I had a realization last night that I really want this blog to be about staying healthy with no time OR money. I think I’ve done pretty well with the no time but where’s the money guidance Ashley!? Where is it?
Organic produce: SUPER expensive but sometimes it’s really worth it. Here’s an easy to follow list of rules when buying produce. Or anything really.
Rule #1: If it’s available, buy LOCAL – this is because the closer you can get to where your food is produced, the more you can be comfortable that it’s not grown with any pesticides or other crappy chemicals. Also, the shorter the shipping distance, the more nutrients left when it hits your mouth. And you’re supporting your local economy! Here’s a guide to see if your community offers the best thing for local produce, farmer’s markets.
Rule #2: If it’s available, buy ORGANIC – again, chemicals (such as pesticides) are bad in food and very bad in your body. Get that stuff out of there! Also, non organic produce is often genetically modified and much lower in nutrients. [According to a study done by Stanford, link here, there are no more nutrients in organic food than conventionally grown. However, there is a strong but so far unstudied likelihood that the presence of pesticides affects your body so much that it is not able to absorb all the nutrients in the produce.]  If you’re gonna eat an apple, might as well get all the good you can out of it, right?
Rule #3: If organic is too expensive or there’s a limited selection, follow the list of the CLEAN FIFTEEN and DIRTY DOZEN. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) puts out this awesome list every year of the cleanest and dirtiest produce on the market that year. If it’s on the clean fifteen, it has very few pesticides and isn’t a huge harm to your body. If it’s on the dirty dozen, only buy it organic because conventional farmers basically bathe it in a chemical bath.
^This is a great pocket guide you can download from the website but you should definitely check it out in all it’s glory. Here’s the link. I am signed up for the newsletter (they don’t bombard your inbox like I do) and I got the app for my phone so I can have it whenever I’m at the market.
How is your market’s selection of organic produce? What has been your organic buying practice up to now?
Don’t forget to smile 🙂
A Happy Lass 
Interesting post 🙂
Some people are now starting to find that organic food isn’t that much better for you!
Stanford Uni researched it: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/poll/2012/sep/04/is-organic-food-better-for-you-poll
It would be interesting to see what you think 😉
Thanks for the post. The link you gave me didn’t actually have the study. Here is the original site: http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2012/september/organic.html
It’s a very interesting read.
I completely admit my fault for believing that organic meant higher in nutrients and minerals. However, is it not probable that the existence of pesticides in a person’s body limit the nutrients they are able to absorb?
Also, the study explicitly said that they have not done any long term studies on the effects of pesticides and other farming toxins on our bodies. There is no doubt in my mind that foreign chemicals have negative affects on our bodies. To what extent, I can’t say, but it can’t be coincidence that with our society’s increased use of chemicals has also come drastically increased incidence of disease.
I agree that the “organic” label is under regulated and some “organic” farming practices are still far from optimal. That’s another reason to buy local so that you can actually talk to the farmer.
Anyway, thanks for the comment. I will amend my post and make sure my readers check out the edit. Please keep reading. I welcome any chance to learn, especially if I’m publicizing this to people looking for healthy advice!
Have a happy day 🙂
Thank you for allowing this debate on your great blog 😉
I guess this is still a grey area. Hopefully more research will be done within our lifetime.
Take care, be healthy — stay healthy 🙂
We’ve been buying organic and meat-free for several years, especially in light of some of the animal studies that have been done with GMOs. I believe Europe won’t allow GMOs into their countries, and I don’t think GMOs are a good idea. I could write a dissertation on organic vs. conventional, and will stick with organic thank you. I know it’s more expensive, but I look at it as health insurance.
Great stuff here, Ashley! Glad I came by!
Thanks Shelby. Me too!