The Key Foods to Eat Organic

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Sunday, April 20, 2008

The Key Foods to Eat Organic

Byron s, CCN

http://www.wellnessresources.com/newsroom/index.php/tips/articles/the_key_foods_\

to_eat_organic?source=Email & camp=news041808

It remains a considerable challenge for the American public to find fresh food

of adequate quality. We all know we should eat more fresh fruits and

vegetables, but many of them are contaminated with pesticides, fungicides, and

insecticides.

Government officials at the EPA and FDA are known to be a revolving door with

the very industries they regulate - enabling various industries to profit at the

expense of your health. The concept that a given chemical in your food is not

adequate to cause cancer is no longer a standard that is adequate for protecting

the public health.

Virtually all chemicals work by poisoning the nervous system of the pest,

meaning they are fat-soluble and able to irritate the lining of your arteries

and cross your blood brain barrier. Levels far below what causes cancer are

able to initiate metabolic disruption, thyroid dysfunction, and cardiovascular

irritation.

In addition to eating organic food because it contains far fewer chemicals,

organic food has also been shown to be more nutritious. It has more

antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals - all key factors that promote health.

The consumer demand for organics has created a flood of " organic " food coming

from other countries ranging rather dramatically in appearance, taste, and

quality. My simple motto is that if it doesn't look very alive, it probably

isn't worth eating whether it is organic or not. I prefer grown in the USA,

especially on a nearby family farm, whenever possible.

Many small family farms in your area are practicing mostly organic farming but

cannot afford organic certification. Get to know your local community and

farmer's markets - ask questions and support those who are trying to put quality

food on your table. Your health over the course of your life depends on it.

Organic Priorities

Dairy products are the most important, especially those from the U.S. Cows in

large farming operations often eat feed contaminated with chemical pesticides,

mold residues (not fit for human consumption), antibiotics, and are also

stimulated with synthetic growth hormone.

Many higher quality cheeses made in this country and in Europe have very little,

if any, chemicals, although they are not listed as organic. High end cheese

making relies on flavor produced by cows eating grass in various regions of the

world.

Meat and egg quality is the next issue. Organic certification is best, free

range is next best. Animals that are allowed to run around are healthier to eat

- by far.

There is no way to avoid all chemicals on food or in water. It is truly a

numbers game. The better the quality of food you consume the less

chemical-induced damage your body will have to repair. One reason I designed

Daily Balancer was simply to help protect your liver against inevitable

exposures to all these chemicals, as well as enhancing your detoxification

capacity.

Fruits and Vegatables

It is also nice to know which fruits and vegetables you should never buy unless

they are organic or farmed with near organic standards. Here is the most recent

list of pesticide load on commonly eaten foods, provided by the Environmental

Working Group. It is important to buy organic when purchasing foods from the

top of the list - especially any in the top 15 that you eat on a regular basis.

RANK FRUIT OR VEGGIE SCORE

1 (worst) Peaches 100 (highest pesticide load)

2 Apples 96

3 Sweet Bell Peppers 86

4 Celery 85

5 Nectarines 84

6 Strawberries 83

7 Cherries 75

8 Lettuce 69

9 Grapes - Imported 68

10 Pears 65

11 Spinach 60

12 Potatoes 58

13 Carrots 57

14 Green Beans 55

15 Hot Peppers 53

16 Cucumbers 52

17 Raspberries 47

18 Plums 46

19 Oranges 46

20 Grapes-Domestic 46

21 Cauliflower 39

22 Tangerine 38

23 Mushrooms 37

24 Cantaloupe 34

25 Lemon 31

26 Honeydew Melon 31

27 Grapefruit 31

28 Winter Squash 31

29 Tomatoes 30

30 Sweet Potatoes 30

31 Watermelon 25

32 Blueberries 24

33 Papaya 21

34 Eggplant 19

35 Broccoli 18

36 Cabbage 17

37 Bananas 16

38 Kiwi 14

39 Asparagus 11

40 Sweet Peas-Frozen 11

41 Mango 9

42 Pineapples 7

43 Sweet Corn-Frozen 2

44 Avocado 1

45 (best) Onions 1 (lowest pesticide load)