Where to shop
The first time I walked into a health food market was intimidating and confusing. I didn’t see anything I recognized, and I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to get everything on my list when I had no idea where to begin. Here’s the secret I learned that day: the brands may look different, but the categories are all the same. Here are the differences I have found when shopping for organic products.
Conventional market: Pro – it’s your regular store so you are comfortable and know where most things are located. They usually have a natural alternative for pretty much every category you can think of. Con – the organic products tend to be priced higher than conventional products. Also, there are a limited number of natural brands, so your options are pared down. (This could be a pro though, if you overanalyze like me!)
Health food market: Pro – a large variety of organic products and staff that is knowledgeable about organic food. You can pretty much choose anything off the shelf, and for the most part it will be a cleaner product than at the conventional market. Con – brands that are unfamiliar can make it difficult to choose, and there is definitely a lot of trial and error with new foods when starting out. Marketing does tend to take a lot longer as well, as there is such a wide variety of products. (Which again can be a pro or a con.)
Farmer’s market: Pro – fresh organic fruits and vegetables at reasonable prices, fun outing for the family. You can also try products that are not available anywhere else and as a bonus, you can support local farms and businesses which I love. Con – beware of the fresh produce that is not marked “certified organic” as this produce is just the same as shopping in a conventional grocery store and is not organic. Also, you cannot get all of your products here, depending on your grocery list for that week, so you might have to make an extra stop to pick those up.
Buying organic
OK. I’m a planner. So, I recommend making a list of the items you are going to switch first so when you head to the store, you know where to steer your cart.
I always look for products that are labeled with the USDA Certified Organic symbol. The United States Department of Agriculture has set federal standards that must be met in order for a product to receive the green circular stamp.
Below I have added some standards that achieve the USDA Organic certification. Feel free to skim over it, but I thought I would include it for anyone who was interested.
Some of the factors that go into the certification include soil practices (the soil must be free of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides for three years prior to harvest), animals must be fed 100% organic food, permitted to graze freely for the entire grazing season (and no less than 120 days) with 30% of their feed from pasture, have access to the outdoors year-round, and must not receive growth hormones or antibiotics. For processed foods, the USDA certification means that the product will not contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. A product bearing the USDA Certification is at least 95% organic. A “made with organic” product must have at least 70% organic content.
Natural and organic – what is the difference?
Beware. Natural is not organic. The USDA standards do not apply to foods that are marketed as “natural.” These foods may have fewer artificial colors or flavors, but there is no guarantee as to the quality of the farming or processing of the product. I recommend reading the label. The ingredients will be listed in order of amounts, meaning that the first item listed makes up the largest percentage in the product. Natural products may have some organic ingredients but do not reach the 70% needed to include “made with organic” on the label.
I also look for labels bearing the Non-GMO Project Verified label. If you see the butterfly Non-GMO Project Verified label, you can be sure that the product has met the independent nonprofit organization’s Non-GMO Standard. Note that is the not the same as organic.
1. Fruits: You might have heard about the Dirty Dozen – the twelve non-organic fruits and vegetables that contain the most toxic pesticides that remain even after washing. Environmental Working Group (EWG) has analyzed data from the FDA and the Department of Agriculture to inform and educate the public about the safety of non-organic fruits and vegetables. This list is narrowed down to the twelve most toxic. Switching these fruits to organic is recommended: strawberries, nectarines, apples, grapes, cherries, peaches, pears, tomatoes. Of these, non-organic strawberries contain the most residue pesticides even after washing.
2. Vegetables: Four vegetables make the Dirty Dozen list. According to EWG’s research, these veggies are contaminated with the highest levels of pesticide residues even after scrubbing or peeling: spinach, kale (and collard and mustard greens), bell and hot peppers, celery. Switching to organic produce for these items will guarantee that you are reducing the pesticide residues in your children’s little bodies.
3. Eggs and dairy: Organic eggs come from hens that are raised in a more humane environment than conventional hens. These hens are free roaming, are not treated with antibiotics, and their feed is organic and non-GMO. Organic milk is produced from cows that are free grazing, on pesticide-free, GMO-free grasses. As an added benefit, organic milk contains 62% more healthy omega-3 fatty acids than conventional milk (and 25% less omega-6 which produces higher cholesterol). For more on the benefits of organic dairy, Whole Foods Market has some excellent resources.
For non-dairy milks, I look for organic or non-GMO choices.
4. Meat and Poultry: Organic meat and poultry also have the same standards for free grazing/foraging on pesticide free, GMO-free grasses, and the animals are not treated with antibiotics or growth hormones. Look for organic, free-range meats at your store.
5. Shampoo: This is the only category on this list that is not food-related, but I believe it’s really important. Reading the label on conventional shampoos, there is one ingredient that frequently appears in the first or second position: sodium lauryl sulfate. SLS is linked to cancer and endocrine disruption. Many conventional shampoos also contain phthalates and parabens. Pregnant women and children are especially vulnerable to phthalates which can cause endocrine disruption and ADHD. Parabens have been shown to cause endocrine disruption and cancer (specifically breast cancer). I look for shampoos that are free of SLS, phthalates, and parabens. Check back for a blog post about my favorite shampoos!
This Week’s Challenge
If you are using any of these conventional products, I challenge you to switch at least one of the things on the list this week. You can always switch more than one, but this is a great start to get the ball rolling on your organic journey. Let me know what you swap and how it goes. I’d love to hear from you!
xo,
The Faithful Organic