| Q&A with Sara Snow |
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Q: What is the benefit of eating organic food? Which foods are most important to buy organic? I had a bad experience once with organic. I bit into a peach and the core was full of bugs...ugh!!! How do I know that won't happen again with organic produce? A: There are many benefits. When eating something wearing the USDA Certified Organic label you are guaranteed that the food was produced without any chemical fertilizers or pesticides, no hormones or antibiotics and was not genetically modified in any way. The Environmental Working Group came up with a list of "dirty dozen" fruits and vegetables that tend to be heavy with pesticides is not grown organically. Here's the list. Buy organics of these whenever possible: Apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries. Beyond produce, I think it is extremely important to be sure all of your meat, dairy, poultry and eggs are organic. You can reduce your risk of exposure to Mad Cow Disease and avoid the antibiotics and hormones given to animals on most conventional farms. As for the peach and the bugs—I can't guarantee it won't happen again. Just tonight after dinner I ate an apple that came from a tree at my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). It wasn't the prettiest apple and was full of worm holes but I ate it anyway, knowing it was fully organic and grown on a tree just miles from my home. For me, that trade off is worth the risk of a few bugs. Q: I was told at my health food store that organic foods can still be genetically altered. Is this true? If so, what term is used for foods that are non-genetically altered and organically grown? A: I can understand your concern. Genetically engineered or modified foods simply go against the very model of organics. And while many worry that as organic becomes more big business, pressure will be put on the USDA to loosen the standards for organic certification. That being said, it is still regulated that organic farmers cannot raise genetically modified crops. Therefore, by eating organic you are absolutely limiting your intake of genetically altered foods. My question is can an organic life style contribute to weight loss? I once saw a health program that said the foods we eat are full of pesticides and toxins which build up in the body and causes the body to not function at its best. The program also stated that those toxins can prevent you from losing weight. If I switch to a diet of organic foods will this induce weight loss? A: Hey, Syd. Happy early birthday! I have one word for you that I hope will help you in your weight loss endeavors: mindfulness. By switching to a diet that incorporates organics, whether 2 percent or 20 percent organics, you are becoming more mindful about the foods you buy and eat. Here's my challenge to you. Take your time planning your menus and your grocery lists. Think about foods that are healthful like whole grain breads, locally grown organic produce, and healthy fats. Then, seek out those foods, take them home and enjoy them. Learn to love your food again. Food is not an enemy, it is necessary and can be so tasty and enjoyable. But you have to be willing to consider your food and not just grab something (anything) because your tummy tells you it's time to eat. My experience has been that when you eat with renewed awareness you tend to enjoy your food more and ... drumroll, please ... you eat less of it! This is how you end up losing weight. There is a great deal of truth to the program that you saw. Toxins build up and they prevent our body's internal systems from operating properly. Avoid the toxins and you could be avoiding the internal traffic jams. Also, by eating not only organically, but locally produced foods, you maybe be getting more nutritionally dense foods, full of fiber, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats, that allow you to feel fuller, longer. This, too, will help you to eat less. And, of course, by switching to a primarily organic diet certain junk foods will be avoided because, let's face it, there just aren't any organic Doritos. Q: Regarding the recent spinach scare—do you think that it will be safe to buy packaged greens again? A: Yes, give it time, but it will be safe once again. In the meantime, look for packaged greens, like organic baby romaine, that don't include spinach in the mix. A: The most important thing to know about up front is that the soil is your key and can make your break the plants in your organic garden. You've seen dead leaves decaying before, right? This is nature's way of returning nutrients to the soil where they can help other plants grow big and strong. I'm guessing you'll want your tomato plants to grown big and strong so you'll want to replicate this process. This means the first step is to start a compost pile. Do that today. You can create great, nutrient rich compost over the winter months so it will be ready for your spring plantings. There are great, easy, non-messy, non-smelly compost bins available. You can find these, along with detailed instructions, on line. Start creating compost from the leaves you rake this fall, grass clippings, coffee grounds, vegetable peelings, etc. Just about anything that doesn't contain fat or an animal product can be composted. Second, pick a location for your garden. You'll want to make sure your garden gets at least a few solid hours of sun every day. Full sun is best. If you don't have a ton of space, start with a small herb garden. If you have room for more vegetables, try tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. These are relatively easy and very versatile vegetables. When it comes time to plant, turn your soil so it is soft and loose, then turn a good amount of your new compost into the soil. Eighty-five percent of a plant's roots are in the top six inches of soil, so you don't have to go down too deep. Compost is important, though, because you are putting life and essential nutrients back into the soil. Be sure to water and weed your beds and enjoy watching them grow. |