Organic...To Be or Not to Be

by Kathy
(Texas)

I love this site... it just keeps going on and on...! Thanks!

My question is... If I need to buy non-organic greens (sometimes organic is priced alright... but not usually.) Do I still get the health benefits from the non-organic? I hope you know what I mean.

I guess you could say I am a "purist" but since our budget doesn't allow for that... I feel like I am in a stuck place, and yet I think my family would still benefit, right?!

I'm also thinking I just need to get out there and garden!

Thanks!

Kathy

Answer:

Thank you for your kind words!

Is it necessary to use organic greens in your smoothies? No! It is not necessary. I am all for organic greens. But many of the scientific studies done with diets that contain high amounts of fresh produce are done with conventionally grown food!

I understand how difficult it can be to eat healthfully on a budget. But I found that buying the "organic" chips, drinks, and processed foods were really what was breaking my bank account. When I focus more on using fresh produce that is in season and whole grains (rice, quinoa, beans, etc), my grocery bill is actually quite a bit less.

A couple tips to buying organic for less:

#1 - Shop Around

Price shop at different stores in your area. I find that most of the organic produce is much cheaper at my local health food store than my local grocery store.

#2 - Buy in Bulk

Buy organic greens or fruit in bulk. Store what you can use in less than a week in the fridge and store the rest in the freezer for future smoothies.

For instance, greens are very cheap to buy in bulk and they freeze really well. I wash and separate them in individual baggies and freeze.

I suppose that you could even blend the greens with water and freeze them in ice cube trays. After freezing, store the frozen green ice cubes in a bag. That would make for quick preparation time.

Organic or Not
There is much debate on this issue. I truly believe that organic produce is the best choice. But that isn't always an option.

Here is the "Dirty Dozen" list. These fruits and veggies contain the most pesticides. Make sure to buy organic in this category or wash them very thoroughly.

Peaches
Apples
Bell peppers
Celery
Cherries
Nectarines
Strawberries
Kale
Lettuce
Imported grapes
Carrots
Pears

Here is the "Clean 15". The produce in this list usually contain less pesticide residues.

Onion
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Papaya
Watermelon
Broccoli
Tomato
Sweet Potato

Kathy, I am so glad that you are searching for answers. I hope that this helped you! Please keep me posted on how you are doing.

Happy Blending!

DaNae