Organic vs non-organic
Sunday is farmers market’s day in my borough, really the only opportunity for locals to catch a glimpse of organic vegetables and fruit and to interact directly with the producers.
Last week, I was looking at some gorgeous strawberries when I bumped into a friend, she had a dazzled look on her face: “I just bought about ten cherry tomatoes and some green beans and I’ve spent five pounds”, she blurted out.
This is expensive. Too expensive. How many people can afford it?
It’s very frustrating that we are getting penalized to be healthy. What an absurdity: toxic food is normal and subsidised and advertised, while trying to make responsible choices is the exception, therefore considered exclusive and high-end.
Opting for good quality food can be financially overwhelming for many families, but what is the cost of not making the right choices when buying food?
Conventional produce is grown with toxic fertilizers, insecticides and hormones, it is stripped of important nutrients like magnesium and fiber, and it is full of preservatives, which make vegetables and fruit look more appealing, as the shiny lemons or apples in supermarkets covered in synthetic wax.
We are spraying our food with glyphosates (Roundup by Monsanto, you can find it in Tesco too), which have been recognized by The WHO (World Health Organization) as possible carcinogens, and then we eat that food, and the carcinogenic glyphosate on it.
It is worth noting that there are thousands of lawsuits filed against Monsanto (now Bayer) in the United States at the moment, and this year Bayer has been ordered to pay more than $2 billion so far over cancer claims. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/business/monsanto-roundup-cancer-verdict.html
GMOs have been widely introduced in our food supply, but there has never been any long term study done on humans to look at their safety; it’s time to realize that we are all taking part in a mass experiment, we are all Guinea pigs in real time.
With organic foods, the exposure to all these toxins is obviously reduced (you still want to rinse your organic vegetables and fruit thoroughly though).
But, as we were saying, it is expensive; so what can we do to still eat healthy and not run in debts?
Here are few suggestions:
Check the “dirty dozen” and “clean fifteen” list in the country where you live, and choose accordingly
In UK, PAN UK ( Pesticides Action Network UK) has analysed the most recent five years of government data and compiled a list of the most and the least contaminated produce. See it at https://www.pan-uk.org/dirty-dozen-and-clean-fifteen/
Buy in bulk (and cook in bulk, to save time and prevent spoilage).
Look for organic farms near you, many do home delivery too; know the source of your food and support local farmers
Buy smart
Choose organic nutrients powerhouse foods that don’t cost a fortune, such as mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, onions, legumes.
Always buy produce in season, it is fresher, more nutritious, tastier and cheaper.
Grow your own at home
Growing our own food may be one of the most powerful steps we can take to eat healthy on a budget.
No matter how much space is available, you will be surprised by how much you can grow at home.
You can sprout seeds in the kitchen, herbs and salad leaves grow all year round on a windowsill, a tomato plant or a bag of potatoes (and much more!) will happily grow on a balcony, and don’t forget that dark corner under the stairs… just hang a LED grow light and enjoy growing fresh produce of your choice.
Community allotments
Also a good way of meeting like-minded people in your area; check your borough website for more info.
Make sure to wash properly any conventional grown produce you might buy. Soak fruit and vegetables in water with one teaspoon of baking soda for few minutes and rinse well.
If you eat animal products, get them from animals who at least had a decent quality of life. Choose organic, free range and grass fed; meat from animals who didn’t run around will be stressed, full of fat and low in protein.