Eating organic is a good start, but it's not the whole story.
This is in no way intended to argue that organic foods are not better for you than their conventional counterparts. We all know that they are free of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides that make us sick down the line. When I shop at Earth Fare and Rosewood Market, I can be quite sure that their products will also be free of high fructose corn syrup and the health concerns that tend to go along with it. But just because it's organic, doesn't mean it's always good for you and here's why:
Foods that are high in sugar, no matter whether it's organic sugar or not, are not good for you. The highs and lows of a high sugar diet cause us to overeat while sending our moods on a rollercoaster. Moreover, the cause of our obesity epidemic isn't fat, but rather, it's sugar, according to new studies:
"Fat is not the problem," says Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. "If Americans could eliminate sugary beverages, potatoes, white bread, pasta, white rice and sugary snacks, we would wipe out almost all the problems we have with weight and diabetes and other metabolic diseases."
So avoid high consumption of cookies, cereal, baked foods, "nutrition bars," and candy even with the USDA organic label on it.
Even if your diet is high in organic processed foods, remember that these are still processed foods. That means many of the nutrients are depleted in manufacturing. Processed foods not only lack nutrients, they're high in sodium. Stay away from processed foods with supplemented nutrients like calcium and get your vitamins from whole organic eats like fruits, vegetables, raw nuts, seeds, and beans.
Organic lettuce that traveled across the country to get to your table maybe better than pesticide laden lettuce that traveled the country to get to your table. But even still, it's not the perfect food. Much of the nutrients in the lettuce have been lost in travel and many of the pollutants from the air have been gained. What's more, local produce tastes so much better. Some farmers are too small to be organically certified. Just make sure your local eats are produced without pesticides and herbicides and have at it.
When it comes to canned foods, I am guilty in a pinch of eating canned beans but after this, maybe not so much. This article Rachel wrote on safe and unsafe canned foods shows that just because it's organic, doesn't mean it's free of synthetic hormones. Muir Glen, Amy's, Bionaturae, and S&W Organic all do use BPA in their canned foods, according to Rachel's article.
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More on Health
FDA Looking Into Link Between Child Hyperactivity and Food Dyes
Study: Canned Foods Much to Blame for Exposure to Synthetic Hormones
Why Are Corner Markets Next Up in the Battle For School Nutrition?
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/just-because-its-organic-doesnt-mean-its-healthy.html
1. Sugar is Sugar
Foods that are high in sugar, no matter whether it's organic sugar or not, are not good for you. The highs and lows of a high sugar diet cause us to overeat while sending our moods on a rollercoaster. Moreover, the cause of our obesity epidemic isn't fat, but rather, it's sugar, according to new studies:
"Fat is not the problem," says Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. "If Americans could eliminate sugary beverages, potatoes, white bread, pasta, white rice and sugary snacks, we would wipe out almost all the problems we have with weight and diabetes and other metabolic diseases."
So avoid high consumption of cookies, cereal, baked foods, "nutrition bars," and candy even with the USDA organic label on it.
2. Processed is Processed
Even if your diet is high in organic processed foods, remember that these are still processed foods. That means many of the nutrients are depleted in manufacturing. Processed foods not only lack nutrients, they're high in sodium. Stay away from processed foods with supplemented nutrients like calcium and get your vitamins from whole organic eats like fruits, vegetables, raw nuts, seeds, and beans.
3. Travel is Travel
Organic lettuce that traveled across the country to get to your table maybe better than pesticide laden lettuce that traveled the country to get to your table. But even still, it's not the perfect food. Much of the nutrients in the lettuce have been lost in travel and many of the pollutants from the air have been gained. What's more, local produce tastes so much better. Some farmers are too small to be organically certified. Just make sure your local eats are produced without pesticides and herbicides and have at it.
4. Synthetic Hormones Included
When it comes to canned foods, I am guilty in a pinch of eating canned beans but after this, maybe not so much. This article Rachel wrote on safe and unsafe canned foods shows that just because it's organic, doesn't mean it's free of synthetic hormones. Muir Glen, Amy's, Bionaturae, and S&W Organic all do use BPA in their canned foods, according to Rachel's article.
Like this? Follow my Twitter feed.
More on Health
FDA Looking Into Link Between Child Hyperactivity and Food Dyes
Study: Canned Foods Much to Blame for Exposure to Synthetic Hormones
Why Are Corner Markets Next Up in the Battle For School Nutrition?
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/just-because-its-organic-doesnt-mean-its-healthy.html
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