Eating Organic… is it Worth it?

Let’s get straight to it… should you be eating organic?

Honestly, in a perfect world, yes. 

I know that this is not always possible, so below I dive into what you should be prioritising and even gives some tips particularly when it comes to affordability and accessibility. 

Why is Eating Organic Important?
At Natural Spoonfuls, I advocate that “Nature Knows Best”, the beauty of eating organic food is that we are reducing the toxic load on our body. Nonorganic food can be treated with synthetic pesticides, chemicals, antibiotics and even hormones, which ultimately means that your body needs to try to eliminate these, adding to a never ending toxic load. Research has demonstrated that organic food is in fact more nutritious with results producing higher amounts of vitamins and minerals (although this is argued and there is counter research, I believe there are many issues with these studies). 

Our Environment
Not only does organic produce support your health but it also supports the environment. Our soil quality is seriously diminishing which results in consumers having a lack of vitamins and minerals which can result in deficiencies... this is why so many products are fortified. Soil quality is everything when it comes to the nutritional value of our foods. Organic agriculture is so so so SO important for soil health, biodiversity, reductions in fossil fuels, reducing water contamination and long term sustainability. Becoming organically certified can sadly be a costly process for farmers in Australia. This is why supporting these farms through buying their produce is incredibly important. Also, on that note, I have spoken to many farmers (mostly at farmers markets) who have told me that they aren’t certified but follow all organic principles, so taking the time to learn where your produce is actually coming from makes all the difference! 

The Taste Difference
On by the way, have you ever tasted the difference between organic verse nonorganic, you can just taste the quality. Once you taste sweet organic strawberries.. it’s pretty hard to go back! Interestingly, when farmers use chemical fertilisers on produce it speeds the harvest which means the plants don’t have the same amount of time to establish its nutrient profile from the soil. This lack of development could be one of the reasons why produce isn’t as tasty as organic produce. Nitrogen is what naturally supports plants to grow and flourish. 

Tips to Afford Organic 
Due to expense and accessibility, eating organic isn’t always possible. 

A great way to approach organic is to prioritise your produce. 
I always ensure my meats are organic and would prefer to consume less and be able to afford quality. It’s a good idea to prioritise organic animal products. Why? Because animals (being high in the food chain) can accumulate high amounts of pesticides due to the food they are eating (which is lower in the food chain). Also, food with high levels of fat (like nuts, seeds, oil, and animals) can accumulate high levels of pesticides as many pesticides are actually fat soluble. 

The annual Dirty Dozen & Clean 15 produce exposure lists can be helpful in determining where to focus your efforts (note that this list is American based but highly relevant to Australia). 

Think about pesticide exposure on certain produce, spinach for example which lacks any protection will have higher pesticide residue as opposed to an orange that has a protective skin. 

By simply shopping local or through farmers markets, this can reduce exposure to pesticides. I encourage you to get to know your local farmers and find out where your food is coming from and how it is actually produced.  

Eating seasonally also dramatically reduces cost, make sure to opt for seasonal produce! 

Buying frozen produce is also much cheaper and the nutrients have been snapped frozen inside (which is fantastic news!). I often have some frozen organic berries and vegetables like peas, ready to be used from my freezer. 

Another great option is to grow your own! From herbs to a full veggie patch, get your family involved. There’s nothing quite like eating food straight from your very own garden. 

Pro Tip – Produce Wash 
When you can’t buy organic, wash your produce in apple cider vinegar to aid in the removal of pesticides, parasites & bacteria. This is also a great time saving hack to have your produce washed and ready to use for cooking. Simply, fill a clean sink with water (roughly 2 litres) and add 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar. Allow produce to soak for 15 minutes. Rinse produce & store. I recommend keeping the skin on your produce as opposed to peeling, as skins are packed full of nutrients. Use a vegetable scrubber brush and wash with the above method. 

If eating organic seems out of the question at this point in time, then that is OKAY! I hope you have found some of the above tips helpful in getting you started. Remember to keep in mind the whole picture, fuelling our bodies with natural real wholefoods is always the priority. 

Want more Natural Eating Education?
Check out my My Low Tox Food Program where I dive into exactly what you should be eating and what you should be ditching.

After some more nourishment?
Check out these articles!

·      Gut Health 101
·      How to Shop Naturally
·      Should you be Eating Gluten Free?