Often commercial beef is raised with an estrogen pellet in the cow’s ear. This estrogen makes the cow grow fatter faster. This hormone is especially not good for most breast cancer patients or for that matter anyone. The estrogen makes its way through the meat to your table. No amount of cooking will destroy the added hormones also found in the milk cheese, butter and other dairy products. A similar process is done with pork, chicken and farm raised fish.
Fruits and vegetable are sprayed with pesticides and chemicals too. No amount of washing will remove the stuff. If it is not on top of the produce it is in the soil.
Here are the dirty dozen of produce that you really want to buy organic:
Peaches, pears, apples, cherries, strawberries, nectarines, bell peppers, celery, carrots, kale, lettuce and imported grapes.
The biggest complaint people have against buying organic is the cost. Have you really compared the costs of organic to conventional fruits and vegetables? I have seen organic on sale for less. My advice is to shop around. Costco and Trader Joe’s carry organic chicken, beef, pasta, fruits and vegetables. Many of Trader Joe’s dairy items say made with-out antibiotics or hormones.
CSA memberships are very popular. Farmers Markets are great for seasonal produce. You can ask the farmer how they grow their produce. Your own garden, lots of work produces lots of rewards. You will defeat the purpose if you use weed killer and such. You can ask your grocery store to special order organic items for you.
A healthy diet means healthy foods. Are you eating a healthy diet?
6 comments:
Haralee I am so glad more and more people are becoming aware of the affects of our food. My family has been eating organic for over 4 years now and I love Trader Joes. There is really no price difference when buying at Trader Joes compared to non organic food.
I had not heard about the hormone you mention here but I did learn that cows are also fed corn and they put antibiotics in the corn because cows are only supposed to eat grass. The corn makes them sick and they die. The reason they do this is also to fatten the cows faster.
A book I heard is a must read is Omnivores Dilemma.
Sorry this is a long comment but this is a passion of mine-making people aware about our food. My brother in law is also a nutrition and health coach. He even takes people to the grocery store to teach them how to shop. @organicfit www.organicallyfitnow.com
Thanks!
Thanks Denisse for your comments. Michael Pollan's books are great!
Good for your brother-in-law, helping his clients to think and shop for a healthier life.
While I consider myself a fairly savvy grocery shopper this took me by surprise! We recently went through discovering all the hidden sodium in processed food - result more cooking from scratch.
The idea of estrogen makes me particularly concerned for my daughter. How might that effect her?
Finally, even if it is more expensive, what is the value of your life or that of a loved one?
Haralee - great, informative post. My OB/GYN is a believer in eating organic and stresses the importance of it to me.
I try my best to be a smart shopper and choose items made without hormones and preservatives. This makes my husband crazy, but oh well. I am a stickler when it comes to dairy, meats, chicken, and my produce for organic. I try to still let my boys have some of the commercial junk so they do not feel totally denied, but I limit it.
Our regular grocery chain is carrying more and more organic which is so nice, but I do like trader's joes, too.
I have to say that the other thing that really affects our health is organic cleaning products....Rachel
Target, and even Wal-Mart carry organic now. We're big fans of organic here. I can taste the difference on some vegetables (I'm very chemically sensitive so sometimes I just can't eat vegetables when I can taste it). I often wonder about the increase in heart problems, rage-related violence, and so on due to the growth hormones in meat. That's steroids, and we know what impact a prolonged use of them has on a person. I have to wonder if any studies have been done on long-term accumulation of growth hormones in people on the average American diet.
Thanks for the comments. It is a surprise and interesting to think about what we eat.
When I go out to eat I know often it isn't organic but if that is the only time I am off the organics I think that is OK!
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