Is Organic Worth the Cost?

There's a lot of information about organic fresh produce. Some people believe it's better, while others don't believe there's a difference. Some people claim that organic fruit and vegetables are higher in nutrients as well as being free from chemicals, yet others will say both have the same amount of nutrients.

While most people will agree that organic fresh produce is free from harmful chemicals (which is why many people choose organic), being higher in nutrients is a little more complicated. Some studies indicate that organic fresh produce is higher in nutrients because other methods use chemicals which depletes the soil of important vitamins and minerals. As a result the fruits and vegetables grown in this soil are lacking in nutrients. The produce may also absorb many of those chemicals used in the soil which can't be washed off. Whether this is correct or not, there are other reasons organic fresh produce is higher in nutrients.

Often buying organic means buying locally grown seasonal food. When you buy organic fresh produce it is usually from local farms. This mean less travel time, and quite often it is fresher as it has been picked that day or within the a few days. Fresher mean more nutrients. Supermarket fruits and vegetables have been sourced from various places, local, interstate and international. This means they are quite old. The minute fresh produce is harvested it starts degrading and nutrients deplete. By the time it gets to the supermarket it has lost a massive amount of goodness. To add to that supermarkets will store their fresh produce at cold temperatures for extended periods of time which will deplete the nutrients even more. It could be weeks between the time of harvest to when you purchase the product, and the longer it takes, the more nutrients are lost.

To add to this there are rumours that supermarkets spray their fresh produce with chemicals to make them last longer. Have you ever wondered why supermarket fruits and vegetables will keep for much longer than locally sourced produce?

Many people would like to buy organic, but affording it is another thing; it is more expensive. However the next best step would be to find a good local farmers market and buy seasonal produce which has recently been harvested, organic or not. This will ensure the highest possible nutrient content and you will be supporting your local farmers.

I find buying a mixture of organic and non-organic produce is the best way to go. You can choose to purchase organic varieties of produce which typically have higher amounts of pesticides in conventional form. This usually includes anything which grows from a flower. Usually fruits and vegetable with thicker skins absorb less chemicals such as pineapples and avocados. Tomatoes, grapes and berries often contain high amounts of pesticides, so buying these in organic where possible is a good idea.

Lastly, a good fruit and vegetable wash can help wash off the pesticides when you can't buy organic produce. I love Envirocare Enviroclean Fruit and Veg Wash.

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