Media: Would They Mislead Us?

The big news this week...Organic food has no more nutritional value than non-organic food.  I don't think the point is what it has more of, the point is what it has less of.   Organic meat is hormone free and organic fruits and vegetables are pesticide free.  People are becoming more aware of how food today is affecting our health.  The food industry doesn't like this because it is harder to produce safe food.   Organic can be very expensive.   I prefer to spend my money at the grocery store rather than at the doctor's office.  We have very little organic vegetables available where I live which also makes it very difficult to buy all organic.  I buy what I can find and I order my meat online from a farm that raises animals natural and hormone free.  It's not too expensive for me now that I eat very little meat.  When I choose to eat meat I want it to be good quality.  Below are a few suggestions for cleaning non-organic produce.  Do not clean until you are ready to eat it, because doing so will decrease its shelf life.

Lemon/Baking Soda Wash

1 Tbsp. lemon juice – (natural disinfectant) 2 Tbsp. baking soda (neutralises the PH level of pesticides)

 

Vinegar/Salt Wash

1/4 cup vinegar (cleans the fruits and vegetables and neutralizes most pesticides)
2 Tbsp. salt (draws out dirt and insects)
  

Lemon/Vinegar Wash

1 Tbsp. Lemon juice – (natural disinfectant) 2 Tbsp. Vinegar (cleans the fruits and vegetables neutralizes most pesticides)

Just fill a sink or a large bowl with water and the above ingredients (depending on the method you choose) and let the vegetables sit for about 20minutes then rinse or else you can fill an empty water bottle and spray onto your produce and then rinse and wipe.

This is what is called the dirty dozen, try to buy organic when possible.  They are the heaviest in pesticide residue:

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Sweet bell peppers
4. Peaches
5. Strawberries
6. Imported nectarines
7. Grapes
8. Spinach
9. Lettuce
10. Cucumbers
11. Domestic blueberries
12. Potatoes
And on the "Dirty Dozen Plus" list:
+ Green beans
+ Kale/collard greens

The fruits and vegetables with the least amount of pesticide residue make up a list of the “Clean 15":

1. Onions
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Cabbage
6. Sweet peas
7. Asparagus
8. Mangoes
9. Eggplant
10. Kiwi
11. Domestic cantaloupe
12. Sweet potatoes
13. Grapefruit
14. Watermelon
15. Mushrooms

Food for thought: 


Whether you go totally organic or opt to mix conventional and organic foods, be sure to keep these tips in mind:

• Select a variety of foods from a variety of sources. This will give you a better mix of nutrients and reduce your likelihood of exposure to a single pesticide.
• Buy fruits and vegetables in season when possible. To get the freshest produce, ask your grocer what day new produce arrives. Or check your local farmers market.
• Read food labels carefully. Just because a product says it's organic or contains organic ingredients doesn't necessarily mean it's a healthier alternative. Some organic products may still be high in sugar, salt, fat or calories.
• Wash and scrub fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water. Washing helps remove dirt, bacteria and traces of chemicals from the surface of fruits and vegetables. Not all pesticide residues can be removed by washing, though. You can also peel fruits and vegetables, but peeling can mean losing some fiber and nutrients

Recipe of the day: 

Taco Salad


Whole wheat tortillas baked in these nifty little pans I found at Ross'

Fat free re-fried beans topped with romaine lettuce, onion, green pepper, salsa, and greek yogurt.

Very quick and simple but delicious.  It's amazing with the re-fried beans I don't miss the meat at all.