What is Organic...Exactly?

Organic, free-range and wild-caught foods. We see these items in the store or hear about them, but what are they exactly?

Other than being one of the healthiest types of food, they are also environmentally friendly because they reduce the amount of toxins in our water, soil, and air.  That is the main reason many people are switching to it.  They want to live an eco-friendly life. It is definitely important to take care of our earth and this is a perfect way to start.

Organic food is defined as having been produced without the use of chemical fertilizers or artificial pesticides. You do need to be way though, and look for the seal that states it is certified organic. In produce, the SKU# will have a 9 preceding the other digits. (ex: 4109 vs 94109, the number without the 9 is not organic)

Free Range Meats/Eggs
This is simply what it says. The animal was allowed to graze on the lands that were not sprayed with pesticides. This is for cattle, turkey, chicken and other animals like the pig or buffalo. They are also hormone free.

Wild-Caught Fish
A study was done regarding "farmed" salmon vs. "wild" salmon. It was found that the farmed variety had 16 times the amount of PCB's that is found in wild salmon, 4 times the level in beef, and 3 times the amount found in other seafood. It is definitely not recommended to eat farmed fish more than 1 time per month because of the content of toxins. Stay on the wild side. (ie: wild pacific/wild Alaskan salmon)

What do you do when organic is not available?

1. Look for thicker peels.  The thicker the skin, the less pesticides can penetrate through. Bananas, citrus fruits, pineapples and melons all would be safe because you remove the peels before eating.

2. Watch the thin peels. High levels of pesticide residue are on produce such as; apples, grapes, berries, nectarines, potatoes, peppers, celery, and spinach. You will find it difficult to peel the skin, so it is recommended to buy organic.

3. No peel. what about Lettuce and broccoli? Best thing to do is peel off the outer layer of the leaves. For broccoli, organic is best but if it is not available please wash it well.

4. Wash your produce. You can wash wax off of your apples and such with a natural bio-degradable cleanser or a mild detergent.

5. Soak your produce. Remove the wax and pesticides by soaking your produce in the sink filled with cold water and a tablespoon of 35% food-grade hydrogen peroxide for about 10 minutes. Please rinse well.  Lemon juice can be substituted for the peroxide.