The answer is this: While organic is always good, there are other factors to consider to make sure you're eating the best organic food available. There are many, many factors that contribute to the quality of the food you eat: freshness, nutrient content, soil, water, exposure to toxins or chemicals, the specific plant variety, etc. It also matters what you DO with the food once you buy it. Are you going to cook it, and if so, how are you going to cook it?
This blog post will explain how to pick the best quality food that is available to you. I promise I’ll write another blog that discusses how to maintain the high nutrient content of your food when cooking it!
If you’re interested in consuming the best quality food, here are some guidelines to remember for the food you choose:
-Pick food that has been grown locally, or at least as close to where you live as possible. This means that the food is going to be fresher, since the food will spend far less time in transit between the day it was picked and the day that you eat it.
-Pick food that is non-GMO. This is key. When it comes to GMO foods, the government of the United States has not enacted strict authorization mandates & labeling requirements like the EU, but we have private organizations like www.nongmoprogject.org that have created a labeling system that is easy for you to follow. While there is much more research that needs to be done in order to understand the impact of GMO food on humans, there is significant evidence that GMO food products can lead to reproductive issues, among other things. Right now, most of the GMO food research that we have has only been carried out on mice. So this means that we need to do a LOT more research!
-Pick food that is organic. Organic food does not mean that it has not been sprayed with pesticides. It simply means that if it has been sprayed with pesticides, that they were organic pesticides as opposed to synthetic chemical pesticides that contain cancer-causing chemicals or compounds that are very difficult for your body to filter out. Are organic pesticides better for you than synthetic chemical pesticides? Yes, actually. The evidence is overwhelmingly conclusive: you do not want synthetic chemical pesticides in your body. Organic pesticides are much better for the environment as well, having far less negative impact on ecosystems than synthetic chemical pesticides.
-Pick food that comes from chemical-free farms. This is ideal. Some organic farms are chemical free, but it’s not super common… YET. If you can find some organic chemical-free farms in your area or your state, try purchasing your produce from them. Supporting this movement will help it expand. Maybe it’s not necessary that I say this, but I’m going to point this out anyway: You want to avoid putting unnecessary chemicals in your body. Remember, there are 3 things that scientists have noticed about people who live in Blue Zones where we see the biggest populations of people over 100… these people have 3 things in common: high nutrient content in their bodies, low inflammation in their bodies, & very low levels of toxins in their bodies. If you want to live a long life, you might want to limit the toxins that are going in your body, & eating chemical-free food is one way to do this.
-Pick food that is sold at Farmer’s Markets. Buying directly from farmers is often the freshest food you can purchase, aside from going in your backyard and picking your food moments before you eat it! When you purchase at Farmer’s Markets, you also have access to many heirloom varieties of produce that are not normally sold in grocery stores. This will add variety to your diet, which, over time, can greatly increase the nutrient density in your body. Not only will you be able to benefit from variety & increased nutrient density, you will also be able to get to know the farmers who are growing your food. Why is this important? Because you can ask them about their farming techniques. This will help you decide if their food is something you want to eat. There are endless farming techniques in the world, & finding out the details of the who, what, where, when, why, & how of your food will help you make the decisions that are right for YOU.
-Pick food that is in season, wherever it’s being grown. This means that your food will enjoy an ideal growing season that will contribute to maximum ripeness & nutrient content. If you’re wondering what kinds of produce are in season in your area, here’s a guide that allows you to search your state, month, & whatever food you’re looking for!
https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org/
-Pick food that is regeneratively farmed. This is the most sustainable type of farming, because it takes into account not only the quality of the food, but also the impact that the farming techniques have on the environment. There are lots of organic farming operations across the United States that are practicing regenerative farming, & this trend is only expanding. So exciting! Support a local regenerative farm in YOUR area!
-Pick food that is hydroponically farmed, especially if you’re living in an area dominated by farmland that has been poisoned with toxins. Toxins to avoid include PFAS chemicals or any kind or harmful chemicals that have been leaked, dumped, or sprayed into the air or ground. What this means is that your hydroponically-grown food will not be gaining it’s nutrients from the soil, but rather water that has the appropriate nutrients for the produce. Food can be grown hydroponically indoors or outdoors using setups that cycle water through the roots of the plants. Hydroponic farming is a sector of food production that is expanding rapidly, especially in areas with long winters or scarce farmland. For example, I toured a facility in New Jersey that is producing hundreds of thousands of pounds of greens in several large warehouses. Is hydroponic farming the future of farming? Maybe in some areas of the world!
In conclusion, there are many ways to pick healthy ORGANIC food to eat, and only YOU can research where your food is coming from… no one else is going to do it for you! If you have any questions about fresh Farmer’s Markets in your area, or would like to share any cool foods or recipes, feel free to reach out & share by clicking HERE!
Wishing you ALL the Future Love in the Universe,
Carolyn, Future Love Founder