Buy Organic
It couldn’t have been scripted better. Without any comments from me, my soft-spoken 21-year-old niece picked up one of Colorado farmer Steve Ela’s peaches, took a bite, and exclaimed, “This is the best peach I’ve ever had in my life!” And then, of course, I couldn’t resist launching into my speech about why it was so good, starting with “It’s organic.”
Those of us who eat organic know how wonderful it tastes. But a growing body of research is proving (what many of us already believe) that organic foods are in fact more nutritious than conventional foods. In a report released last March by the Organic Center, a Colorado-based organization that supports organic research, with co-authors from Washington State and Florida Universities, researchers analyzed 97 studies that compared the nutrient levels of organic versus conventional foods. The most comprehensive look at organics since 2003, the study concluded that organic foods are up to 25 percent more nutrient dense then their conventional counterparts, and that they are particularly rich in polyphenols and antioxidants.
Organic starts with farmers like Steve Ela who take a financial risk, because it takes three years to convert conventional farmlands into soils that qualify as USDA organic. When you buy national, regional, or local organic food you are voting with your dollars to help support these dedicated growers. For more reasons to go organic and a guide to buying organic, check out Delicious Living’s organic shopping guide. Or check out the Organic Center’s Organic Essentials pocket guide for reducing pesticide dietary exposure.
Related Topics: Food, Green Living, Nutrition, From the Editors
October 1st, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I love Ela Farms. Their butters are awesome. I use them instead of syrup on french toast. No extra ingredients either, only fruit!
October 8th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I started buying organic strawberries this year, and I couldn’t believe the difference in the taste. It was like eating my first strawberry from the patch when I was young all over again. Can’t get enough of ‘em.
