| A four year European Union funded study highlighting | | | | a huge multi-billion dollar business and many |
| organic food benefits, found that organic fruit and | | | | unscrupulous manufacturers are simply out take |
| vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants | | | | advantage of people's desires to eat healthier and live |
| and organic produce had higher levels of beneficial | | | | healthier lives by placing compromised or outright false |
| minerals like zinc and iron. Organic juices, for example, | | | | versions of organic products on grocery shelves. |
| have far more antioxidants than their conventional | | | | Genetically Modified Foods Disguised as Organic |
| counterparts. However, the findings from this study | | | | You also have to be aware of organic food that is |
| only confirmed what most people regard as | | | | genetically modified. You will not get any organic food |
| commonsense- foods grown in mineral rich soil with | | | | benefits from genetically modified foods disguised as |
| natural fertilizers and no chemicals, simply have to be | | | | organic. This is outright deception. By some estimates |
| more nutritious. Many of the pesticides, herbicides, | | | | as much as seventy percent of the foods that are |
| hormones, and other chemicals used in conventional | | | | available to us today are genetically modified. The best |
| food production have been linked to cancer, immune | | | | way to be sure you are not purchasing organic food |
| suppression and a host of other degenerative | | | | that is genetically modified is to look for the USDA |
| diseases that accompany immune suppression. | | | | seal. The USDA organic seal ensures that growers of |
| What Types of Organic Foods Are Best | | | | organic produce adhere to very strict organic |
| Simply put, you should stick with foods that come | | | | standards in their farming practices. Manufacturers |
| directly from nature. Your vegetables, fruits, nuts, | | | | who use this seal also have to adhere to these strict |
| meats, and grains should be in their natural, | | | | organic standards. |
| unadulterated form or as close to it as possible. The | | | | Another way to determine if you are buying genetically |
| bulk of your organic purchases should focus on | | | | modified food is to look at the PLU code. Genetically |
| vegetables and fruits. When buying meat, eggs, and | | | | modified foods have 5 digits beginning with #8. For |
| dairy products, make sure that these are from animals | | | | example, GM orange 84072. Foods that are organically |
| that are pastured or grass-fed and not from confining, | | | | grown have 5 digits starting with #9. For example, |
| factory farms. | | | | organic orange 94231. Foods that are conventionally |
| Meat, eggs, and dairy products from pastured animals | | | | grown have a four digit code. For example, |
| will give you the best organic food benefits. When | | | | conventionally grown orange 4057. |
| compared to feed-lot, confining factory farm | | | | The Environmental Working Group published the |
| commercial products, they offer you more "good" fats, | | | | findings of a study in which they identified produce with |
| and fewer "bad" fats. They are richer in antioxidants; | | | | the highest and lowest levels of pesticides. This should |
| including vitamins E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. In | | | | help you make smarter choices as you shop for food. |
| addition, they do not contain traces of added | | | | If you are concerned about organic food benefits you |
| hormones, antibiotics or other drugs. | | | | should avoid thin skinned produce such as peaches, |
| Be aware that not all organic foods are created equal; | | | | nectarines, strawberries, celery, bell peppers, kale, |
| the organic label has been greatly compromised in | | | | lettuce, grapes, carrots and pear as these have the |
| recent years. Consequently, you have to be very leery | | | | highest pesticide residues. |
| of major super centers and supermarkets which have | | | | If you are buying conventionally grown produce here |
| been adding their compromised version of organic | | | | are your best choices provided they are not |
| foods to their shelves. Potato chips and sodas are still | | | | genetically modified: onion, avocado, sweet corn, |
| bad for you regardless of whether or not they are | | | | pineapple, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, |
| labeled organic and you cannot get any organic food | | | | cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, |
| benefits from eating them. The organic food industry is | | | | tomato, and sweet potato. |