You’ll find many Mt. Airy citizens either eating organic food or asking whether they should. There are many benefits to choosing organic food. If you’re on a tight budget, you might think twice because they’re a little more expensive. You’ll get health benefits whether you’re choosing organic fruits and vegetables or opting for organic meat or dairy.
Studies show there may be toxins in non-organic food.
Pesticides often found in produce can be responsible for several health issues. Those problems can be as minor as contributing to headaches or as serious as increasing the risk of cancer. Some studies show that consuming food high in pesticides can cause fetal damage if pregnant women eat it. Eating organic food should be at the top of your list if you’re pregnant. Organically grown animal products don’t receive hormones or antibiotics. A high amount of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
You can save some money by buying fruit and vegetables from the Clean 15 list.
Every year the EWG—Environmental Working Group—tests hundreds of non-organic vegetables and fruit from groceries to find which ones contain pesticides, even after washing. Clean 15’s fruits and vegetables tested with two or fewer signs of pesticides on all the samples. Avocados, sweet corn, and pineapple top last year’s Clean 15 list so you won’t have a serving of pesticide with your fresh fruit or vegetable salad. Buy organic if you’re consuming produce on the Dirty Dozen list and opt for non-organic if it’s on the Clean 15 list.
Organic food may be more nutritious.
People who raise organic produce use natural methods to improve the soil, such as crop rotation and using compost for fertilizer. Unlike traditional commercial farmers who use fertilizer that’s nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous. The soil needs more than that, or it becomes depleted. Using organic compost helps replenish all the micronutrients. Studies show that organic produce contains more antioxidants than traditionally grown. That means you get fewer nutrients than you would if you ate organic produce. Organic animal products, especially those from free-range, pastured animals, provide more nutrients and are healthier options.
- Produce on the 2023 Dirty Dozen list are strawberries, spinach, greens—kale, collard, and mustard, peaches, pears, nectarines, apples, grapes, bell and hot peppers, cherries, blueberries, and green beans.
- Produce on the 2023 Clean 15 list include avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, onions, papaya, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, honeydew melon, kiwi, cabbage, mushrooms, mangoes, sweet potatoes, watermelon, and carrots.
- Grass-fed beef and its products like milk or butter, have more beneficial nutrients and are heart healthy. They have more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They contain conjugated linoleic acid that is anti-inflammatory and boosts immunity.
- Eggs from free-range chickens have a deeper yellow yolk. They contain more flavonoids, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids.
For more information, contact us today at Urban Athlete