[CeraMae]

Is the title self explanitory enough??

Ever since DS was born, I have *reson* to do everything I was too lazy to do before. So now I am making the switch in diet and I'd LOVE to be informed about organics.

LET'S TALK ORGANICS!!

 

[rainsmom]

ABSOLUTELY strawberries and ANY berries or fruit that doesnt have skin. AND dried fruit too......something about the process they use to dry them....and not using organic grapes to make raisins makes them toxic bullets!

I get almost everything organic that is to be eaten by dd now. Bananas I go back and forth with b/c of their thick skin, and melons too. BUt I find everything taste sooo much better, that I get mostly everything organic.

I also got turned on to these produce storage bags called evert bags. I just got them, so I can report back on how they keep produce fresher longer, but everyone raved about them here and at the store I bought them from. Thats the thing about organic produce, things were spoiling faster...... Check out the site for evert bags on their dot com site.........

 

[zinemama]

About 5 years ago I saw a website which had a list of the ten most heavily pesticided fruits and veggies. Since then I've made a real effort to only eat organic when I buy them. I can't remember the website or all of the top ten, but the ones that stuck with me are strawberries, spinach, celery, green beans, grapes.

 

[wawoof]

We eat organic to reduce our exposure to toxics, and to protect the environment, since organic farming produces a lot less pollution and damage to wildlife.

 

[Quirky]

Here's something I got from an email my sister sent, although now I don't have the link to know where she got it from:

There are lists out there of foods that are higher and lower in pesticide concentrations. In general, I would wash fruits and veggies extremely well (with a drop of soap in a sinkful of water), and peel things that can be peeled, like apples and carrots. Yes, you lose some nutrients with the peel, but you also get a lot of pesticides off.

You can sidestep harm and still eat vitamin-rich foods. If you cannot find
these foods organically, here are some great alternatives that contain the
same valuable vitamins and minerals.

High-Pesticide Food: Strawberries
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy Alternatives: Blueberries, raspberries, oranges, grapefruit,
kiwifruit, watermelon

High-Pesticide Food: Bell peppers
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy Alternatives: Green peas, broccoli, romaine, lettuce

High-Pesticide Food: Spinach
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A and C
Healthy Alternatives: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus

High-Pesticide Food: Cherries
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy Alternatives: Oranges, blueberries, raspberries, kiwifruit,
blackberries, grapefruit

High-Pesticide Food: Peaches
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A and C
Healthy Alternatives: Nectarines, watermelon, tangerines, oranges,
grapefruit

High-Pesticide Food: Mexican cantaloupe
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A and C
and potassium Healthy Alternatives: U.S. cantaloupe grown from May to
December, watermelon

High-Pesticide Food: Celery
Main Nutrient: Carotenoids
Healthy Alternatives: Carrots, broccoli, radishes, romaine lettuce

High-Pesticide Food: Apples
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy Alternatives: Watermelon, nectarines, bananas, tangerines

High-Pesticide Food: Apricots
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A an C and potassium
Healthy Alternatives: Nectarines, watermelon, oranges, tangerines

High-Pesticide Food: Green beans
Main Nutrient: Potassium
Healthy Alternatives: Green peas, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts,
potatoes, asparagus

I agree that all berries and grapes must be organic. We eat mostly organic but sadly our Whole Foods never has organic bell peppers, which we eat a lot of.

 

[3 little birds]

After eating an organic grape, I can never go back to the conventional type. There is no taste comparison.

We also get most everything else organic as well, at least whats available.

My dh loves to point out that no matter how much I wash produce, much of the pesticide is systemic so it won't wash off anyway.

 

[ComeOnLetsGo]

Berries, grapes, milk and eggs. The milk and eggs I never compromise on due to all the pesticides and antibiotics (not to mention other nasties, like pus, in the milk). We've used nothing but organic milk and eggs for over 10 years now. Thank goodness it's become much easier to find...I used to travel all over the place for organic milk!

 

[KaiandAidensMama]

Here's the link that I have ( I have never posted a link here before so hope it works

http://www.ewg.org/pub/home/Reports/.../Chapter2.html

 

[Sustainer]

Everything. Because I refuse to eat poisons, genetically modified organisms, crops that have been fertilized with sewage sludge, irradiated foods, animals that have been injected with hormones and antibiotics, dairy products from the same... etc...

 

[cathe]

here's something I wrote on why to choose organic food for your kids.

Make It Organic

Feed children organically grown food whenever possible. Infants are especially vulnerable to the effects of pesticides. Children experience rapid growth in a short period of time, and their brain and immune systems are immature. Safe dosage levels of pesticides are calculated based on adult tolerance, not children's. Crops are often treated with more than one chemical. The effects of these combinations are also untested. Pesticides are designed to kill insects or make them sterile so they can't reproduce. What effect might they have on your growing child? Contact the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) for more information. They publish a Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce. It names the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables. Apples, grapes, and strawberries are on that list.

Commercially grown soybeans, most grains, and some fruits and vegetables are now genetically modified, and the list continues to grow. At the time of this writing, products containing genetically modified ingredients (GMOs) are not required to divulge that information on their labels. You must buy organic to ensure your food is GMO-free.

Organic food is available at natural food stores, farmers' markets, and some supermarkets. If your market does not carry or-ganic food, ask your grocer to stock or special order it for you.

 

[Sustainer]

Or order it from http://www.diamondorganics.com

 

[ChristieB]

We buy mostly organic. But we absolutely *insist* on buying organic milk, yogurt, cheese -- any dairy. This is because any toxins are stored in an animals fat, and dairy contains a lot of fat. Because it's so difficult to find organic meat in our area, we buy hormone- and antibiotic-free meats from a local farm. We won't buy conventional meat, though, for the same reason as dairy. We either buy organic eggs or eggs from our neighbor. If we're really pressed, we'll buy veggie-fed and free range eggs -- with less confinement comes fewer chemicals and antibiotics. But we don't do that very often. We don't buy any corn products that aren't organic (we read labels, and if there's any corn syrup or corn starch in it we don't buy it unless it's organic) because most corn in this country is genetically modified at this point. We each only had one ear of corn on the cob (it was organic -- that's just all we could get) this season because of this

.

Christie

 

[bebe luna]

I insist on buying all organic:

*produce, w/ the exception of occassional non-organic avocados, since they are not sprayed as much and have a thick shell

*eggs, meat, and dairy; mostly because it seems only the organic farmers are the ones who choose not to use antibiotics and growth hormones for their animals; they also tend not to be "factory farms" and instead smaller more humane farms

*soy products, it seems that organic soy is pretty much the only way to assure it is not a genetically modified food (GMO)

*corn, same reason as soy

*coffee, because it is usually a highly sprayed crop

*dried fruit and juice

*fish, unless wild caught salmon or some shellfish. I will only buy if the source is an organic fish farm. Most fish farms use antibiotics, dies, chemicals, etc

I will occasionally choose "transitional" foods from this list as well. Transitional farms are practicing organic standards but have not yet been certified organice (a farm must be practicing organic for 3-5 years before they are able to be certified as organic).

 

[Piglet68]

Well, here's a response from someone on the "less crunchy" end of the spectrum (does that make me "squishy"?

)

Okay, so I have never been into organic foods before. I'm honestly not all that concerned about pesticide residue and the stuff is expensive. But I have now "made the switch" and buy organic quite often (though by no means exclusively, except for meat). Yes the stuff does tend to taste better and that's a bonus, but I'll let you in on MY reason for eating organic:

I'm pretty sickened by the large-scale commercial agriculture and meat industry. From the way they treat animals, to the colossal dumping of fertilizers and pesticides into the water table, to the lack of biodiversity, to the waste and misuse of land...the more I learn about it, the more I do not want my food money going to support this stuff.

We are eating only organic meats because I saw how pigs are farmed in this country (and the US) and I was disgusted. The fecal waste generated by cramming 10,000 pigs into a giant indoor barn (with concrete floors that have GOT to be awful on their feet; but hey, they are easy to clean!) is dumped into "holding ponds". Well you can best believe that not only are they not 100% contained, but if a hurricane hits, or one of the dam wall breaks, you have an environmental disaster on your hands. And it happens alot. The beef and chicken industries are just as bad. Sucks for the animals, sucks for the earth.

And the more I learned about Organic gardening and farming, the more I fell in love with it. I want to support it, and I do so with my consumer dollar!

ta-da!

 

[Eggie]

I have seen how farmers water their corn fields, in Mexico for example, and aghhhh, they use the water that comes directly from toilletes, plus the amount of pesticides is not controlled back there. There's not much organic food available there so everyone uses drops and boiled water to clean every vegetable... so everything goes around non higienic and non responsible procedures to handle the food, including meats, diary, etc.

 

[rainsmom]

THe health food store where I buy salmon (organic fish farm) dyes their salmon, but the butcher there told me that they use organic beet dye and other veg dyes to do it. It must look pretty awful for them to feel they have to do it!

I think the more we buy organic, the lower the prices will get. And dont get me started on GMOs!!!

 

[ja mama]

Thank you for this thread, it's so helpful and I need it. If I can at least start getting those top twelve foods with the highest levels of pesticides organic it'll help so much more than just getting whatever's on sale in the organic section, and eating a ton of chemicals on our other food. Someday i would love to eat entirely organic, but for now I'll be planting a lot more in my garden next year.

 

[dado]

meat. and soon, dairy. working on the rest. the agricultural practices on this continent are atrocious, imo.

 

[mamabutterfly]

[Dh's diet is disgusting, so we'll skip him, lol.

:]
Dd & I have only organic with eggs, milk, yogurt, non-GMO soy, grapes, all leafy veggies (spinach etc), berries. I try to buy all produce organic, but it doesn't always happen.

We are on a super tight budget right now, and I find that I'm mostly okay with counting pennies, but the things I want $$$ for are things like this - to buy from conscience at the food co-op and never based on cost. As Piglet said, I'd love to support only organic farmers & never the agribusinesses ever.

 

[morsan]

my reasons for buying organic goes beyond the preference of staying away from harmful substances like pesticides. Equally important is the health of the planet, but most important is that the nutrient content in organic foods is much higher than in the conventional ones. So, since I can't always buy the organic version after having moved, I make sure that nutrient-dense foods at least be organic. Such as dairy, meats (esp organ meats), eggs and grains. When it comes to treats like cakes and such I figure that since I'm not eating them for their health benefits, it's most important for me to be cheap or at least minimize the harmful ingredients like hydrogenated fats, and preservatives.