Posts Tagged ‘Anti Oxidants’

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Food prices have risen faster in recent years than ever before. As many of us are feeling the pinch, it is time to reevaluate some of our food purchases. The term “organic” has been thrown around in the shopping aisles like sprinkles on the jelly donut you’re trying to avoid. It seems like hundreds of new “organic” products have emerged, all with a price tag about 30% higher than the regular option. Is it really worth the extra money, or are we all being duped with a clever marketing campaign to get us to buy essentially the same thing for a lot more?

It is true that organic growing practices are a lot better for the environment. So if you’re swayed by that fact alone, go organic. You actually are supporting practices that benefit the environment. If you want to go deeper into the nutritional value of organic vs. regular foods, research is mixed on that topic. Some studies suggest a higher level of anti-oxidants in organic foods. But other studies have failed to find a significant difference in anti-oxidant levels. The nutritional quality of fruits and vegetables goes down as soon as it is picked. You could argue that a cucumber that was picked yesterday and sold at a farmer’s market has more nutritional value than one that was picked 3 weeks ago and flown across the country to your local supermarket. Overall, it is hard to make a case for organic fruits and vegetables containing higher nutrient levels. Both organic and regular varieties offer similar nutrient content and health benefits.

One argument that does hold some weight is the fact that regular fruits and vegetables are grown with pesticides and herbicides. There is residue from these toxic substances that can build up in the body over time. This increases the risk of cancer and can cause other health complications like fertility problems.

Apples, peaches, and bell peppers have consistently shown the highest herbicide and pesticide residue. The lowest on the list are onions, avocados, and frozen corn.

If you avoid the top 12 on the list of foods that have the highest pesticide residue, you can actually reduce your herbicide and pesticide exposure by 90%.

Here are the top 12 to avoid.

Peaches
Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Pears
Imported Grapes
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes

The best way to eat healthy without breaking the bank is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and to be smart about the balance between organic and regular. Try to buy them in season in the location where you live because they will be fresher. If the organic is close to the price of the regular option, picking organic is better for you and better for the environment. In the case that the organic option is just far too expensive, try to avoid the top 12 with consistently high levels of herbicides and pesticides and you should be in great shape.

Another important diet tip for protection against unwanted diseases is to take a daily multivitamin. Combined with lots of fruits and vegetables every day, a multivitamin will insure you’re getting plenty of all of the essential vitamins and minerals that you need to feel healthy and invigorated every day.

Organic vegetable gardening seems to be the trend these days as more people have become conscious of what they are eating. This is because conventional methods which involve the use of harmful chemicals may enter our systems.

In order to control the problem, the US Department of Agriculture has issues a new directive. This encourages farmers to shift to organic farming.

With organic farming, farmers will no longer need to plant crops using genetic engineering, irradiation and sewage sludge. Instead, this will be replaced with crop rotation.

Crop rotation is the practice of planting a different crop in the same area where another crop once occupied. This keeps the soil’s nutrients fertile so it can be used again in the following season.

If you think about it, this approach is easier said than done as farmers are accustomed to the old ways of doing it. To help them change their minds, the government offers incentives and subsidies to farmers who decide to follow this plan.

But the main reason why organic vegetable gardening is so important is the fact that the crops harvested have 50% more nutrients and vitamins compared to that of conventional farming methods.

This means the food they consume will reduce the risk of people suffering from a number of diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers.

Children who drink milk will be able to get more anti-oxidants, CLA, Omega 3 and vitamins when this is extracted from pastured grazed cows that will really strengthen their bones and muscles.

You can buy organically grown vegetables from the supermarket. The sad part is the almost everywhere you go, although the packaging comes from Department of Health, Quality Assurance International, California Certified Organic Farmers or the Oregon Tilth Farm Verified Organic, most of these are only 50% to 70% organic.

This is why homeowners who want to eat 100% organic vegetables are encouraged to grow these themselves.

There are two ways to make this happen. First, you buy the seedlings until they grow so you can harvest the. Second, you buy them fully grown and then just plant it into the ground.

Most people prefer the first because it makes them proud to know that what is served on the table was done from scratch.

In both cases, you have to prepare the soil, use compost and make sure that these are safe from threats such as insects, weeds and other animals that will eat what you have planted.

You can fight these with other animals, insects, organic fertilizers, deodorant soap and a few other items which you can find out after doing some research.

For those who don’t have a big garden, they can try growing these organically grown vegetables in containers. They require more water than those planted in the soil so give doses frequently.

There is no doubt that organic vegetables and other products are important these days. If you value your health and those of your family you can buy these from the store or plant it yourself.

For those who decide to buy organically grown vegetables, remember to wash before cooking them. This will remove any harmful substances or residue that may still be there which is invisible to the naked eye.