Why I Eat Organically (most of the time)

When I cook, I do my best to use organic ingredients (sometimes it's easier than others). So many people have asked me why I do this, because to them organic means "5 times more expensive" It doesn't mean "healthier".

In reality eating organic foods is much healthier than non-organic foods, even fruits and vegetables. Why? Well for starters anything that is not organic has chemicals, preservatives, hormones, or various other things added to them - especially in milk and meat.

Fruits and Vegetables that are not organic are chemically engineered to withstand 5 rounds of Round-Up (the weed killer), which is extremely toxic and has been known as one of the biggest causes for crop workers to become ill. (check out what scientists have to say)

When growing non-organic sugar beets and canola (like in canola oil) Glufosinate is used, and has been known to cause birth defects.

Other pesticides that are used on crops have been linked to certain types of cancer.
There have also been numerous reports of non-organic farms using human waste to fertilize their land. I don't know about you, but I don't exactly want human feces on my food.

Milk that is organic, means that the cows are fed grass - not corn - they are not given hormones to fatten them up and make them produce milk. I recently had a friend tell me that her husband thought he had a milk allergy, until he switched to organic milk and was able to drink it. Turns out he was allergic to the common hormone they give cows to make them produce more milk called rBGH, or recombinant bovine growth hormone.

This article talks about how pesticide residues from non-organic farming has been found to be above the 'safe level' amongst US citizens. http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/residues052404.cfm (article from Pesticide Action Network)
"The CDC datashow that the average 6 to 11 year-old sampled is exposed to the OP pesticidechlorpyrifos at four times the level U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(U.S. EPA) considers "acceptable" for long-term exposure." (from above article)

Is organic more expensive? Yes, it is. But it is still affordable, our food bill (which feeds 3-5 every meal) for last week was $35.00, and this week it was $49.00.

I decided that the health and well-being of my family was more important than the convenience of having ready-made meals. Not only do we feel better, we don't get sick as often as other people we know, and it tastes better!

Now is the time to start taking responsibility for your body and what you put into it.

Cherise