How important is it to eat organic?

Whenever I give health seminars, I like to remind my audience that environmental factors such as pollution and pesticides are a huge cause of something called free radical damage which leads to an underlying inflammatory state in our bodies and chronic degenerative disease. Many nutritional specialists encourage us to eat organic as much as possible, to reduce our exposure to pesticides and other additives that are being added to our foods.

If a food product is labeled “100% Certified Organic” and carrying the “Canadian or USDA Organic” seal it must adhere to a strict legal standard that is certified by third-party agencies. To be considered “certified organic” organically produced foods also must be produced without the use of: antibiotics, artificial growth hormones, high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes (made from coal tar and petrochemicals), artificial sweeteners derived from chemicals, synthetically created chemical pesticide and fertilizers, genetically engineered proteins and ingredients-GMOS’s, sludge from sewage-yuck and irradiation.

I would encourage you to invest a bit extra in your health by purchasing certified organic produce when you can. Right now, we are entering into the best growing season of the year out west so take advantage of the wonderful local produce that is labeled certified organic. You will obtain many more vitamins and minerals from your fruits and veggies if you can consume what are grown within a 100 mile radius to where you live.

On another blog I will tell you what happens to our food when it is shipped but for today I would like to share the top foods that should be eaten from a certified organic source.

The DIRTY DOZEN PESTICIDE LADEN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES!!

I get a lot of good resources from the Environmental Working Group. The EWG analyzed pesticide residue testing data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration to come up with rankings for these popular fresh produce items. Here are their 12 most important foods to eat from an organic source: