Why You Should be Soaking Your Grains and Nuts

Last week I took a little hiatus for my kids' first day back at school. This week I'm back with a long overdue post on the importance of soaking grains and nuts before consumption. Not only has the wheat that we eat changed since our grandparents' day but how we consume it and other grains has as well. Soaking grains, and then going through the process of sprouting them, is a time-consuming and therefore forgotten practice. However, it is one that will yield countless dividends on your health.

All grains, seeds, nuts and legumes contain phytic acid, a phosphorus-bound organic acid, in the outer layer or bran. While phytic acid can sport some health claims, unfortunate side-effects like bone loss can occur when eaten in excess (like most American diets). Phytic acid binds with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc in the digestive tract impeding absorption of these minerals.

In addition to phytic acid there are also enzyme inhibitors that protect the seed from germinating under less than ideal conditions but can wreak havoc in the body. If the diet is high in these inhibitors then over time it can lead to obesity, lethargy, gas, bloating, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal difficulties, enlarged pancreas, diabetes and destruction of the body's own naturally produced enzymes.

With gluten sensitivity, IBS and other gastrointestinal disorders on the rise, I feel it is important that we get back to our ancestral roots of soaking, fermenting and even sprouting our grains and nuts.Whether your ancestors hailed from Europe, Asia, Africa or Latin America, every traditional cultural diet prepared their staple grains in these ways.

When it comes to soaking grains and nuts, there are three different mediums that can be used: warm acidic liquid, fermenting and brine. Soaking in this manner greatly reduces the phytic acid content and breaks down the enzyme inhibitors. Not only does this allow the body to absorb all the nutrients but it also increases the vitamin content and makes these nutrients more bio-available to your body. Win-win! Fermenting grains also provides lactic acid and lactobacilli to help break down complex starches, irritating tannins and difficult-to-digest proteins (like gluten).

An acidic liquid is warm water (between 95 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit) with lemon juice or vinegar added to it. Slightly warm up half the amount of water that the grain or legume calls for and add in the grains and acidic medium, stir, cover and let sit for at least 8 hours. After eight hours, add in the rest of the water and cook as normal. Cooking time may be reduced. A good tip would be to start soaking any grains for the night's dinner right after that morning's breakfast.

Fermentation works best for stone ground flours and oats that are going to be used for baking, oatmeals, pancakes and the like. In this method the grains are soaked in either cultured buttermilk, yogurt, kefir or a whey/water mixture for 12 to 24 hours. The full 24 hours provides the best results, especially if you are working with a recipe that requires rising dough. I'll have more specific recipes in later posts but if you are in a hurry to try this method, the Nourishing Traditions cookbook that I reference below has a ton of great ideas to try.

The third method, soaking in brine, is reserved for seeds and nuts. There are different soaking times that are listed in the chart below. I like using mason jars to soak nuts in overnight. Just place the nuts and salt into the jar and fill with filtered water. Leave on the counter for the specified amount of time. After soaking, drain in a colander and spread out evenly on dehydrator trays to dry. (The oven can also be used. Put on the lowest setting and dry 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The nuts will no longer be raw using this method to dry.) Dehydrators vary in settings and results so make sure to taste test during your first run.  I usually do the full 24 hours dry time on 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Finished nuts will be crisp, completely dry... and very yummy.

Nut	Quantity	Salt	Soak Time	Dry Time	Dry Temp.
Almonds	4 cups	1 tbsp	7 to 12 hours	12-24 hours	105-115 F
Cashews	4 cups	1 tbsp	2 to 6 hours	12-24 hours	150 F
Hazelnuts	4 cups	1 tbsp	6 to 8 hours	12-24 hours	105-115 F
Macadamia	4 cups	1 tbsp	4 to 8 hours	12-24 hours	105-115 F
Peanuts	4 cups	1 tbsp	7 to 8 hours	12-24 hours	105-115 F
Pecans	4 cups	2 tsp	7 to 8 hours	12-24 hours	105-115 F
Pepitas	4 cups	2 tbsp	7 to 8 hours	12-24 hours	105-115 F
Sesame	2 cups	1 tbsp	7 to 8 hours	12-15 hours	105-115 F
Sunflower	4 cups	2 tbsp	7 to 8 hours	12-24 hours	105-115 F
Walnuts	4 cups	2 tsp	7 to 8 hours	12-24 hours	105-115 F

At this point, I'd like to share my experience of when I first became aware of the practice of soaking grains and nuts. I can sum it up in two words: panic attack (because that's how I roll). However, I'm one of those people that has to jump right in and do everything all at once- right now. That never works for anyone. Soaking really doesn't create more hands-on time but it does require a bit of forethought and meal planning. This takes time, patience, practice and a good bit of humour. I can say it is worth it in the end. Certaintly for your good health, but also, soaking and fermented grains and nuts have led to some of the tastiest meals and baked goods that my family and I have had the joy in eating.


 Sources:

Fallon, Sally. Nourishing Traditions. Washington: New Trends Publishing, Inc, 2001. Print

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/issue/11-sprouting-to-remove-enzyme-inhibitors/

Morris, Julie. Superfood Kitchen. New York: Sterling Epicure, 2012. Print



Linked with the Simply Natural Saturday blog series.

Benefits of Pastured Meat and Dairy

When it comes to meat and dairy my first rule-of-thumb is to eat it in moderation. There have been a few well-documented studies showing adverse health affects with daily consumption. Be that as it may: I still heart ribs, think bacon is candy and butter will probably have to be taken out of my cold, dead fingers. One of the ways my family was able to cut down on meat and dairy, however, was switching to humanely-raised pastured and/or 100% grass-fed products. So what exactly does that mouthful mean?

Currently the USDA doesn't have a federal definition for pastured-raised meat due to "the number of variables involved." (I feel like I should be thanking the beef industry lobbyists for this one.) In a nut-shell it means animals that have access to forage for their natural diet in a pasture setting, hence pastured meat. Pigs and chickens do have to be supplemented with grain unlike cows, goats and lambs that can live just off of grasses. Make sure that you using a reliable source when buying non-organic pastured pork or chicken. The grain they are given is most likely GMO if they are not certified organic.

If meat is labeled 100% grass-fed it means that the animal has been feed and/or grazed on grass or hay (dry grass) for its whole life. They don't necessarily have to be given access to the outdoors but in most cases they are getting their diet from pasture. Meat labeled Grass-Fed could have had some supplemental grain added to the diet. Watch out for meat labeled grass-fed but then in small print- "Grain-Finished." Cows are grain-finished in their last few months before slaughter to help fatten them up. Well, that's a good thing, right? Not exactly- by eating grass right up until the end the cows have an ample supply of omega-3's in their system which will get passed down on to you when you eat the hamburger, steak, etc. When the cows are fed grain in their last few months they use up their own store of omega-3's not leaving much or any to pass on to you (selfish cow). How can you make sure that your labeled "grass-fed" beef hasn't been grain-finished: look for 100% grass-fed on the packaging. Be forewarned that 100% grass-fed, unless certified organic, doesn't mean that it has to be free of anti-biotics, hormones or pesticides.

The best way to make sure you are not paying for a misleading label is to purchase from a local farmer. These guys and gals are passionate about what they do and are happy to answer any questions and even give farm tours so that you can see exactly how and where the animals are raised. In northern climates, animals do have to be supplemented with grain in the winter months. Make sure to ask how long the animals get to graze before they are processed and if they use GMO feed. You can find locally sourced pastured-raised meat and dairy here and here.

So, why should you care what your meat eats? To make this completely cliched:  you are what you eat-  and what your food eats. Pasture-raised meat has/is:

• lower in fat and calories (awesome!)
• extra Omega-3's (potent anti-inflammatory)
• conjugated linoleic acid a.k.a. CLA (a healthy fat that is lowering cancer risk in humans in promising lab results.)
• higher in vitamin E
• humanely-raised

Before processed foods were so prevalent in our society, humans generally consumed equal amounts of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. This balance is needed for optimal health. Omega-3's quell inflammation in the body along with providing the building blocks for hormones that control immune function, blood clotting and cell growth. Omega-6's, found in seeds, nuts, soy and grains, increase inflammation, which is important for immune response as long as it is in check. With the SAD (Standard American Diet), we are getting way too many Omega-6's and not nearly enough of Omega-3's, leaving our bodies in unchecked inflammation 24/7, that may be leading to coronary heart disease, many forms of cancer, autoimmunity and neurodegenerative diseases.

By eating pasture-raised meat you can avoid unnecessary Omega-6's in your diet and even add some extra Omega-3's.  It is still important to limit the amount of meat eaten at each meal and to try and keep it to three servings per week (or less!). These benefits are also transferable to dairy as well, but again, even pastured organic dairy have hormones that have been shown to promote tumor growth. Everything in moderation, folks! Even the good stuff. Through buying from local farmers, you can eat your pastured meat guilt-free knowing that you are supporting your community, humanely-raised animals and nutritional integrity in your food.

Sources:

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/NOPConsumers

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400149/balancing-omega-3-and-omega-6.html

http://www.humaneitarian.org/uncategorized/pasture-raised-vs-grass-fed-whats-the-difference/#.VCRMFmddWSo

http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm

Hidden Costs of Cheap Food

Driving down any number of main highways this summer I have noticed that the McDonald's soft serve billboard is there to remind you that happines$1 is only a buck away. Sadly, in the last 40 years this seems to have become the American way: red, white and cheap food. The blue can be our mood since this "food" is making us SAD (Standard American Diet) and sick.

In his book, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, Michael Pollan brings to light the disparity between how our money used to be spent on food and how it is being spent now. In 1960, 17.5% of our income was spent on food with only 5.2% going towards health care. Fast-forward to today and those numbers have nearly flip-flopped. We are now only spending 9.9% of our income on food and our health care costs have soared to 16%. Our health and the type of food we consume is undeniably tied. When we make quality food a priority we invest in a healthier future.

Listen, I get it. Spending $4 on a pound of organic green beans when you can get the same amount of the conventional kind for a buck, seems ludicrous. However, there are untold hidden costs to cheap food. In an excerpt from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Steven L. Hopp states that in addition to that cheap sticker price there is an additional $80 billion in subsidies that we are paying annually. Eighty. Billion. Every. Year.
Broken down that is:

• $22 billion in our taxes for agricultural fuel
• $3 billion for the Farm Bill subsidies for corn and wheat
• $10 billion for treatment of food-related illness
• $17 billion in agricultural chemical cleanup costs
• $8 billion in collateral damage due to pesticide use
• $20 billion in costs due to nutrients lost because of soil erosion

Turns out those $1 green beans and soft serve are not such a great bargain after all. Organic farming practices on the other hand:

• enrich the soil and prevent erosion
• do not use harmful pesticides and herbicides
• protect and maintain endangered plant species by ensuring biodiversity 

With organic food you are paying up front for the additional time and labor, and also the packaging, marketing and distribution for the small farmer. This is the cost of real food. It's all there on the price tag and yes, it is a little higher but you won't be blind-sided with hidden monetary and health costs later.

What I am asking you to do is not an easy feat. Essentially, I want you to change your perception of how you spend your food dollars. Yes, yes- much easier said then done. But it can be done and in the end the health of your waist-line, body and planet will be that much better for it.

Got Milk? or Got Had?

Ah, milk- so creamy and white. It's the epitome of pure and wholesome goodness. It should be noted, however, that pus is also white and, coincidently, also in your glass of milk. When it comes to actual nutrition and what is good for our bodies, Americans have really had the wool pulled over our eyes and none more so than what the Dairy Council would have us believe. As of 2009, the milk mustache advertising budget came to a total of $190 million.(1) If you think that number is astronomical, it doesn't even come close to the detrimental cost to our health.

The health of the conventional dairy cow is also severely compromised. The typical dairy cow has the life span of 20 to 25 years but with the high output forced from these ladies their lifespan has dwindled to 2 to 7 years.(1)  From 1970 to 2006 the number of cows declined by 25%, however, the output of milk per cow has more than doubled.(2)  Just like any other mammal, cows must be pregnant to lactate. Once born, the calves are taken from their mothers in a sad cycle that perpetuates profit and completely ignores the mother cow's very real and heartbreaking separation anxiety from her baby. To add insult to injury the mother cows are then literally pumped full of synthetic hormones (rBGH- a genetically modified ingredient) to make them produce more milk than they would have on their own. This in turn causes poor health in the cows as their bodies are not prepared for this increased demand, including mastitis, which is a painful inflammation of breast tissue needing anti-biotics to treat.  Toxins are excreted from any lactating mammal through the milk, including: anti-biotics, pesticides, chemicals and hormones. The USDA also allows cow milk to contain 1 -1.5 million white blood cells (aka pus!) per milliliter.(3) Kind of puts a new spin on that white milk mustache now, doesn't it?

Not only has it been drilled into our heads that we have to drink milk to be healthy but culturally speaking we have completely embraced drinking another animal's gland secretions. If two glasses of milk were on the table, one cow milk and one human milk, which one would you drink? Why is it that our own kind's milk is deemed disgusting? It is interesting to note that we are the only mammals to drink other mammal's milk and beyond infancy at that.

The sole purpose of milk is to make babies grow. It's composition is made to support rapid growth during a relative short time period and is also specific to its species. Calves need massive skeletal growth and massive muscle group support so cow milk has 3 to 4 times the amount of protein than human milk. Humans need advanced neurological development support so our milk has 6 to 10 times the amount of essential fatty acids over cow milk.(3) A Lancet study done in 1992 randomly placed premature infants into two groups. One group was fed conventional cow milk formula and the second group was fed breast milk. A 10 year follow up found the group fed breast milk had higher IQ's by 10 points!(3)

Another component of milk is hormones. For a growing baby these natural hormones are beneficial but for an already grown adult, not so much. There are over sixty hormones in one glass of milk, including anabolic hormones which are mostly androgens (and why people with acne usually see positive results when they stop consuming dairy) and growth hormone IGF-1 that is linked to tumor growth.(4) This is true for all milk even organic and grass-fed varieties.  

There have been a couple of studies linking milk to cancer:

Physicians Health Study, tracking 21,660 participants for 28 years, found increased risk of prostate cancer for men that consumed more than 2.5 servings of dairy a day. This was even true in cases where the men consumed low-fat dairy as well.(5)

Life after Cancer Epidemiology Study including 1,893 women who had been diagnosed with early-stage invasive breast cancer found that higher amounts of high-fat dairy consumption were associated with higher mortality rates. Half a serving a day also significantly increased this risk.(5)

So let's put aside for the moment the pus and blood allotments in milk, the fact that we are drinking another tortured animal's secretions and the links to cancer. Is this stuff actually healthy for you? That is a big fat NO. When The Federal Trade Commission asked the USDA for scientific proof of health claims made in the milk mustache ads, their scientist stated:

-Milk doesn't benefit sports performance

-There's no evidence that dairy is good for your bones or prevents osteoporosis. The animal protein may in fact help cause bone loss.

-Dairy is linked to prostate cancer and heart disease

-Dairy causes digestive problems for the 75% of people with lactose intolerance(4)

The Nurses Health Study, one of the largest studies conducted on women, followed 121,700 women since 1976 and then 116,000 since 1989, revealed that dairy may increase the risk of fractures up to 50%.(6)

Countries with the lowest consumption of dairy also have the lowest occurrence of osteoporosis (4) and breast cancer.(1) Once the western diet is introduced the breast cancer rates increase eightfold.(1) The reason for the low rates of osteoporosis in these countries is that the protein in milk actually impede the body's ability to absorb calcium. At this time vitamin D is actually showing more promise in preventing fractures.(4)

Don't hate the messenger. I love me some cheese too! However, now I only eat it on rare occasions and it must be organic, raw and hopefully grass-fed too, if I can afford it. My family and I haven't had milk in five years and use either almond or coconut milk instead. To be honest, the kids complained up a storm when I made the switch but now they love almond milk. As for calcium, vitamin D and healthy fats we take calcium and vitamin D supplements. Dark leafy greens, sesame seeds, chickpeas, parsley and almonds are all great dietary sources of calcium and of course the sun is the best source of vitamin D. The fats are the easiest to make sure we get enough of with olive oil, avocadoes, nuts, hemp and chia seeds and yes, even pastured butter. Which is totally dairy but we don't eat a lot and a girl has to have her vice. I will be writing on the importance of pastured foods in a future post but until then try to slowly lower the amount of dairy eaten on a daily basis. I don't expect you to quit cold turkey or to even give up dairy all together but to try and limit it as much as possible (helps lower your grocery bill too!). Your health is in your hands. Good luck and happy and safe eating!


Linked with the Simply Natural Saturdays series.

Sources:

1. Silverstone, Alicia, The Kind Diet. New York: Rodale Inc., 2009. Print.
2. http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesleadershipforum/2013/01/04/how-the-milk-industry-went-sour-and-what-every-business-can-learn-from-it/
3. http://notmilk.com/kradjian.html
4. http://drhyman.com/blog/2013/07/05/got-proof-lack-of-evidence-for-milks-benefits/
5. http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vegdiets/health-concerns-about-dairy-products

6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9224182

The Notorious G.M.O.

Photo courtesy ofhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-smith/throwing-biotech-lies-at_b_803139.html

The Institute for Responsible Technology lists 10 Reasons to Avoid GMO's. You can read the full article here but below is a brief summary of its key points:

 

1. Animal studies showed organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune systems disorders, accelerated aging and infertility. In addition, GM corn was found to be present in the blood of pregnant women and their unborn babies.
2. GMO contamination is indefinite. Cross-pollinating GMO seeds are starting to infect organic crops.
3. GMO's increase herbicide use.
4. GM plants can create a whole host of new toxins, allergens, carcinogens, and nutritional deficiencies.
5. The FDA does not require safety studies of GMO's or labeling.
6. The only testing being done on GMO's is from Monsanto funded research.
7. 3rd party research and reporting is attacked and suppressed.
8. GMO's are reducing bio-diversity in land, water and air.
9. GMO's do not increase crop yields.
10. Vote with your dollars. By not buying GMO products you are telling Monsanto- No thank you!

http://www.responsibletechnology.org/10-Reasons-to-Avoid-GMOs

 

 

What exactly is a GMO? It is an acronym for Genetically Modified Organism. The definition from nongmoproject.org states:

 

"GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals. These experimental combinations of genes from different species cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding."

From <http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/>

 

Meaning that they can take the DNA from a fish and splice it with DNA from a tomato plant. (Yummy- not.) I have heard the argument that crossbreeding is the same as GMO's but it is not. In crossbreeding you are working within the same species of plant or animal. Never mixing the two. Not only that but it has been time-tested as safe since humans have been doing this for hundreds of years. GMO's are mixing plant DNA with animal DNA with viruses and bacterial DNA, as well. This has never been done in the history of humanity and there have been little to no official safety tests done on GMO's. Even more, we have no idea what foods we buy that have been genetically modified because there is no labeling! Why is this you ask? First we have to take a look at the company that created GMO's- Monsanto. (Starts playing Darth Vader's theme song…)

 

Monsanto is an American chemical and agricultural company which is the leading producer of GMO seed. This company has also brought us such favorites as: DDT, PCB's, Agent Orange and recombinant bovine somatotrophin, a.k.a rBGH. (I highly recommend watching this video.)

 

In the last year there have been two bills proposed to label GMO's that are in our food and both failed to get passed. Monsanto donated $4.2 million to kill Proposition 37 in California and $4.8 million to kill I-522 in Washington state. (If that ticks you off as much as it did me then you can join Food Democracy Now, an online grassroots movement for safe food and let your voice be heard.) One would hope that if GMO's were truly dangerous to people then the FDA would put the kibosh on it. It turns out this GMO business is just a little more nefarious than one would believe.  The video below  is an excerpt from the documentary Food Inc. and quickly highlights what is called the revolving door between our government offices and Monsanto:

 

 

 

 

This is what we are up against folks. It is a steep up-hill battle but it is one that must be fought. As Americans we are told all the time about our freedoms and yet we don't even have the right to know what is in our food and if that food is safe and safe for our children and our children's children. This is so much more than freedom- this is human rights.

 

 

So how can we protect ourselves when there is no labeling of GMO's? Currently the only way to be sure that a food is not genetically modified is to buy organic. For those of us on a budget this is not always possible. No worries, there are still ways to avoid GMO's.

 

• Look for foods with the Verified NonGMO Project seal (as seen on the right). It is a 3rd party verification that the food you are purchasing doesn't contain any GMO's even if it is not organic .
• 80% of corn and 90% of soy in America is GMO. Only buy these products and products containing these ingredients if it is organic or Verified NonGMO. Yes, corn and soy is in everything packaged, it is estimated that 80% of package goods that are not organic are GMO. Another reason to make things from scratch and not out of a box.
• Do not purchase non-organic meat that is fed a grain diet. The grain is GMO and it does get passed down through the animal to you. Meat that was grass-fed is always the best option.
• Other foods with high GMO probability: sugar, aspartame (I really hope you are not consuming this in the first place but here is another reason not to), papayas, canola oil, cotton, dairy, zucchinis and yellow squash. Until labeling becomes law, buy these items organic to be safe.

 

  It is sad to note that when it comes to the developed world, the United States is severely lagging behind when it comes to safety regulations of GMO's. Here are some of the countries that ban the use of GMO's: Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Greece, Bulgaria, and newly joined Poland. There are 27 countries in all that have banned GMO's and 50 countries that require labeling of GMO's. With the higher-ups in key positions through out our government the only way we will get our labeling is to hit Monsanto where it hurts. By not buying their messed up GMO products and by letting your voice be heard by petitions and even by contacting your local state representative. Together we can make things happen.

 

What is Living Granola?

So how, exactly, does one live life like a breakfast cereal? True to it's heritage, back in the 60's when the hippie movement started, living a granola lifestyle encompassed ecological awareness, healthy living and safe, whole foods. As much as I respect my forebears and their granola munching ways for leading the way to healthy living in our modern world, I would be hard-pressed to call myself a hippie in any other aspect of my life. As a licensed esthetician and a beauty product junkie in general, I like the glam-side of life as well.

My first hurrah into this lifestyle actually started with beauty products. My son was just an infant when I read an article on parabens, a synthetic preservative, that was found in high concentrations of biopsied breast tumors that were malignant. I thought it prudent to start looking through my beauty care products to see which ones contained that ingredient. It turned out all of them had parabens and none as much as my son's Johnson & Johnson's baby products that had no less than five different parabens in them! One huge garbage bag of bottles to the curb later (note: the bottles were recycled) I started to take a good look at what was being used in or on or about my home and daily life. It turned out my home needed a major overhaul from beauty to cleaning to eating but I was quick to find out that the best and safest products were more likely than not to be out of my family's price range.

True story:  I thought paying over $5 for a bottle of shampoo was indulgent. My shopping cart looked like a well-played game of Tetris because all the coupons in the newspapers were for boxed goods. A bottle of Lysol could last me three months at like three bucks. So you can imagine my horror at my first Whole Foods shopping trip when the bill came to over $100 for like ten items. Seriously, did they just quadruple ring me for something? Nope, that supposedly was the cost of safe living- but a cost that we could not afford on a day to day basis. There had to be another way. The last seven years for me have been trial and error and error and error, etc. and while this lifestyle can never be deemed as frugal living, I have learned some things along the way to make it attainable and more important- doable. I hope you join me on this blog as I share what I have learned and continue to learn in Living Life Granola.

What Does Organic Really Mean?

What Does Organic Really Mean?

The prominence of organic goods has definitely grown in scope since I started on this journey seven years ago. Even though this is due in large part to consumer demand there still seems to be a lot of confusion on what exactly organic means and how it effects our health and the health of our planet. Let's start by looking at the definition of organic from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) website:

 

What is organic? Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.   From <http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop>

 

Did you catch the part about sewage sludge? That is what is being used on conventional (not using organic practices to grow) produce. Throw up in your mouth a little bit? I know I did. Besides the obvious gross factor, the impact of all the synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides being used is causing havoc on our ecological systems. From Wikipedia's pesticide page:

 

• "Pesticides were found to pollute every stream and over 90% of wells sampled in a study by the US Geological Survey".¹

 

• "Pesticide residues have also been found in rain and groundwater."²

 

• "The United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service estimate that between 6 and 14 million fish are killed by pesticides each year in the US."³

 

• "The USDA and USFWS estimate that over 67 million birds are killed by pesticides each year in the US."³

 

• "Some scientists believe that certain common pesticides already exist at levels capable of killing amphibians in California. They warn that the breakdown products of these pesticides can be 10 to 100 times more toxic to amphibians than the original pesticides".⁴

 

This is just some of the impact these synthetic chemicals have on our environment, which is scary enough- but how do they effect us? From the same Wikipedia pesticide page:

 

• "The National Academy of Sciences estimates that between 4,000 and 20,000 cases of cancer are caused per year by pesticide residues in food in allowable amounts."³  (Yes, that actually says in allowable amounts!)

 

Three studies back in 2011 showed pesticide exposure from either consumption, inhalation or skin absorption had a more likely chance of fetuses being born with a lower IQ and having memory and attention problems. This is also true for babies already born and small children. The pesticides disrupt the brain's sensitive hard-drive, setting the stage for these issues. Additional studies in 2010 linked pesticides to ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) as well.⁵

 

Scientist are just scratching the surface when it comes to discovering how exactly these synthetic chemicals are damaging our bodies and their overall long-term effects to the environment and future generations.  With the way politics are played in this country and because of who controls the purse strings when it comes to this type of research, it may be a long time coming before we have any decent amount of evidence against the use of these chemicals.

 

What we can do now, however, is vote with our dollars. Every time you buy organic fruit or meat you are telling Big Agriculture that you want and expect safe and nourishing food. It may seem like a drop of water in the pond but consumer demand has raised organic industry sales up 9.7% from 2009 to approaching $29 billion in 2010.6 Your vote counts!

 

Organics can come at a premium. This is due in part because it is more expensive to grow and maintain organic crops- and the expenses get passed down to the consumer. The other part being that there are not many options when it comes to purchasing organic foods.  There is just not a lot of competition when it comes to the selling of organic products. Hopefully once more demand is placed on the industry, prices will start to fall. In the meantime here are a few tips to make organic more affordable:

 

• Definitely buy organic if it is in the dirty dozen. EWG.org has listed the twelve most contaminated fruit and vegetables that even after washing and peeling, still retain a significant amount of pesticides and herbicides. EWG also has an app for your phone so you can have this list on the go, too!
• If you have to buy conventional produce, wash and peel before eating. Pesticides and herbicides concentrate in the peels and skins of fruits and vegetables.
• Buy produce in season. It is usually on sale and is much lower in cost then it would be at any other time during the year.
• With the exceptions of Trader Joes and Meijer's, Whole Foods organic produce is cheaper than my chain grocery store. (Who would have thought?) I have quality issues with Trader Joes and Meijer's produce and would rather pay the $1/lb extra to Whole Foods to have it last longer. That being said, the other two stores do have great deals on organic produce- but it's a crap-shoot on whether or not it is going to last more than 2 days.
•  Skip the boxed, processed organic items and make your own. This is where the prices can really get inflated. While an organic cookie might be safer than its conventional counterpart, it is still a sugar-laden over-processed junk food. Do not assume organic = health food. (I know- bummer.)
• Shop outside of your grocery store. By typing in your zip code at Localharvest.org you might be surprised to find how many local farms and co-ops are in your area. Knowing exactly where and who is growing your food is the best way to ensure safety and quality. I also found it to be the most economical choice for pastured eggs, milk and raw cheese- the cost is almost half the amount of what I would pay for these goods at Whole Foods. It is important to note that most of these farmers and co-ops are not certified organic by the USDA because it is a time-consuming and expensive endeavor, especially for the small farmer. However,  they still use organic practices to grow and raise their goods. This is usually why these items are priced more competitively than the organic products with the USDA seal.

 

This all can be quite overwhelming at first and beyond stressful if you are on a tight budget. Remember that stress and worry will kill you faster than a non-organic diet will. Staying away from processed foods (organic ones too!), eating as fresh as possible and organic when you can will go a long way towards your health. Be happy for the changes you make today, be excited for the changes you plan for the future and make sure to check back in for more tips and recipes to make this lifestyle more affordable!

 

References:

 

1. Gilliom, RJ, Barbash, JE, Crawford, GG, Hamilton, PA, Martin, JD, Nakagaki, N, Nowell, LH, Scott, JC, Stackelberg, PE, Thelin, GP, and Wolock, DM (February 15, 2007), The Quality of our nation’s waters: Pesticides in the nation’s streams and ground water, 1992–2001. Chapter 1, Page 4. US Geological Survey. Retrieved on September 13, 2007

 

2. Kellogg RL, Nehring R, Grube A, Goss DW, and Plotkin S (February 2000), Environmental indicators of pesticide leaching and runoff from farm fields. United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved on 2007-10-03

 

3. Miller GT (2004), Sustaining the Earth, 6th edition. Thompson Learning, Inc. Pacific Grove, California. Chapter 9, Pages 211-216

 

4. ScienceDaily (June 25, 2007), Breakdown products of widely used pesticides are acutely lethal to amphibians, study finds. Sciencedaily.com. Retrieved on September 17, 2007

 

5. http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20110421/pesticide-exposure-in-womb-linked-to-lower-iq

 

6. http://www.ota.com/organic/mt/business.html