How Important is Organic?

Have you noticed within the past 5 years or so, merchants are bringing more and more organic foods into the mainstream grocery stores?  I think it's great!  Produce, meat and dairy, as well as dry grocery, all have a fairly wide selection at the store where I shop.  I choose the organic whenever I can, within reason.

So what about you?  Do you bite the bullet and spend the extra money?  What drives your decision?  The foods look the same on the outside.  Do you have trouble embracing the idea?  With some tips from my grocery cart and a great book to refer, I hope to dispel some of the negative connotations.  I'll show you how I prioritize and compare prices to get the best deals on all my organic foods.

First of all, my biggest reason for choosing organic is to try to avoid as many chemicals as possible in my family's diet.  Processed foods all contain chemicals.  These can build up in the liver.  An overworked liver can cause various health issues such as fat carried around the midsection, acne, indigestion, poor memory, water retention, arthritis and other pains, as well as other more serious issues.   By avoiding at least the pesticides and herbicides, and also using products with healthier oils and sweeteners (non chemical), we take a huge weight off of our body systems and all that they have to process.

Dr. Paula Baille Hamilton, in her book The Body Restoration Plan, coined the term "chemical calorie" to indicate the fat calories that are unable to be burned off due to the fat cells being saturated with chemicals.   She suggests a cleansing plan and ongoing use of organic and minimally processed foods for shedding of extra inches of fat.

She also points out that the chemicals consumed by animals are also stored in THEIR fat cells.  So when you partake of such a food, you are ingesting the chemicals, and the higher fat content foods have the highest concentration of chemicals, especially dairy.  Milk, cheese and butter all have high levels of fat. 

Some of the chemicals include antibiotics fed to the livestock throughout their lifetime.  The reason this is done is not because the animal is sick or even to prevent infection.  The reason is that the antibiotic works to shut off the hypothalmus gland, which is the animal's "appetite switch."  The animal does not know when to stop eating, and gains weight more rapidly, so is able to go to market faster.  Ingesting the antibiotics through meat consumption can cause damage to both the immune system and the digestive system.

When shopping, my priority for organic choices is Dairy followed by Meat, followed by Produce and Dry Grocery.  My savings comes by shopping for the best prices with sales and coupons.  Look for special coupons printed in separate "organic" fliers that the store may have.  Week by week, you will notice certain things you use going on sale, so you will know to wait for the next sale to stock up.

I also save money by doing more of the preparation at home, versus purchasing something organic that has already been prepared, like a frozen meal.  I use a lot of traditional American recipes so the learning curve for this has been gradual.

Your area may also have a food co-op, where you can shop with a group.  The co-op I go to meets once per month.  We place our order together online, and we meet when the truck comes to deliver.  It's a great way to save by buying in bulk, and splitting the items at the drop site.  Eliminate the "middle man" whenever you can by shopping at co-ops, local farms or farmer's markets.

Most of all, have fun.  Organic is important but you don't have to be a fanatic.  Any amount of change will help.  You'll develop your own preferences and priorities.  When you learn which products you want in your kitchen, you will know when to jump when you see a good deal. 

Please visit the Nutrition: Ctrl+Alt+Delete discussion group for more tips and answers to your questions!

Comments

[Winter]

I've found that some organic items in our local store a bit cheaper than the others. Being a farmer at heart, my hubby is reluctant to get into this, but the more I bring home, he tries it and is surprised it's organic.

This summer we've used our farmer's market more than in the past few years. I love it because I can buy more for less and my kids love to find something they've never tried before. My neighbor has helped us out by giving me his surplus from the garden. Next year I plan on doing my own.

Because I can't eat processed white flour, I do my best to find the best stuff for me. My pastor's wife connected me with a local farm that sells wheat and flour and other items in bulk. They have wheat you can buy and grind yourself. Yeah! Healthier for me and my family. And my penny-pinching, accountant, hubby loves the cost savings.

[Susan]

Farmers Markets are great resources. And it is a shame that we don't can fresh organic foods like we used to and have opted for store brands with other preservatives in them.

I drink a lot of milk and found that the milk in US stores versus organic milk adds so much weight to the body. We are what they eat. I also found that there is a difference in taste between "organic" cow milk and store purchased milk.

I much prefer organic ... health wise you pay up front instead of doctors for the diseases many chemicals bring on that we eat in processed fods.