By Colleen Huber, Naturopathyworks

A common perception is that whole organic food is so expensive that it is out-of-budget for the average family or even for the average single consumer. It is also commonly perceived that the average grocery purchase of processed foods at a neighborhood supermarket, using the store discounts, makes the processed food diet within the budget of most families.

If you go along with those who accept the above hypothesis on faith, you may be quite surprised by what you find in this article.

Knowing what I spend on groceries in an average week for my all whole-food, mostly organic-eating family, I had to test the conventional wisdom for myself. So one day in January 2005 I went to a typical supermarket right around the corner from me to see how the other half lives ...

Jotting down in my notebook many processed foods as well as their weights and prices, with all the store savings, I prepared a long list of foods from which I could construct a hypothetical week's worth of processed food for a family of three.

Below you will find a menu of all processed food items for a week, and a list of prices for all the groceries that I hypothetically bought. Then I assembled my hypothetical purchases into a meal plan for a family of three, which you will see below, along with the price list.

Following that, you will find a week's menu and price list for mostly organic, all whole-food meals for the same family of three.

For the sake of simplicity and realistic comparison, I stuck to the following constraints:

There are no leftovers from before the beginning of the week, nor saved at the end (empty refrigerator beginning and end, and no throwing out food; everything purchased gets eaten by the three hypothetical family members).

Unless specified otherwise, all beverage consumption is water.

There are no separate snacks, except for Sunday afternoon, unless an individual saves part of a meal to snack on later.

Neither the cheapest generic brands, nor the most expensive brands were chosen, but rather a brand in the middle, especially if it was on sale.

Portions are listed per family member of a three-person family, although the heartiest appetite in the family may consume some part of the portion left by the smallest appetite. It is assumed that everyone eats the same food at the same time everyday, and that the six ounces of soda at every lunch is either carried in a thermos to work or school, or that this family is on vacation at home, eating every meal at home together and pouring their soda directly from a large bottle kept in the refrigerator.

It is assumed that no family member is deliberately restricting calories, or is otherwise restricting any type of food.

The cold bottled coffee at breakfast may seem a bit extravagant, but consider that this replaces visits to coffee shops or any other form of coffee or tea or recreational beverage. Also, the all-processed food family does not get milk with their cereal, but rather cold, bottled, sugared coffee.

Now consider a menu prepared entirely from whole, organic and free-range foods. One might consider such a diet to be extravagantly expensive. Yet the cost for a week's worth of organic whole food groceries for a family of three is about the same as for the "cheap" processed food.

The same rules apply as with the processed food. No leftovers from the beginning of the week or saved at the end (empty refrigerator beginning and end, with no waste). No restaurant eating or take-out. No beverages other than water. No snacks except for what one person may save for later from his/her apportioned meal. No deliberate calorie restriction, and everyone eats until full.

All meals are listed for one person only of a three-person family, assuming that those with larger appetites may have more, and those of smaller appetites may have an equal amount less, in order to balance out to the average portions listed below.

A significant difference is that the processed food eating family gets a dessert of an ice cream bar, while the whole food eating family gets no dessert. The whole food eating family, however, generally gets much bigger meal portions. The reason behind this is partly demographic realism: those who eat denatured food are missing nutrients that they seek in desserts and other denatured foods, whereas whole food eaters feel completely full when eating in proper proportions for their metabolic types.

We made no attempt to quantify the salad ingredients. Fresh plants and salads are such anarchy of ingredients, they defy standardization. Cooking large meals with whole foods is a little trickier to quantify than packages of pre-weighed processed foods.

The difference is made up in the leftovers. For example, the large crockpot chicken stew at the beginning of the week, the eggplant curry in the middle of the week, and the roast beef at the end are massive enough not only for everyone's dinner, but also for two days' lunches as well, with generous one-pound portions. The one-pound portions of stew are about half added water by weight.

Both the salmon dinners and squash-and-broccoli raab dinners are small enough that the leftovers put together make just one lunch for the family. The advantage to cooking enormous crockpot or Dutch oven meals, with subsequent leftovers, is that although it is more time-consuming to prepare whole food from scratch, it is easier just to do it in fewer larger amounts during the week. If this still seems daunting, please see my article, Cook Whole Food from Scratch, and Keep Your Day Job.

You will notice the savings of $1.22 with a mostly organic, whole-food diet. In fact, our organic food price list shows higher than realistic prices in two ways: The prices shown are at retail health food stores in the Phoenix area. But also in this area, there are at least three organic food-buying groups, with prices for organic produce at about $1.00 per pound.

To find organic food buying groups, co-ops, health food stores, local retail farms and farmers markets in your area, see localharvest.com.

Furthermore, if you have a backyard, especially here in the Southwest, you can save further in ways that processed food eaters can't: Almost all year we grow salad greens, herbs, braising greens of some kind and/or various squashes. (The salad herbs oregano, thyme, mint and parsley never quit here in any season!)

Subtracting the prices of what we are currently pulling out of our backyard garden from what is on the sample menu:

Which means we spend only $122.42 - $5.07 = $117.35 in an average week for a three-person family, which is $6.29 less than the family eating all processed food.

Of course, gardeners in colder climates tend to have really prolific harvests in summer and fall, which is when they will realize much better savings. Processed food eaters are entirely dependent on commercial supply, no matter what the season.

However, the biggest savings of the whole-food eating family has yet to be calculated, as we consider the difference in medical care needs between whole food eaters on the one hand, and those who will continue eating for decades such chemicals as MSG (a.k.a. hydrolyzed wheat protein and several other names), carcinogens or nerve poisons (a.k.a. pesticides), sugar, aspartame and other sweeteners, as well as margarine and other trans-fatty acids, to name some of the most infamous processed food ingredients.

As a wise saying goes, the best reason to eat organic is that pesticides don't know when to stop killing.

Now answer honestly: Can you afford NOT to eat whole organic food?

Colleen Huber, 46, is a wife, mother and student at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Ariz., where she is training to be a naturopathic physician. Her original research on the mechanism of migraines has appeared in Lancet and Headache Quarterly, and was reported in The Washington Post.

Her double blind placebo controlled research in homeopathy has appeared in Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy, European Journal of Classical Homeopathy, and Homeopathy Today. Her website Naturopathy Works introduces naturopathic medicine to the layperson and provides references to the abundant medical literature demonstrating that natural medicine does work.

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Your Family Could be Eating Organic Food for the Same ...

1. In study after study, research from independent organizations consistently shows organic food is higher in nutrients than traditional foods. Research shows that organic produce is higher in vitamin C, antioxidants, and the minerals calcium, iron, chromium, and magnesium.

2. Theyre free of neurotoxinstoxins that are damaging to brain and nerve cells. A commonly-used class of pesticides called organophosphates was originally developed as a toxic nerve agent during World War I. When there was no longer a need for them in warfare, industry adapted them to kill pests on foods. Many pesticides are still considered neurotoxins.

3. Theyre supportive of growing childrens brains and bodies. Childrens growing brains and bodies are far more susceptible to toxins than adults. Choosing organic helps feed their bodies without the exposure to pesticides and genetically-modified organisms, both of which have a relatively short history of use (and therefore safety).

4. They are real food, not pesticide factories. Eighteen percent of all genetically-modified seeds (and therefore foods that grow from them) are engineered to produce their own pesticides. Research shows that these seeds may continue producing pesticides inside your body once youve eaten the food grown from them! Foods that are actually pesticide factoriesno thanks.

5. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that pesticides pollute the primary drinking source for half the American population. Organic farming is the best solution to the problem. Buying organic helps reduce pollution in our drinking water.

6. Organic food is earth-supportive (when big business keeps their hands out of it). Organic food production has been around for thousands of years and is the sustainable choice for the future. Compare that to modern agricultural practices that are destructive of the environment through widespread use of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers and have resulted in drastic environmental damage in many parts of the world.

7. Organic food choices grown on small-scale organic farms help ensure independent family farmers can create a livelihood. Consider it the domestic version of fair trade.

8. Most organic food simply tastes better than the pesticide-grown counterparts.

9. Organic food is not exposed to gas-ripening like some non-organic fruits and vegetables (like bananas).

10. Organic farms are safer for farm workers. Research at the Harvard School of Public Health found a 70 percent increase in Parkinsons disease among people exposed to pesticides. Choosing organic foods means that more people will be able to work on farms without incurring the higher potential health risk of Parkinsons or other illnesses.

11. Organic food supports wildlife habitats. Even with commonly used amounts of pesticides, wildlife is being harmed by exposure to pesticides.

12. Eating organic may reduce your cancer risk. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers 60% of herbicides, 90% of fungicides, and 30 percent of insecticides potentially cancer-causing. It is reasonable to think that the rapidly increasing rates of cancer are at least partly linked to the use of these carcinogenic pesticides.

13. Choosing organic meat lessens your exposure to antibiotics, synthetic hormones, and drugs that find their way into the animals and ultimately into you.

14. Organic food is tried and tested. By some estimates genetically-modified food makes up 80% of the average persons food consumption. Genetic modification of food is still experimental. Avoid being part of this wide scale and uncontrolled experiment.

15. Organic food supports greater biodiversity. Diversity is fundamental to life on this planet. Genetically-modified and non-organic food is focused on high yield monoculture and is destroying biodiversity.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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15 Reasons To Eat Organic Food | Care2 Healthy Living

This article is about food that complies with the standards of organic farming. For food advertised as "natural", see natural foods.

Organic food is food produced by methods that comply with the standards of organic farming. Standards vary worldwide, but organic farming in general features practices that strive to cycle resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Organizations regulating organic products may restrict the use of certain pesticides and fertilizers in farming. In general, organic foods are also usually not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents or synthetic food additives.[1]

Currently, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and many other countries require producers to obtain special certification in order to market food as organic within their borders. In the context of these regulations, organic food is produced in a way that complies with organic standards set by regional organizations, national governments and international organizations. Although the produce of kitchen gardens may be organic, selling food with an organic label is regulated by governmental food safety authorities, such as the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) or European Commission (EC).[2]

There is not sufficient evidence in medical literature to support claims that organic food is safer or healthier than conventionally grown food. While there may be some differences in the nutrient and antinutrient contents of organically- and conventionally-produced food, the variable nature of food production and handling makes it difficult to generalize results.[3][4][5][6][7] Claims that organic food tastes better are generally not supported by evidence.[4][8]

For the vast majority of its history, agriculture can be described as having been organic; only during the 20th century was a large supply of new products, generally deemed not organic, introduced into food production.[9] The organic farming movement arose in the 1940s in response to the industrialization of agriculture.[10]

In 1939, Lord Northbourne coined the term organic farming in his book Look to the Land (1940), out of his conception of "the farm as organism," to describe a holistic, ecologically balanced approach to farmingin contrast to what he called chemical farming, which relied on "imported fertility" and "cannot be self-sufficient nor an organic whole."[11] Early soil scientists also described the differences in soil composition when animal manures were used as "organic", because they contain carbon compounds where superphosphates and haber process nitrogen do not. Their respective use affects humus content of soil.[12][13] This is different from the scientific use of the term "organic" in chemistry, which refers to a class of molecules that contain carbon, especially those involved in the chemistry of life. This class of molecules includes everything likely to be considered edible, and include most pesticides and toxins too, therefore the term "organic" and, especially, the term "inorganic" (sometimes wrongly used as a contrast by the popular press) as they apply to organic chemistry is an equivocation fallacy when applied to farming, the production of food, and to foodstuffs themselves. Properly used in this agricultural science context, "organic" refers to the methods grown and processed, not necessarily the chemical composition of the food.

Ideas that organic food could be healthier and better for the environment originated in the early days of the organic movement as a result of publications like the 1943 book The Living Soil[14][15] and Farming and Gardening for Health or Disease (1945).[16]

Early consumers interested in organic food would look for non-chemically treated, non-use of unapproved pesticides, fresh or minimally processed food. They mostly had to buy directly from growers. Later, "Know your farmer, know your food" became the motto of a new initiative instituted by the USDA in September 2009.[17] Personal definitions of what constituted "organic" were developed through firsthand experience: by talking to farmers, seeing farm conditions, and farming activities. Small farms grew vegetables (and raised livestock) using organic farming practices, with or without certification, and the individual consumer monitored.[citation needed] Small specialty health food stores and co-operatives were instrumental to bringing organic food to a wider audience.[citation needed] As demand for organic foods continued to increase, high volume sales through mass outlets such as supermarkets rapidly replaced the direct farmer connection.[citation needed] Today, many large corporate farms have an organic division. However, for supermarket consumers, food production is not easily observable, and product labeling, like "certified organic", is relied upon. Government regulations and third-party inspectors are looked to for assurance.[citation needed]

In the 1970s, interest in organic food grew with the publication of Silent Spring[18] and the rise of the environmental movement, and was also spurred by food-related health scares like the concerns about Alar that arose in the mid-1980s.[19]

Organic food production is a self-regulated industry with government oversight in some countries, distinct from private gardening. Currently, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan, and many other countries require producers to obtain special certification based on government-defined standards in order to market food as organic within their borders. In the context of these regulations, foods marketed as organic are produced in a way that complies with organic standards set by national governments and international organic industry trade organizations.

In the United States, organic production is managed in accordance with the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA) and regulations in Title 7, Part 205 of the Code of Federal Regulations to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.[20] If livestock are involved, the livestock must be reared with regular access to pasture and without the routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones.[21]

Processed organic food usually contains only organic ingredients. If non-organic ingredients are present, at least a certain percentage of the food's total plant and animal ingredients must be organic (95% in the United States,[22] Canada, and Australia). Foods claiming to be organic must be free of artificial food additives, and are often processed with fewer artificial methods, materials and conditions, such as chemical ripening, food irradiation, and genetically modified ingredients.[23] Pesticides are allowed as long as they are not synthetic.[24] However, under US federal organic standards, if pests and weeds are not controllable through management practices, nor via organic pesticides and herbicides, "a substance included on the National List of synthetic substances allowed for use in organic crop production may be applied to prevent, suppress, or control pests, weeds, or diseases."[25] Several groups have called for organic standards to prohibit nanotechnology on the basis of the precautionary principle[26] in light of unknown risks of nanotechnology.[27]:56 The use of nanotechnology-based products in the production of organic food is prohibited in some jurisdictions (Canada, the UK, and Australia) and is unregulated in others.[28][29]:2, section 1.4.1(l)

To be certified organic, products must be grown and manufactured in a manner that adheres to standards set by the country they are sold in:

In the United States, there are four different levels or categories for organic labeling. 1)100% Organic: This means that all ingredients are produced organically. It also may have the USDA seal. 2)Organic: At least 95% or more of the ingredients are organic. 3)Made With Organic Ingredients': Contains at least 70% organic ingredients. 4)Less Than 70% Organic Ingredients: Three of the organic ingredients must be listed under the ingredient section of the label.[39] In the U.S., the food label "natural" or "all natural" does not mean that the food was produced and processed organically.[40][41]

There is widespread public belief that organic food is safer, more nutritious, and better tasting than conventional food.[42] Consumers purchase organic foods for different reasons, including concerns about the effects of conventional farming practices on the environment, human health, and animal welfare.[43]

The most important reason for purchasing organic foods seems to be beliefs about the products' health-giving properties and higher nutritional value.[44] These beliefs are promoted by the organic food industry,[45] and have fueled increased demand for organic food despite higher prices and difficulty in confirming these claimed benefits scientifically.[3][5][6][46][47] Organic labels also stimulate the consumer to view the product as having more positive nutritional value.[48]

Psychological effects such as the halo effect, which are related to the choice and consumption of organic food, are also important motivating factors in the purchase of organic food.[4][pageneeded] The perception that organic food is low-calorie food or health food appears to be common.[4][pageneeded][49]

In China the increasing demand for organic products of all kinds, and in particular milk, baby food and infant formula, has been "spurred by a series of food scares, the worst being the death of six children who had consumed baby formula laced with melamine" in 2009 and the 2008 Chinese milk scandal, making the Chinese market for organic milk the largest in the world as of 2014.[50][51][52] A Pew Research Centre survey in 2012 indicated that 41% of Chinese consumers thought of food safety as a very big problem, up by three times from 12% in 2008.[53]

There is no good evidence that organic food tastes better than its non-organic counterparts.[8] There is evidence that some organic fruit is drier than conventionally grown fruit; a slightly drier fruit may also have a more intense flavor due to the higher concentration of flavoring substances.[4][pageneeded]

Some foods, such as bananas, are picked when unripe, are cooled to prevent ripening while they are shipped to market, and then are induced to ripen quickly by exposing them to propylene or ethylene, chemicals produced by plants to induce their own ripening; as flavor and texture changes during ripening, this process may affect those qualities of the treated fruit.[54][55] The issue of ethylene use to ripen fruit in organic food production is contentious because ripeness when picked often does affect taste; opponents claim that its use benefits only large companies and that it opens the door to weaker organic standards.[56][57]

With respect to chemical differences in the composition of organically grown food compared with conventionally grown food, studies have examined differences in nutrients, antinutrients, and pesticide residues. These studies generally suffer from confounding variables, and are difficult to generalize due to differences in the tests that were done, the methods of testing, and because the vagaries of agriculture affect the chemical composition of food; these variables include variations in weather (season to season as well as place to place); crop treatments (fertilizer, pesticide, etc.); soil composition; the cultivar used, and in the case of meat and dairy products, the parallel variables in animal production.[3][6] Treatment of the foodstuffs after initial gathering (whether milk is pasteurized or raw), the length of time between harvest and analysis, as well as conditions of transport and storage, also affect the chemical composition of a given item of food.[3][6] Additionally, there is evidence that organic produce is drier than conventionally grown produce; a higher content in any chemical category may be explained by higher concentration rather than in absolute amounts.[4][pageneeded]

Many people believe that organic foods have higher content of nutrients and thus are healthier than conventionally produced foods. However, scientists have not been equally convinced that this is the case as the research conducted in the field has not shown consistent results.

A 2009 systematic review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that organically produced foodstuffs are not richer in vitamins and minerals than conventionally produced foodstuffs.[58] The results of the systematic review only showed a lower nitrogen and higher phosphorus content in organic produced compared to conventionally grown foodstuffs. Content of vitamin C, calcium, potassium, total soluble solids, copper, iron, nitrates, manganese, and sodium did not differ between the two categories.[59]

A 2014 meta-analysis of 343 studies[3] found that organically grown crops had 17% higher concentrations of polyphenols than conventionally grown crops. Concentrations of phenolic acids, flavanones, stilbenes, flavones, flavonols, and anthocyanins were elevated, with flavanones being 69% higher.

A 2012 survey of the scientific literature did not find significant differences in the vitamin content of organic and conventional plant or animal products, and found that results varied from study to study.[6] Produce studies reported on ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) (31 studies), beta-carotene (a precursor for Vitamin A) (12 studies), and alpha-tocopherol (a form of Vitamin E) (5 studies) content; milk studies reported on beta-carotene (4 studies) and alpha-tocopherol levels (4 studies). Few studies examined vitamin content in meats, but these found no difference in beta-carotene in beef, alpha-tocopherol in pork or beef, or vitamin A (retinol) in beef. The authors analyzed 11 other nutrients reported in studies of produce. Only two nutrients were significantly higher in organic than conventional produce: phosphorus and total polyphenols).[citation needed] A 2011 literature review found that organic foods had a higher micronutrient content overall than conventionally produced foods.[60]

Similarly, organic chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids than conventional chicken. The authors found no difference in the protein or fat content of organic and conventional raw milk.[61][62]

A 2016 systematic review and meta-analysis found that organic meat had comparable or slightly lower levels of saturated fat and monounsaturated fat as conventional meat, but higher levels of both overall and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.[63] Another meta-analysis published the same year found no significant differences in levels of saturated and monounsaturated fat between organic and conventional milk, but significantly higher levels of overall and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in organic milk than in conventional milk.[64]

The amount of nitrogen content in certain vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables and tubers, has been found to be lower when grown organically as compared to conventionally.[5] When evaluating environmental toxins such as heavy metals, the USDA has noted that organically raised chicken may have lower arsenic levels.[65] Early literature reviews found no significant evidence that levels of arsenic, cadmium or other heavy metals differed significantly between organic and conventional food products.[4][pageneeded][5] However, a 2014 review found lower concentrations of cadmium, particularly in organically grown grains.[3]

The amount of pesticides that remain in or on food is called pesticides residue. In the United States, before a pesticide can be used on a food crop, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must determine whether that pesticide can be used without posing a risk to human health.[66]

A 2012 meta-analysis determined that detectable pesticide residues were found in 7% of organic produce samples and 38% of conventional produce samples. This result was statistically heterogeneous, potentially because of the variable level of detection used among these studies. Only three studies reported the prevalence of contamination exceeding maximum allowed limits; all were from the European Union.[6] A 2014 meta-analysis found that conventionally grown produce was four times more likely to have pesticide residue than organically grown crops.[3]

The American Cancer Society has stated that no evidence exists that the small amount of pesticide residue found on conventional foods will increase the risk of cancer, though it recommends thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables. They have also stated that there is no research to show that organic food reduces cancer risk compared to foods grown with conventional farming methods.[67]

The Environmental Protection Agency maintains strict guidelines on the regulation of pesticides by setting a tolerance on the amount of pesticide residue allowed to be in or on any particular food.[68][69] Although some residue may remain at the time of harvest, residue tend to decline as the pesticide breaks down over time. In addition, as the commodities are washed and processed prior to sale, the residues often diminish further.

A 2012 meta-analysis determined that prevalence of E. coli contamination was not statistically significant (7% in organic produce and 6% in conventional produce). While bacterial contamination is common among both organic and conventional animal products, differences in the prevalence of bacterial contamination between organic and conventional animal products were also statistically insignificant.[6]

Organic meat certification in the United States requires farm animals to be raised according to USDA organic regulations throughout their lives. These regulations require that livestock are fed certified organic food that contains no animal byproducts.[70] Further, organic farm animals can receive no growth hormones or antibiotics, and they must be raised using techniques that protect native species and other natural resources. Irradiation and genetic engineering are not allowed with organic animal production.[70][71][72] One of the major differences in organic animal husbandry protocol is the "pasture rule":[70] minimum requirements for time on pasture do vary somewhat by species and between the certifying agencies, but the common theme is to require as much time on pasture as possible and reasonable.[73][74]

There is little scientific evidence of benefit or harm to human health from a diet high in organic food, and conducting any sort of rigorous experiment on the subject is very difficult. A 2012 meta-analysis noted that "there have been no long-term studies of health outcomes of populations consuming predominantly organic versus conventionally produced food controlling for socioeconomic factors; such studies would be expensive to conduct."[6] A 2009 meta-analysis noted that "most of the included articles did not study direct human health outcomes. In ten of the included studies (83%), a primary outcome was the change in antioxidant activity. Antioxidant status and activity are useful biomarkers but do not directly equate to a health outcome. Of the remaining two articles, one recorded proxy-reported measures of atopic manifestations as its primary health outcome, whereas the other article examined the fatty acid composition of breast milk and implied possible health benefits for infants from the consumption of different amounts of conjugated linoleic acids from breast milk."[46] In addition, as discussed above, difficulties in accurately and meaningfully measuring chemical differences between organic and conventional food make it difficult to extrapolate health recommendations based solely on chemical analysis.

With regard to the possibility that some organic food may have higher levels of certain anti-oxidants, evidence regarding whether increased anti-oxidant consumption improves health is conflicting.[75][76][77][78][79]

As of 2012, the scientific consensus is that while "consumers may choose to buy organic fruit, vegetables and meat because they believe them to be more nutritious than other food.... the balance of current scientific evidence does not support this view."[80] A 12-month systematic review commissioned by the FSA in 2009 and conducted at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine based on 50 years' worth of collected evidence concluded that "there is no good evidence that consumption of organic food is beneficial to health in relation to nutrient content."[81] There is no support in the scientific literature that the lower levels of nitrogen in certain organic vegetables translates to improved health risk.[5]

The main difference between organic and conventional food products are the chemicals involved during production and processing. The residues of those chemicals in food products have dubious effects on the human health. All food products on the market including those that contain residues of pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones and other types of chemicals that are used during production and processing are said to be safe.[82]

Claims of improved safety of organic food has largely focused on pesticide residues.[5] These concerns are driven by the facts that "(1) acute, massive exposure to pesticides can cause significant adverse health effects; (2) food products have occasionally been contaminated with pesticides, which can result in acute toxicity; and (3) most, if not all, commercially purchased food contains trace amounts of agricultural pesticides."[5] However, as is frequently noted in the scientific literature: "What does not follow from this, however, is that chronic exposure to the trace amounts of pesticides found in food results in demonstrable toxicity. This possibility is practically impossible to study and quantify;" therefore firm conclusions about the relative safety of organic foods have been hampered by the difficulty in proper study design and relatively small number of studies directly comparing organic food to conventional food.[4][pageneeded][5][8][47][83]

Additionally, the Carcinogenic Potency Project,[84] which is a part of the US EPA's Distributed Structure-Searchable Toxicity (DSSTox) Database Network,[85] has been systemically testing the carcinogenicity of chemicals, both natural and synthetic, and building a publicly available database of the results[86] for the past ~30 years. Their work attempts to fill in the gaps in our scientific knowledge of the carcinogenicity of all chemicals, both natural and synthetic, as the scientists conducting the Project described in the journal, Science, in 1992:

Toxicological examination of synthetic chemicals, without similar examination of chemicals that occur naturally, has resulted in an imbalance in both the data on and the perception of chemical carcinogens. Three points that we have discussed indicate that comparisons should be made with natural as well as synthetic chemicals.

1) The vast proportion of chemicals that humans are exposed to occur naturally. Nevertheless, the public tends to view chemicals as only synthetic and to think of synthetic chemicals as toxic despite the fact that every natural chemical is also toxic at some dose. The daily average exposure of Americans to burnt material in the diet is ~2000 mg, and exposure to natural pesticides (the chemicals that plants produce to defend themselves) is ~1500 mg. In comparison, the total daily exposure to all synthetic pesticide residues combined is ~0.09 mg. Thus, we estimate that 99.99% of the pesticides humans ingest are natural. Despite this enormously greater exposure to natural chemicals, 79% (378 out of 479) of the chemicals tested for carcinogenicity in both rats and mice are synthetic (that is, do not occur naturally). 2) It has often been wrongly assumed that humans have evolved defenses against the natural chemicals in our diet but not against the synthetic chemicals. However, defenses that animals have evolved are mostly general rather than specific for particular chemicals; moreover, defenses are generally inducible and therefore protect well from low doses of both synthetic and natural chemicals.

While studies have shown via chemical analysis, as discussed above, that organically grown fruits and vegetables have significantly lower pesticide residue levels, the significance of this finding on actual health risk reduction is debatable as both conventional foods and organic foods generally have pesticide levels well below government established guidelines for what is considered safe.[4][pageneeded][5][6] This view has been echoed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture[65] and the UK Food Standards Agency.[7]

A study published by the National Research Council in 1993 determined that for infants and children, the major source of exposure to pesticides is through diet.[88] A study published in 2006 by Lu et al. measured the levels of organophosphorus pesticide exposure in 23 school children before and after replacing their diet with organic food. In this study it was found that levels of organophosphorus pesticide exposure dropped from negligible levels to undetectable levels when the children switched to an organic diet, the authors presented this reduction as a significant reduction in risk.[89] The conclusions presented in Lu et al. were criticized in the literature as a case of bad scientific communication.[90][91]

More specifically, claims related to pesticide residue of increased risk of infertility or lower sperm counts have not been supported by the evidence in the medical literature.[5] Likewise the American Cancer Society (ACS) has stated their official position that "whether organic foods carry a lower risk of cancer because they are less likely to be contaminated by compounds that might cause cancer is largely unknown."[92] Reviews have noted that the risks from microbiological sources or natural toxins are likely to be much more significant than short term or chronic risks from pesticide residues.[4][pageneeded][5]

In looking at possible increased risk to safety from organic food consumption, reviews have found that although there may be increased risk from microbiological contamination due to increased manure use as fertilizer from organisms like E. coli O157:H7 during organic produce production, there is little evidence of actual incidence of outbreaks which can be positively blamed on organic food production.[4][pageneeded][5][8] The 2011 Germany E. coli O104:H4 outbreak was blamed on organic farming of bean sprouts.[93][94]

Demand for organic foods is primarily driven by concerns for personal health and for the environment.[95] Global sales for organic foods climbed by more than 170 percent since 2002 reaching more than $63 billion in 2011[96] while certified organic farmland remained relatively small at less than 2 percent of total farmland under production, increasing in OECD and EU countries (which account for the majority of organic production) by 35 percent for the same time period.[97] Organic products typically cost 10 to 40% more than similar conventionally produced products, to several times the price.[98] Processed organic foods vary in price when compared to their conventional counterparts.

While organic food accounts for 12% of total food production worldwide, the organic food sales market is growing rapidly with between 5 and 10 percent of the food market share in the United States according to the Organic Trade Association,[99] significantly outpacing sales growth volume in dollars of conventional food products. World organic food sales jumped from US $23 billion in 2002[100] to $63 billion in 2011.[101]

Production and consumption of organic products is rising rapidly in Asia, and both China and India are becoming global producers of organic crops[102] and a number of countries, particularly China and Japan, also becoming large consumers of organic food and drink.[50][103] The disparity between production and demand, is leading to a two-tier organic food industry, typified by significant and growing imports of primary organic products such as dairy and beef from Australia, Europe, New Zealand and the United States.[104]

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Organic food - Wikipedia

The step-by-step instructions in Put 'em Up will have the most timid beginners filling their pantries and freezers with the preserved goodness of summer in no time. An extensive Techniques section includes complete how-to for every kind of preserving: refrigerating and freezing, air- and oven-drying, cold- and hot-pack canning, and pickling. And with recipe yields as small as a few pints or as large as several gallons, readers can easily choose recipes that work for the amount of produce and time at hand.

Real food advocate Sherri Brooks Vinton offers recipes with exciting flavor combinations to please contemporary palates and put preserved fruits and vegetables on dinner-party menus everywhere. Pickled Asparagus Wasabi Beans are delicious additions to holiday relish trays; Sweet Pepper Marmalade perks up cool-weather roasts; and Berry Bourbon is an unexpected base for a warming cocktail.

The best versions of tried-and-true favorites are all here too. Bushels of fresh-picked apples are easily turned into applesauce, dried fruit rings, jelly, butter, or even brandy. Falling-off-the-vine tomatoes can be frozen whole, oven dried, canned, or made into a tangy marinara. Options for pickling cucumbers range from Bread and Butter Chips and Dills Spears to Asian Ice-Box Pickles. There's something delicious for every pantry!

Recommended Product for Wiser Living: Today, more than ever before, our society is seeking ways to live more conscientiously. To help bring you the very best inspiration and information about greener, more sustainable lifestyles, MOTHER EARTH NEWS is recommending books to readers. For 40 years, MOTHER EARTH NEWS has been North America's "Original Guide to Living Wisely," creating books and magazines for people with a passion for self-reliance and a desire to live in harmony with nature.

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MOTHER EARTH NEWS - Organic Gardening, DIY, Renewable ...

What do these labels mean on fruits and vegetables?

These PLU numbers are the Product Look-Up Numbers. The leading number gives you useful information, if you know the code

I remember the code on fruit and veggies using a simple rhyme

8, I hate. Its GMO!

9 is fine. Organic.

All others, like 3 or 4, are neither GMO or organic. They are conventionally grown. This means the growers could have applied poisons to the food, including pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizer. But the food itself is not genetically modified.

8, I Hate

I never buy food labeled 8, because thats the one I hate. GMO food has not been sufficiently tested for safety, in my opinion. Where are the studies showing GMO food is safe? And why are companies like Monsanto and Bayer modifying the genetic code in a lab instead of through natural selection?

[Edit, Jan-15-2013: I have since realized that Evolution is a lie, a false religion. There is no credible evidence to support Evolution. I looked and found none. God has designed all the food that is good to eat. God is perfect and already made the plants to be good. Companies that genetically modify the plants for financial gain are going against God's design and are asking for trouble. The love of money is the root of all evil... 1 Timothy 6:10 KJV]

These powerful corporations want to prevent you and me from saving our seeds and growing our own food. They use the government to enforce their patents and to prosecute farmers. There is so much written about this already on the web, so if you want to learn more, a simple search will tell you a lot.

3 or 4

An orange with PLU code 3107

If we buy 3 or 4, we are sure to wash the food thoroughly before cooking or eating. The orange peel above could be saturated with poisons, so I would not use the peel in any recipe.

Mango grown conventionally.

This mango's PLU code (4959) starts with a "4", meaning it is conventionally grown.

The mango above is not organic. It is conventionally grown. I dont like that word choice because it sounds so normal. It is a sad state of our farming practices when it is normal to spray food intended forhuman consumption with poison. No wonder people continue to get sicker. If you see on the label a number beginning with a 3 or 4,that food could contain poisons like pesticides and herbicides and could have been grown with synthetic fertilizer from petroleum. I would much prefer a mango that had a PLU code starting with a 9, which is fine.

If an apple is conventionally grown and starts with a 3 or 4, I wash the apple, then peel the skin off and discard. There are probably poisons sprayed on the skin and I do not feel right about feeding that to my family or myself.

9 Is Fine

Organic apples, Fuji variety

An organically grown Fuji apple

If an apple has the leading digit of 9 its fineits organic.

This PLU sticker has a leading number 9, which is fine: it was grown organically.

I read that apple skins are healthy, as long as they are organic without applied chemicals. I might eat the apples skin if the PLU code starts with 9. If the PLU code starts with a 3 or 4, I will surely discard the apple peel. If the PLU code starts with 8, which I hate well, then, that apple would never make it to my house as we wouldnt buy it.

Conclusion

Know your PLU codes and live healthier and happier.

9 is fine!

Reference: http://energyfanatics.com/2009/04/24/fruit-label-organic-genetically-engineered/

May 22nd, 2011 | Category: Food, Government | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL

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Is That Food Organic? Labels Tell You: 3 4 8 9 - elingreso.com

Expert Reviews

Discover how easy healthy living can be! Join Now

Jillian Michaels

America's Favorite Wellness Coach

"Thrive Market makes healthy living accessible and affordable. This is exactly what the people have been waiting for. Their favorite products at a great price delivered straight to their door no matter where they live."

Robyn OBrien

Food Rights Advocate and Founder of Allergy Kids Foundation

"Thrive Markets wholesale model is revolutionary. The landscapes of food and health are changing; 21st century consumers want affordable, "free-from" food. Thrive Market democratizes healthy food, making it more affordable and more accessible to more people. It is a game-changer."

Dr. Mark Hyman

Physician and New York Times Best-selling Author

"Thrive Market gives you access to some of the world's best-selling natural and organic products at wholesale prices. I personally support Thrive Market because it's a business model that empowers consumers."

Mark Sisson

Entrepreneur and Fitness Author

"There's a big difference between surviving and thriving. Surviving is 'going by' but thriving is your life at its peak performance, your body at its healthiest, your mind at its sharpest and most creative. With Thrive Market, when you thrive, others can too."

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Author, Everyday Supermodel

"With Thrive Market, I can buy all of the items that fill my grocery cart every week at 25 - 50% below traditional retail prices. What's even better is that everything arrives at your doorstep. I was literally blown away by all of the available products it's the perfect double whammy (price savings AND time saving) for busy moms and people everywhere! Clearly, I'm a huge fan!"

JJ Virgin

Celebrity Nutribonist and Fitness Expert

"Thrive Market delivers all my favorite foods, beverages, and just about everything else directly to my door at a discount. Premium service, premium products, without the premium prices!"

Sara Gottfried

MD, New York Times bestselling author of the Hormone Reset Diet and The Hormone Cure

"Thrive Market is revolutionizing your relationship with your fork by offering natural foods for a fraction of the price of traditional health food grocers and delivered to your home for free. Additionally, their social mission of donating a membership to a low-income family for every paid membership makes healthy choices affordable for everyone."

Katie Wellness Mama

Founder of Wellnessmama.com

"I love so much about Thrive- the wholesale discounts on real food, the social mission of helping families in need, and the ongoing goal to make healthy food affordable and attainable to everyone!"

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Our Story

Discover how easy healthy living can be! Join Now

We started Thrive Market to find a simple solution to a real problem: Getting good food is too hard and too expensive for too many people.

Call us radical, but we believe that healthy living should be easy and affordable for everyone and shouldnt depend on geography, income level, or any other barrier. That hasnt been the case for a long time in this country, and we wanted to do something about it.

At Thrive Market, we make it easy and within reach. Here, you'll find the best-selling 3,000 health and wellness products from the top 400 natural brands on the market at 25 to 50% below traditional retail prices. Simply, it's the stuff you want, at prices you can afford.

Our expert team of buyers handpicks only the highest-quality, non-GMO, certified organic, and natural products. You'll find food, vitamins, supplements, home goods, cleaning supplies, body care, beauty staples, and moreall from brands that uphold the values of health, sustainability, and premium quality. And there's no bulk sizing here. We're able to get wholesale prices without amping up volume.

How do we do it? Instead of charging the retail mark-up like other stores do, our members pay a low annual fee of $59.95, which allows us to cover our costs. We then go directly to brands and buy premium products at wholesale prices so we can pass those savings directly to our members.

This membership fee also allows us to make good on our social mission. Expanding access to healthy living isnt just a business model at Thrive Market, its at the core of everything we do. So every time a new member joins, we donate a free Thrive Market membership to a low-income family. It's a win-win that lets all of us thrive together.

Forget crowded aisles and long lines. As a member, you can shop from the comfort of your own home and have everything delivered straight to your front door. We offer free shipping on all orders over $49 and all of our boxes and packaging are 100-percent recyclable and compostable. Everything is shipped within 24 hours and arrives at your home within 2 to 4 days.

Thrive Market is the simple solution that empowers us all to live well, do good, and thrive together.

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How It Works

Discover how easy healthy living can be! Join Now

Thrive Market makes healthy living easy and affordable for everyone. We are a membership-based online shopping club that gives you and your family unlimited access to the the worlds best wholesome foods and products in everyday sizes at wholesale prices. Plus, we offer free nationwide delivery on orders over $49. Joining the Thrive Market movement is as easy as one-two-three.

1. Register for free

Theres absolutely no cost to register for Thrive Market. Once you enter your email address, youll be able to browse the Thrive Market catalog of more than 3,000 premium products from the top 400 natural brands. Youll also have access to our educational and inspirational content on the Thrive Notebook.

2. Start your free trial

With your first purchase on Thrive Market, youll start a free 30-day membership trial. Youll be able to shop for all your favorite healthy food, snacks, green cleaning products, non-toxic personal care items and more, always at 25 - 50% below retail prices. If its not for you, you can cancel at any time.

3. Join the Thrive movement

For less than $5 a month ($59.95 annually), Thrive Market members save up to 50% on the worlds best healthy products. Even better: Thrive Market matches your membership by donating one to a family in need so we can all thrive together.

We guarantee your membership will pay for itself in savings within the year. If not, well give you the difference in Thrive Market credit when you renew! Thrive Market is the simple solution that empowers us all to live well, do good, and thrive together.

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Thrive Gives

Discover how easy healthy living can be! Join Now

Expanding access to healthy living isnt just our business modelits our mission. And it couldnt be a more urgent one. Every year, 49 million Americans experience food insecurity while 80 percent of low-income families resort to buying food they know isnt healthy just to make ends meet. Meanwhile, more than 23 million Americans today still live in food desertslow-income neighborhoods where healthy natural food is nowhere to be found.

Thrive Market can help change this. Thats why weve committed to giving a free membership to a low-income family for every paid member who joins Thrive.

Thats free access to over 2,500 of the highest quality natural and organic staples, snacks, home products, and baby products at 25 to 50% off retail prices. Over the next year, well also be launching educational content and custom merchandising to help members who are new to healthy living learn the ropes and access dietary staples at wholesale prices.

We are inspired and humbled by the opportunity to make America healthier one family at a time, and so grateful to every member who joins us to make that opportunity a reality.

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Organic, Healthy Food Delivery Online - Thrive Market

Certified Organic Farms

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture Organic Certification Program is accredited by the USDA as an Accredited Certification Agent. Businesses certifed for organic production and handling have had rigorous third party oversight and undergo a yearly update and inspection. Certification is the only guarantee that products produced as organic meet the rigorous national standard for organic production and handling.

Atlantic County

Big Buck FarmsBlueberries (609) 704-7622 345 Columbia Road Hammonton, NJ 08037

Brookeberry Farms, LLC Raspberries, Blueberries P.O. Box 332 Hammonton, NJ 08037

Jah's CreationVegetables, Herbs, Flowers, Ornamental (609) 272-9538 4045 Spruce Ave Egg Harbor Twp, NJ 08234

Masters Organic FarmVegetables (609) 593-3043 222 S. Cologne Ave. Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215

Rosedale Blueberry FarmBlueberries (609) 567-8130 145 Laurel Ave. Hammonton, NJ 08037

Bergen

Old Hook FarmVegetables, Herbs 650 Old Hook Rd. Emerson, NJ 07630

Burlington County

1895 Organic FarmVegetables, Herbs, Berries (609) 267-5953 303 Landing Street Lumberton, NJ 08048

Honey Brook Organic FarmVegetables, Herbs, Flowers, Berries (609) 847-9066 258 Crosswicks Ellisdale Rd. Chesterfield,NJ08515-1119

Paradise Organic Farms LLC Vegetables, Berries 139 Bordentown-Georgetown Rd. Chesterfield, NJ 08515

Camden County

The Alhambra Organic FarmVegetables, Herbs, Berries, Flowers (856) 768-0510 250 Vineyard Road Atco, NJ 08004

Cumberland County

Ag Mart Produce, Inc.Tomato Grape 20 Duffield Ave. Cedarville, NJ 08311

Brenmar Farms Vegetables, Berries 865 Hogbin Rd. Millville, NJ 08322

Catbird Naturally OrganicVegetables, Fruits, Berries, Nuts, Dried Beans (856) 455-5811 28 Ayers Lane Bridgeton, NJ 08302

R&R Flaim Next Generation Produce Vegetables, Herbs 1770 Panther Rd. Vineland, NJ 08361

Jersey Legacy Farms, LLCVegetables (856) 447-4332 562 Sayres Neck Road Cedarville, NJ 08311

Marolda Farm, Inc.Vegetables, Herbs (856) 696-0444 3024 Vine Road Vineland, NJ 08360

Rutgers Ag Research and Experiment Vegetables 121 Northville Rd. Bridgeton, NJ 08302

South Jersey OrganicGrains (Corn, Soy, Oats) (856) 691-8815 491 North Lincoln Avenue Vineland, NJ 08361

Vannini Farms, Inc. Herbs 3530 Oak Rd. Vineland, NJ08347

Gloucester County

K. Johnson Farms, LLCArugula, Herbs, Radishes 528 Erial Rd. Sicklerville, NJ 08081

Muth Family FarmsVegetables, Herbs, Flowers (856) 582-0363 1639 Pitman-Downer Road Williamstown, NJ 08094

Savoie Organic FarmVegetables, Herbs (856) 629-9020 990 East Malaga Road Williamstown, NJ 08094

Summer Wind Farms, LLC Fruits, Vegetables 3366 Victoria Ave. Newfield, NJ 08344

Hunterdon County

Amwell Valley Organic GrainsPopcorn, Hay (609) 397-4583 http://www.farmersteve.com 81 Dunkard Church Road Stockton, NJ 08559

Central Valley FarmVegetables (908) 892-2297 12 Huff Lane Asbury, NJ 08802

Comeback FarmVegetables, Herbs, Flowers (908) 537-9449 8 DeBoer Farm Lane Asbury, NJ 08802

Fields Without FencesVegetables, Fruits, Herbs (732) 890-3451 73 Barbertown-Idell Road Frenchtown, NJ 08825

Hand Picked FarmVegetables (908) 447-0267 http://www.handpickedfarm.com 9 Stacey Road Flemington, NJ 08822

Hollandview FarmHerbs, Vegetables, Berries (908) 399-5658 http://www.Hollandviewfarm.com 387 Ellis Road Milford, NJ 08848

Lockatong Organic Herb FarmHerbs, Vegetables, Hay (908) 334-1000 477 Byram Kingwood Road Frenchtown, NJ 08825

North Slope FarmVegetables, Herbs, Flowers, Hay (609) 460-4636 http://www.northslopefarm.com 386 Rock Road East Lambertville, NJ 08530

Profeta Farms Beef, pork, chicken, eggs, and produce (908) 237-0301 info@profetafarms.com 803 US Highway 202 Neshanic Station, NJ 08853

Rolling Hills FarmMushrooms (609) 273-7530 http://www.RollinghillsFarm.org 133 Seabrook Road Lambertville, NJ 08530

Snyder Research FarmVegetables (908) 730-9419 http://snyderfarm.rutgers.edu 140 Locust Grove Road Pittstown, NJ 08867

Zeng FarmField Crops / Grains (908) 406-0747 25 Hampton Corner Road Ringoes, NJ 08551

Mercer County

Blue Moon AcresVegetables (215) 704-7903 http://www.bluemoonacres.net 11 Willow Creek Drive Pennington, NJ 08534

Cherry Grove FarmHay, Pasture (609) 219-0053 http://www.cherrygrovefarm.com 3200 Lawrenceville Road Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

Chickadee Creek FarmVegetables, Mushrooms (609) 462-3854 http://www.chickadeecreekfarm.com 80 Titus Mill Road Pennington, NJ 08534

Honey Brook Organic FarmVegetables, Herbs, Flowers, Berries (609) 847-9066 http://www.honeybrookorganicfarm.com 260 Wargo Road Pennington, NJ 08534

I AM NJ OrganicVegetables, herbs, flowers (609) 529-1237 http://www.facebook.com/iamnjorganic 60 Woods Road East Windsor, NJ 08520

M.S. Conover, Inc.Vegetables, Herbs, Flowers (609) 306-5139 11 Carter Road Princeton, NJ 08540

Orchard FarmVegetables, Herbs, Flowers (609) 466-1365 1052 Cherry Hill Road Princeton, NJ 08540

Terhune OrchardsVegetables (609) 924-2310 http://www.terhuneorchards.com 330 Cold Soil Road Princeton, NJ 08540

Z Food FarmVegetables (609) 610-4909 http://www.zfoodfarm.com 3501 Princeton Pike Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

Monmouth County

Merrick FarmVegetables (732) 938-2491 98 Merrick Road Farmingdale, NJ 07727

Reginas Certified Organic Vegetable FarmVegetables, Herbs (732) 522-1777 http://www.njorganicfarm.com 692 Lakewood-Farmingdale Road Howell, NJ 07731

St. Petersburg's FarmVegetables, Herbs, Flowers, Beef, Eggs (732) 570-2827 36 Georgia Road Freehold, NJ 07728

Morris County

School Lunch Organic FarmVegetables, Berries, Hay, Herbs, & Flowers (908) 451-0051 http://www.schoollunchfarm.com 69 Stephens State Park Road Hackettstown, NJ 07840

Ocean County

Good Tree Farm of New Egypt Fruits & Vegetables (609) 672-2080 http://www.goodtreefarms.com 82 Jacobstown Road New Egypt, NJ 08533

Salem County

DanLynn FarmsVegetables, Berries, Hay (856) 299-6665 http://www.danlynnfarms.com 145 Perkintown Road Pedricktown, NJ 08067

Neptune FarmHay, Pasture (856) 935-3612 http://www.neptunefarm.com 723 Harmersville-Canton Road Salem, NJ 08079

The Philly Chile CompanyVegetables, Transplants (856) 358-1431 http://www.phillychile.com 235 Swedesboro Rd. Monroeville, NJ 08343

Somerset County

Great Road Farm LLCVegetables (646) 342-3546 http://www.greatroadfarm.com 1459 Great Road Skillman, NJ 08558

Harrison Brook FarmVegetables, Herbs, Straw/Hay (908) 647-6711 http://www.harrisonbrookfarm.com P.O. Box 272 Liberty Corner, NJ 07938

Harvest Moon Farm LLCHerbs, vegetables (908) 581-4817 http://www.harvestmoonfarm.net1112 Dukes Parkway West Hillsborough, NJ 08844

Runnin Free Organic FarmVegetables, Herbs, Flowers (908) 938-8326 http://www.theorganicegg.com 115 Wertsville Road Hillsborough, NJ 08844

Sussex County

Circle Brook FarmVegetables, Herbs, Flowers (973) 332-6935 141 Brighton Road Andover, NJ 07821

Kittatinny Mountain FarmVegetables, Herbs, Flowers (862) 268-7122 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kittatinny-Mountain-Farm/172339109469223 1339 Route 23 Wantage, NJ 07461

Stephens FarmMilk, Vegetables (973) 875-2849 467 Route 284 Sussex, NJ 07461

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Jersey Fresh| Certified Organic Farms

Every three minutes someone is admitted to the hospital for a food-induced allergy attack. What is just as alarming is the fact that past reactions cannot predict the severity of future reactions. Babies and children suffer more often than adults, but food allergies can develop any time and at any age. One of the best ways parents can arm themselves is to be educated on the ins and outs of food allergies.

Even though food allergies can be inherited, whether or not a child will develop an allergy to the same foods as their parent or sibling is unpredictable. There is some data which shows that if a child is allergic to peanuts, his or her sibling is more likely to be allergic to peanuts as well, but it is not inevitable.

Food-related genetic diseases, like celiac disease, very often run in families. Celiac disease is not an allergy but rather a gluten malabsorption issue and not to be confused with an allergy to wheat. The symptoms and physical reactions differ significantly and should not be confused with each other.

Symptoms of food allergies are quickly reactive, showing up within hours, minutes or even seconds. The most common symptoms involve the skin, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract and/or the cardiovascular system. Anaphylaxis, which includes restricted breathing, a drop in blood pressure and problematic heart rate, is the most severe reaction and is life threatening. If your child shows any of these symptoms seek medical attention immediately.

Other food allergy symptoms include hives, vomiting, rash, wheezing and coughing. Mild reactions should be noted, photographed if possible, and discussed with a doctor.

Navigating public spaces and social activities can be challenging if you have kids with allergies. The good news is that awareness is growing regarding food allergies. Many schools have implemented peanut-free policies or nut-free tables to help kids manage their allergies. Parents have embraced the importance of asking about food allergies when hosting parties or playdates. Even children have come to understand that some food allergies are life threatening and have compassionately risen to the challenge of standing by their food-allergy friends.

Testing for many food allergies is available today. There are both blood tests and skin-scratch tests that can measure your childs sensitivity to various food. Ninety percent of food related allergic reactions are caused by the following foods:

Though avoiding the foods your child is allergic to is of utmost importance, cross-contamination can happen, especially in restaurants, and accidental exposure can happen anywhere. It is important to know how to treat your childs allergies and when to seek medical attention. Mild allergies can often be treated with antihistamines or topical creams while severe allergies with a risk of anaphylaxis may require you to carry injectable life-saving medication at all times.

If you think that your child may have a food intolerance or allergy, contact your pediatrician or allergist to discuss your concerns, testing and treatment options.

by The Bombshell Mommy

Originally posted here:

Organic Food Online | Buy Healthy Food Online at Vitacost

Basil Bandwagon Natural Market Clinton 38 Old Rt 32

Flemington 276 Hgw 202/31

Website

They sell organic foods, vitamins, herbs, health and beauty products.

Bonterra Market 3112 Fire Road Egg Harbor TWP, NJ08234 Website They sell natural, organic and whole foods, nutritional products, body care products and provide health information

Dean's Natural Food Market -

25 Mountainview Blvd Basking Ridge, NJ

1119 Highway 35 Ocean, NJ 07712

490 Broad Street Shrewsbury, NJ 07702

Website

New Jersey based organic and natural food stores with three locations. They only offer 100% USDA Certified Organic Fruits and Vegetables. They are committed to having a place people could come to ask questions and gain knowledge about organic foods, vitamins and healthy lifestyles. Cooking classes in vegan,vegetarian, and other special events are also offered.

George Street Co-op 89 Morris Street New Brunswick, NJ Website A non-profit natural foods store owned and run by its members. They sell vegetarian foods organic produce, bulk foods, vitamins & herbs, body care and earth-friendly products, gifts, and more. Everyone is welcome to shop and/or join, with extra benefits available to members.

Grassroots Natural Market

Denville, NJ

Morristown, NJ:

66 Morris Street Website

Two new jersey locations. Sells fresh, high-quality organic produce, natural and organic grocery products, natural health and beauty aids and vitamins'

Green Street Market 3156 Rt. 9 South Rio Grande, NJ Website

They sell organic produce, grass-fed, all natural meats, and organic house made wraps, soups, salads, and specialty items

Happy Carrot 636 Kinderkamack Rd River Edge, NJ 07661 (201) 986-0818 They carry a variety of vegan and vegetarian frozen and fresh foods. The sandwiches are prepared and refrigerated, such as "chicken salad" sans chicken. They offer a good variety of gluten free, vegan,and supplements.

Nature's Corner Natural Market 2407 Rt. 71 and Snyder Ave Spring Lake Hts, NJ, 07762 Website A full service organic and natural food market selling USDA certified organic produce, groceries and cosmetics,along with a soups, salad bar, juices and smoothies. Cooking classes are also offered.

Nature's Pavilion Natural Food Market 564 State Route 23 Pompton Plains, NJ07444 Website They sell natural, organic and whole foods, nutritional products, body care products.

North Slope Farm Lambertville, NJ 386 Rock Rd Website A 50 acre, diversified organic farm whose primary cash products are vegetables, flowers, Eggs free range, and herbs grown on five acres. Other involvements include compost, hay, straw, pasture, fruit, infrastructure, waterways, buffer zones, woodlands, wetlands and community involvement. Their products are sold at:

West Windsor Community Farmers Market Vaughn Drive Princeton Junction Train Station, Saturdays 9 1 Open May Thanksgiving. Summit Downtown Farmers Market Corner of Deforest Ave and Maple Street Sundays 8am 1pm, Open May - Thanksgiving

See the rest here:

Organic Food Stores In New Jersey - New Jerey Leisure Guide

Organic Agriculture

USDA

A centralized web resource center that contains all of the information from the USDA regarding programs, services and data that support organic agriculture.

USDA. Agricultural Marketing Service.

Provides information to consumers and producers on USDA certified organic products.

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Provides information on evaluating organic foods and labeling qualifications. Also discusses several factors to consider when deciding whether or not to purchase organic food.

USDA. NAL. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center.

Bibliographic references (from 2000 to 2008) to literature and studies focusing on nutritional qualities of vegetables, fruits and meats produced in organic systems. Continues SRB 2000-03

USDA. Economic Research Service.

Covers the scope of ERS work on organic agriculture and provides economic research, analysis, and information about the production and marketing of organic products.

Environmental Protection Agency.

Explains the methods of organic farming and the regulatory measures that allow a farm to label their product as "organically grown" .

Excerpt from:

Organic Foods | Food and Nutrition Information Center