Q: I recognize the benefits of “clean eating,” which I’m sure includes mostly organic foods (to limit the amount of pesticides/toxins/hormones), but what if the “poor” guy can't afford to buy organic all the time?
Are there particular foods that I should absolutely buy organic? Maybe meat?
A: Very true, organic is not always cheap; however, staying away from packaged/processed foods can still be relatively inexpensive. Read ingredients and do your best to avoid foods with sodium benzoate, potassium benzoate, and most other preservatives – ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is okay, since it’s a natural preservative. Sodas, regular or diet, fall into this same category – nothing really good about them.
One consideration – regardless of the amount of pesticides, any fruits and vegetables are better than none – do not stop eating them just because they are not organic. According to www.foodnews.org, some fruits and vegetables contain more pesticides than others; the “Cleanest 12” (low in pesticides) includes: onions, avocados, sweet corn (frozen), pineapples, mango, sweet peas (frozen), asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant. The “Dirty Dozen” (buy these organic) includes: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes. The belief is that foods with a thick skin absorb fewer pesticides.
If the food you buy goes bad before you have a chance to eat it, frozen foods (unprocessed and with no other additives) are equally nutritive as fresh.
In regards to meat – organic may not be as much of an issue as the type of feed. Grass-fed beef, for example, is lower in saturated fat than corn or grain-fed beef. Grass-fed cows and free-range chickens may also have a lower presence of bacteria such as e coli.
Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and shell out a little extra cash for your health – it is worth the price, though, since it is literally an investment in your future.
Justin Robinson, MA,RD,CSSD,FAFS,CSCS
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