Debunking Organic Food Myths

If this is healthy- why is he wearing a mask?

I never really know if I should laugh or cry when I hear someone talk about "regular" vs organic food. We come up with lots of reasons for not buying organic: cost, availability, not visually appealing, and so on. The organic section in the grocery store is called "health" food. What does that make the rest of it? Yes, you got it - unhealthy food. The truth is...organic food is REAL food that has not been doused in bug spray and weed killer or worse had it genetically fused into it.

The 2 biggest things I hear why someone doesn't eat organic:

  1.  There isn't really any difference. They just want more money.
    Well, if I handed you an apple and told you I hosed it in bug spray first, would you eat it? I don't think so. If I gave you a choice of 2 apples and one had bug spray and the other cost 30 cents more which would you choose? I have posted before about the damage pesticides and herbicides do to the hormone system. The 30 cents somehow seems insignificant after reading this.
  2.  It costs too much to eat organic.
     This one is a bit tricky to just throw out. Yes- real food costs more per fruit or vegetable BUT you also get more nutrition out of it so after a couple months of eating real food your appetite will naturally drop and the cost of food per month will not really change. This is also a very short sighted response. Is it better to save a few bucks now and spend vastly higher amounts on unnecessary illnesses, lost time at school or work due to doctor's visits, and generally lower health status?

Real Food Has No Bug Spray!

The good new is that there are solutions:
  1.  I very highly recommend my friends at Terra-Organics for a great way to shop for fruits, veggies, and some other miscellaneous items. You tell them what you want and they deliver it. It doesn't get much easier than that.

  2.  Use the web to find great recipes with lower cost items. I love a black bean chili (in fact, I have a pot full on the stove right now simmering for dinner). Beans are an amazing source of high quality protein. Great for lowering cholesterol, improving your waist line, and saving money.

  3.  Most importantly: Decide to be okay with it! 100 years ago almost 25% of a family's annual income was spent on food. Today it is closer to 10%. Food (and I use the term loosely) has become overly-available and inexpensive and we are paying for it with our waist lines and our health.

As always, I remain available to answer questions one-on-one or in a group health talk. Reaching me is easy.  Stay healthy my friends.

In health,
Dr. Christian Cohen