Going Organic: What You Need To Know And Why

During tough economic times, it's hard to stay on track and stick to a healthy lifestyle while our bank accounts get squeezed. Choosing to go organic can become increasingly difficult because of this, as the temptation for super cheap processed food becomes even more attractive.

People always ask how in the world is it possible to eat healthy without breaking the bank. Indeed, it’s a brilliant question and one I hope to answer below. Here are some healthy pointers that will empower you to stay healthy on a low budget.

Transitioning To Organic Food

While transitioning to organic, the food products that contain the most pesticides and toxins are the ones you want to focus on avoiding first. Beyond vegetable and fruit produce, the foods that contain the most toxins are conventionally raised meats.

Conventionally raised livestock are force-fed feed that contains pesticides, and they are also supplemented with antibiotics. This is to stave off disease in CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) or to make them gain weight faster. In addition to this, most conventionally raised livestock are fed GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, which studies are conclusively shown to be linked to certain health problems.

The main issue with pesticides and antibiotics is that after the animals consume these pathogens, they get stored in the animal’s fat and tissues. And when you consume the meat or produce, you’re also consuming chemical residue. It’s doubly shameful because so much of meat’s flavour is in the fat!

On the other hand, eating organic/grass-fed meats is extra pleasurable because you do not have to worry about the toxic load in the fat. And good thing; there are tons of valuable nutrients in it.

Top Recommendations

Grass-fed, organically raised meats, milk, and pastured eggs would be my top initial recommendations. Usually, organic chicken is the least expensive meat available, so you may stick with that.

Grass-fed beef is very nutritious, containing high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and even more antioxidants vitamin E than conventionally raised cattle. It tastes better and is leaner than most other options, so every once in a while some clean beef is what I put on the menu! Grass-fed beef, pastured chickens, and pastured chicken eggs contain significantly higher amounts of animal-based omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.

If you’re going to buy conventionally grown eggs, try to avoid buying the omega-3 fortified eggs. Most of the time, they feed these chickens omega-3 that has gone rancid. Therefore, their true benefit for you is not exactly the same as advertised. Go for grass-fed, pastured chicken eggs. You’ll notice, they also taste better, and are the more nutritious option.

Rising Food Cost And Limited Budget

When you are on a limited budget, you have to get the biggest bang for your buck. Even though buying organic may cost more in the long run, these preventative measures are likely to save you a lot in healthcare costs down the road. Eating organic and eating clean as much as possible is akin to taking medicine to me, the preventative kind; not the kinds that mask symptoms after you’re already sick…

To deal with rising food costs that make organic food even more expensive, I recommend allocating your money towards only buying conventional produce that doesn't require many pesticides to grow, seeking organic produces, which if conventionally grown, would contain otherwise comparatively many more toxins.

Even though organic produce may or may not potentially have higher levels of nutrients, the biggest benefit is that organic produce will not expose to you potentially dangerous toxins. A simple vinegar rinse can help remove significant amounts of toxic residue, which should be used on both organic and conventional produce.

If You Like Juicing...

It is especially important to take effective measures if you are consuming most of your vegetables and fruits through juicing. This is because you are only consuming the juice and not much of the fibre and the juice itself could end up being a concoction of toxins if you haven’t taken steps to limit the amount of exposure you have to these pesticides and other poisons. Not doing so would negate many of the benefits of juicing.

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