Organic Foods

Food choices have become more complicated in modern times. Most of us are not in control of how our food is grown or processed. The majority of American produce comes from very large, corporate farms where the focus is on productivity and cost-savings, not on maximizing health benefits or environmental consequences of the food produced. American and worldwide pesticide use is on the rise. Over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used in the United States each year, and 5.6 billion pounds are used worldwide. This amounts to significant daily pesticide and other chemical exposure for the majority of us. It is up to the consumer to navigate shopping choices.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a consumer-funded group whose mission is “to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment.” Each year, the EWG publishes a guide to help consumers reduce exposure to pesticides and other harmful chemicals. This way, not every item on your grocery list needs to be organic.

Issues with Affordability

As awareness has grown about the large-scale use of chemicals in the food industry, numerous smaller, sometimes even local, organic farms have developed to meet a growing demand for organic food. Farmers markets are popping up in cities everywhere, allowing consumers to buy directly from their local farmers, connecting communities to their food in more meaningful ways. Yet not all Americans have access to, or are able to afford locally-farmed organic food. At larger grocery stores that sell organic produce, it’s a good idea to read the sales ads. Produce that is on sale is often in season, possibly increasing its freshness and nutritional quality.

If organic produce is out of reach, be sure to keep eating vegetables and fruits, aiming for 5-9 servings per day. Your body needs the nutrients and the fiber. Use the Clean 15 resource from EWG below to help you select produce and always spend a few minutes washing your produce well. Consider frozen options if access to fresh or organic are limited. Food assistance can often be used at local farmer's markets which may have organic options.

Wash All Produce

All produce, whether purchased organically or not, should be washed well before consuming, unless it has already been ‘pre-washed’ by the manufacturers (like some pre-packaged greens or salad mixes). Even organically-grown produce has pesticides and fertilizer that are made from organic compounds, so be sure to wash all of your produce well.

To remove pesticides/fungicides from the surface of fruits and vegetables:

• Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda per two cups of water
• Soak produce for 12–15 minutes, scrub lightly and rinse