop worrying about
From sprouted whole-grain sandwich breads to eco-friendly organic onesies, nearly a quarter of American shoppers now buy organic at least once a week, up from 17% in 2000. Since 2005, sales of organic foods rose over 20% with another comparable rise expected this year alone. And yet, for many parents just the mere mention of the word “organic” is capable of inspiring stress-level-elevating, conventionally-grown guilt. You got sticker shock and went with the regular strawberries last week. Can your kid be saved? Those eggs weren’t cage-free? Shame!
But what with all the labels and promises and complicating factors, it can be hard to figure out which way to go. Is it a given that everything your kids ingest has to be certified organic? Do you go with the grass-fed, humane-raised steak or the organic one fed with grain? Does saying a fish is organic actually mean anything? Are all those evil old inorganic foods, even the ones at the local farmer’s market, necessarily BAD? You need a PhD to decipher those labels of honor that now adorn virtually every product, even the ones that can’t possibly be all that good for you. Here’s our guide to the bottom line on going organic. – Allison Pennell
Foods With Benefits
The verdict on whether or not conventionally grown foods are going to kill us all is still up in the air. Despite many studies, scientists have yet to agree definitively that all those scary sounding agricultural chemicals and pesticides found on produce do indeed cause cancer. But, according to the NIH and the Academy of Sciences, ongoing exposure to pesticides renders kids in particular more vulnerable to health problems, with a risk of neuro-developmental damage in particular.
A recent yearlong study of pesticides and children published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that kids eating conventional foods had a family of pesticides in their systems related to nerve agents used in World War II. Okay, that really doesn’t sound good. But here’s the good news, when the same kids switched to organic fruits, veggies and juices, the pesticides in their system disappeared within a day.
And research published last fall in the Journal of Agricultual and Food Chemistry (we read it so you don’t have to) showed that organic produce contains more nutrients and higher levels of vitamins than their conventional counterparts.
Locally Grown vs. Organic
So how do you choose between the organic apple that’s been in a truck for three days and the non-organic one on the farmer’s tree in the next town over? For a growing contingent, going “locavore” is the newest, crunchiest way to eat well. Allen Zimmerman, the produce guru of the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn, NY, says he wouldn’t hesitate for a minute to eat anything at local farmer’s markets even if it wasn’t organic. “You know the food hasn’t traveled long distances to get to you. It’s seriously fresh. And getting an official organic label is expensive as well as especially difficult on the East Coast so many small, local farms forego the certification but raise food as minimally treated as possible.”
Decoding Badges of Virtue: What do the eco-labels mean?
100% Organic. Completely free of antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, bioengineering and chemical fertilizers.
USDA Organic. At least 95% free of all the above scary-sounding stuff.
GM-Free. Free of genetically-modified ingredients.
Made with Organic Ingredients. At least 70% virtuous.
All-Natural. Doesn’t contain synthetic or artificial ingredients (flavors, colors, chemical preservatives). With the exception of USDA-approved meat and poultry, there is no organization to verify this manufacturer’s claim.
Free-range. Poultry that has “access” to the outside, per the USDA. No guarantee of lower salmonella rates or that they have freedom to roam.
Certified Humane. Raised humanely with ample space, shelter, fresh water and feed with no added hormones or antibiotics from birth through slaughter (that part’s not so humane).
Grass-Fed. Pasture-raised and free-roaming rather than fed at high-grain feed lots with higher pesticide and saturated fat rates. Certified organic beef is more often than not grain fed unless specified as grass-fed.
Cage-Free. All that the name implies, a better guarantee of healthy conditions than the label free-range.
Hormone-Free. Mostly relating to dairy products produced without the synthetic hormone (rBGH), linked by some to health problems.
For explanations of every eco-label under the sun, log onto Consumer Report’s greenerchoices.org.
12 Foods to Buy Organic
Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Cherries
Grapes (that means raisins and juice too)
Lettuce
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Spinach
Strawberries
Plus: eggs, meat, poultry, dairy, baby food, rice.
According to research by the Environmental Working Group, you can reduce pesticide exposure by 90% by eating organic varieties of these 12 fruits and veggies.
12 Foods You Don’t Need to Worry About
Asparagus
Avocado
Bananas
Broccoli
Cabbage
Eggplant
Frozen Sweet Peas
Kiwi
Mango
Onions
Pineapples
Watermelon
Plus: highly processed foods like pasta, cereal, oil, canned fruits and vegetables, bread, as well as fish, which is never certifiably organic.
For a downloadable pocket guide to reducing pesticide exposure you can take along when you shop, log on to organic-center.org.
Rule of Thumb: The thicker the skin, the less likely a food is to have high pesticide levels. Anything with a soft skin or that you eat skin-and-all, go organic. (And keep in mind: even peeling an apple doesn’t mean there aren’t pesticides that have penetrated the flesh.)
Keeping it Cost-Effective
Food coops, buying clubs, farmer’s markets, Trader Joe’s, and CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture programs) have sprung up all over the country and are a good way of buying organic without going broke. If you want to pay less, buy what’s in season, buy local and shop smart. The organic label means nothing when it comes to fish, for instance. And grass-fed beef that’s not necessarily organic can be healthier than one that carries the organic label alone. For coupons, look under “organic” at either of these sites: shopnatureoasis.com or couponmom.com.
Nice list, thanks, BUT i also buy organic when I can b/c it is better for the workers who harvest the food and the animals are often raised more humanely on organic farms. That said, I appreciate your pointing out the locavore issue. Eating local is a cheaper and less resource-wasting alternative to buying only organic and if I can talk to the farmer at the market about his/her farming methods and be assured they use little to no bad stuff on their produce or poultry, then i don’t have to see organic certification. again, though, i am not just doign this for my kids’ health, but also for the health of the farmworkers and their kids (who are often farmworkers themselves).
@ momma2:
you would be surprised to know exactly how expensive it is to become certified organic. my husband works at a restaurant that focuses on sustainable agriculture and farming practices, so I have first hand knowledge of these issues. most organic farms are just as large as the mass market produce purveyors, who largely higher seasonal migrant worker. by supporting your local farmers, you are impacting their families immensely.
we live in the northeast, where most organic produce (this time of year) is flown in from south america and beyond. it is not necessarily true that animals are raised more humanely on organic farms.an example of this is driscoll’s. their farming employment practices are very similar to the sharecropping model yet they are commonly sold in better grocery stores and co-ops.
i am a strong supporter of my local farmer’s market and feel that it is especially necessary to support small farmers given the state of our economy.
thanks for this! It’s great to have a handy guide to relieve some of the food anxiety! I also loved the non-judgemental, matter-of-fact tone of this piece.
I like to make fresh baby food for my 7 month old son, but it’s tough to find organic produce in my area. Am I better off buying jars of premade organic baby food, or making my own with local, non-organic ingredients?
Healthyeats,
It can be hard to find organic produce at the normal grocery store. Try looking in health food stores, at the farmers market, on websites like localharvest.org. I’m not sure it is better to use local, non-organic fresh ingredients or to buy already packaged organic baby food, there are benefits to both. Hopefully you won’t need to make that choice and will be able to find local, organic produce.
I agree with the concept of this article, but not the content. Buying local instead of organic is a joke. There is nothing proving that the food sold at a farmer’s market is organic, fresh or even local. Yes, the process for getting certified organic is long and expensive. However there are plenty of farmers around the country that are certified organic (especially in the north east) and the number is growing. I live in an area where I can get food that is both local and organic. That is more difficult in a state where there is not a organic certification process, but some farms get their certifications from out of state and some CSAs also deliver outside their state, for example Sproutwood Farm is located in PA, but now delivers to Baltimore Maryland.
When it comes to cost, the issue is not that organic food is too expensive. The real issue is that genetically modified, pesticide strayed, factory farmed food is too cheap. Too cheap for the burden it causes on our environment, cheap because of the methods used, cheap in the quality and nutritional content. Also cheap because so much of the food we eat is anything but that, so much of the food we eat is preservatives, food colorings, artificial flavors and sweeteners.
I buy organic and local whenever I can but can’t always afford it. I also get coupons from WIC which in CA helps with low income families with pregnant woman &/or young children. We get coupons for milk (only cow), cheese, beans or peanut butter, juice, eggs & cereal. None of the coupons can be used for organic, free range, cage free or even local products (I asume because of the cost to the state). I’ve many times gone without stuff for myself to buy goat’s milk for my son (he couldn’t tolerate cow milk well at first after being weaned from brest milk at 14months) or “better” produce. I wish the state would allow for more organic choices but I suppose beggers can’t be chosers.
My favorite “organic” product was for organic water!!!!! As far as the scientific defination of water, if it is organic it would have things growing in it
How did you determine what was on the must-be-organic list and no-need-to-be-organic list?
I’m a big believer of natural feeding and organic cleaning. Ever since I got pregnant, I’ve been pushing for the most natural household possible for my baby’s sake. I love BabyGanics (http://www.babyganics.com/) for cleaning and I try to find the freshest food on the groceries for my kids.
This is very informative indeed. I see your points.
As a mom, I love organic food for my kids. I always try to find the freshest stuff for their safety and nutrition.
I went on a natural scheme even when it came to housecleaning. I love BabyGanics because of the safety it offers my newborn. I read about it on http://blog.babyganics.com/
I agree with your views on organic feeding – it really helps!
I would also recommend babyganics products because even though we think our kids aren’t affected by the chemical-based household products we use for cleaning, they are. Even the fumes from the containers are harmful in polluting our homes. You can check out babyganics products here: http://blog.babyganics.com
Very helpful article. The list describing what the labels mean is enlightening. I try to feed my baby only organic food. If you don’t have the time to make baby food, buy organic premade/packaged food. Buying organic can be very affordable if you shop around. I’ve found BabiesRUs to have the best sales if you’re a member. I’ve bought Earth’s Best 4oz jars for 50 cents each during special sales (less than some regular baby food prices so why wouldn’t you buy?). Another option is drugstore.com. They sometimes have sales and if you go through the discover card website (people with discover credit cards probably know this) you get an additional 5% cash back reward. I’ve bought Plum Organics pouches for less than a dollar each on sale. Another okay option is ecomom.com but only when they’re having a sale and/or you use a first time 15% discount code (SB004964). I buy the plum organic training meals there. Hope this helps
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Great article. All the labelling jargon can be confusing and sometimes misleading. With commercial, processed food it’s nearly impossible to really know where your food comes from. Local, whole foods are really the way to go. When you do buy processed snacks though, it is possible to get organic, kid-friendly items on a budget. Check out my recent blog post on this: http://naturalbeginningsdaycare.weebly.com/2/post/2011/02/simple-snack-substitutions.html
For more information on fish and sushi and a healthy ocean, refer to the Monterey Bay Aquarium website. Farmed salmon causes appalling destruction, but wild caught Alaskan fish does not, and supports the challenging local economy.
Our family has recently switched to a mostly organic diet with a focus on staying away from processed foods. It has certainly made a difference in my health! I no longer have to take my acid-blocking stomach medication that I had been prescribed for over 10 years. I’ve been so inspired by the healthy benefits of organic and natural food that I’ve created a blog with great recipes called Whole Foods for Whole Families: http://www.wholefoodsforwholefamilies.weebly.com
This is a great article, and one that people need to pay attention to if they are interested in organic foods. I would like to point out some important facts, though. Did you know in order for a company to call their beef “grass fed”, they only have to feed that cow 30% grass? What about the other 70%? Also, the importance of organic and “raw” dairy is largely under reported. Many healthier stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes are now selling ‘raw’ cheeses, but another interesting fact: many of those cheeses are heated to one degree below pasteurization. That’s still hot enough to kill the good bacteria. If you are interested in finding out more, and finding products that you can trust, visit my blog at http://www.beyondorganicforlife.wordpress.com
Too many compliments too litlte space, thanks!
Hi Curious. I’m sure she was referring to the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/
EWG also documents the methodology for deriving the list. Apples are #1 on the dirty dozen list for pesticides this year.
Really appreciate you promoting organic. Living on an urban farm, we are sharing these principles with our grandchildren. Let’s keep them as healthy as possible
There are so many inacuracies in this article – where do I begin? Banana’s is on the list of “doesn’t need to be organic” – conventionally grown banana’s are probably genetically engineered and definitely gassed to prevent ripening too quickly during transport from the tropics to USA. Banana’s are processed with tons of chemicals in order to kill bugs, rodents, etc from hitching a ride during transport from the tropics to the USA.
There is some very bad advice alleging if the food you eat has a hard skin it is safer to eat. This is supposed to do with a thick skin being a barrier to pesticides. Pesticides are systemic and go throughout the entire plant, not just the skin. A thick skin is not going to make pesticides disappear when you peel it. I’ve read really DUMB articles advising people to peel their fruits and vegetables or soak them in water to get rid of pesticides. Waste of time and peeling produce eliminates most of the vitamins, which are in the skin of fruit and vegetables.
This big fixation on “pesticides” being the only problem with non-organic food is idiotically simplistic. The quote about the person who said he would “eat anything sold at a farmers market even if it is not organic” is just plain foolish, uninformed and bad advice.
Fungicides, herbicides, growth regulators are applied to conventionally grown crops. Fertilizers made from petrochemical based ammonium sulfate, anhydrous ammonnia are a big consideration. Just because food is not sprayed with pesticides doesn’t make it safe to eat. Genetically engineered crops are rice, corn, soy, canola, wheat, tomatoes, sugar and much more. GMO food is not labelled. GMO is untested science. 80% of herbs and spices have been irradiated since the 1980′s but it is not labelled.
The other thing about this article which is nonsense is the notion organic food is horribly expensive. I’m a student living on $13,000 a year and I eat 100% organic. Farmer’s Market is where I buy 90% of my food, the bulk bins at the coop and growing food in a community garden plot keeps my food budget low. I eat a plant based diet. If you want a much better education about organic food – check out http://www.oca.org organic consumers association – organic valley.com http://www.ewg.org environmental working group – Eden Foods website read Alice Waters, Michael Pollan, Raj Patel, Marion Nestle, Greenbelt Movement, Permaculture
I am 57 years old and everyone tells me I can easily pass for late 30′s. I don’t have any wrinkles and tons of energy. 57 years old, medication free, pain free and I feel like a kid. My primary care doctor told me 90% of his patients my age are on LOTS of medication and have health problems. I have the bone density of a woman in her early 40′s, my cholesterol is very low and I don’t have any health problems. I’ve been eating 100% organic since I was 15 years old.
Great website – http://www.rawsupportfoods.com