Questions and Answers

Welcome to our Question and Answers to Eating Health Foods portion of our blog. 

This is a place where we find answers to common questions friends have asked us about eating healthy. 

** Disclaimer: We have researched answers to find factual information to reference to our readers, however, please note that items in (Italics) are personal commentary by the writers of this blog. We are not responsible for any health recommendations or medical advice, but are here to provide information on how to eat healthy. 

When and How to Eat Organic Foods

(source: Sustainable Food News 7/20/11)

"Over half of Americans prefer organic foods", to support local farms and/or to avoid toxins. 

Children's "major source of pesticide exposure is from food. A 2010 investigation found that children with higher-than-average pesticide levels are twice as likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD). Every year 12 million pounds (5.440 million kg) of pesticides are sprayed on foods intended for young people. Three-quarters of conventional produces have pesticides; three-quarters of organic crops have NONE." (source: "Raising Elija" by Sandra Steingraber)

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Here is a handy guide to sect organic or conventional fruits and vegetables. Fold in half and carry it while shipping. Mike makes extra copies and give them to people who are in the "natural" section of the supermarket. 

I have often pondered the idea that "either we eat clean, organic food now at a higher $ cost or prepare to pay for medical bills later in life at a much higher cost to your wallet and your life. The choice is hard, with the high cost of buying organic can be financial difficult, which is why we have chosen to share the "Environmental Working Group's 2011 Guide to which foods have the least and highest pesticides."

Environmental Working Group's 2011  highest in pesticide content (*) and least amount of detected pesticides (+): 

ORGANIC	ORGANIC	Least contaminated	Avoid these dyes
apples*	lemons	asparagus+	≠ blue 1, 2; green; red 3;  yellow 6
bananas	limes	avocado+
beets	milk	beans (dried) broccoli Brussels sprouts	companies that use genetically modified foods (GM) if not
bell peppers*	mushrooms	cabbage+	marked "organic":
blueberries*	nectarines	cantaloup+(domestic)	Birds Eye
butter	nuts (all)	cashews	Campbells's
cantaloupe	oranges	eggplant+	Heinz
carrots	peaches*	garlic	Hershey's
celery*	peas	grapefruit+	Hormel
cherries	pears	kiwi+	General Mills
coffee (USDA/ shade-grown)	potatoes*	mangoes+ onions+	Mars, Inc.
corn	raspberries (red)	papaya	Nestle
cucumbers	soy	pineapple+	Post
eggs	spinach*	sesame seed	Quaker
grapes	strawberries*	sweat potatoes	Smucker's
green beans	tomatoes	watermelon+	Unilever
kale*	wine	zucchini	Del Monte
leafy greens*	yogurt		Hellman's

Reading Labels: What is the difference between Organic, 100% Organic, Made with Organic ingredients, natural and free-range/ hormone free? 
(source: Sustainable Food News 7/20/11)

It can be tricky to know what is the difference between all the labeling on the organic to natural/ hormone free food items these days. I went through and add our own personal opinions in the (Italics) below. These are not of the Sustainable Food News comments.  We found this quick guide to be helpful when shopping:  100% Organic=made with 100% organic ingredients Organic = made with at least 95% organic ingredients Best to eat meat, dairy, eggs, fruits and vegetables that are either 100% organic or organic to avoid harmful pesticides.  Made with Organic Ingredients= made with a minimum of 70% organic with strict restrictions on the remaining 30% including no GMOs Still a good option for eat meat, eggs, dairy, fruits and vegetables.  Natural= are not organic, do not contain additives or preservatives, but can be grown with pesticides or GMOs, and are not regulated In our (the Fernandez Family), these should not be your main food items. I would select these from chips, dips or cereals. BUT only if they are clearly marked NON-GMO on the labels. Some do have these on cereals.  Free range/hormone free/natural= describe the product, but does not make it organic What is GMO stand for and is it harmful to my body?
Do We Really Need or Want Genetically Modified Foods? By Victor Katch www.michigantoday.umich.edu/2013/03/story.php?id=8574 GMO  (Genetically Modified Organisms)  Genetically Modified foods that have been altered in the genes of the food to either hybrid the item to make a mix of two foods; or genetically alter the genes of animals, foods, plants that would not normally occur in nature. Why is this harmful? Because the chemicals used to produce the modified gene are mixing with our own healthy cells. The chemicals reside in our bodies and not flushed out, become toxins. The experimentation of the using GMO foods, have not been throughly regulated in labeling, providing a lack of communication to the pubic as to what is GMO and NON-GMO foods you are eating. - Alia  Studies have show the following research:  "Thirty countries have significant restrictions or outright bans on production of GMOs, because they are not considered proven safe, eg. Australia, Japan, and all EU countries." (pg1) "Significant Americans would like food that contains GMOs to be labeled, but federal government has chosen not to require companies disclose this information." (p1) How to Avoid GM Foods (Pg. 4, Direct Quotes from article, by Victor Katch. )  Buy Organic. "Organic producers cannot intentionally use GMOs."      "Avoid at-risk ingredients. If it's not labeled organic, or doesn't have a Non-GMO Project Verified seal, then avoid food products made with the following crops since they are mostly genetically modified in the U.S" Look for "Non-GMO Project Verified" seals. • Corn (corn flour, meal, oil, starch, gluten, and syrups; sweeteners such as fructose, dextrose, and glucose; and modified food starch) • Soy (soy flour, lecithin, protein, isolate, and isoflavone) • Canola "(canola oil, also called rapeseed oil)" • Cottonseed oil • Sugar "(avoid anything not listed as 100 percent cane sugar)" • Aspartame "(the artificial sweetener also known as NutraSweet and Equal, which is derived from GM microorganisms)" 4. Avoid hidden GM products, "including baking powder, caramel color, lecithin, malt sugar, soy milk, soy sauce, tempeh, whey, whey powder, and sorbitol." If you want to learn more: The Daily Green  Food News  National Pesticide Information Center Food Alliance food certification Environmental Working Group's 2011 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce What are Genetically Modified (GM) Foods? nongmoproject.org
How are pesticides harmful to our children?  (Organic, inc.: Natural Foods and How They Grew, by Samuel Fromartz; Library of Congress Catalog; Harcourt, c2006. 294 p.) Recent studies have shown to prove that pesticides are harmful to adults and children. The residual pesticides left on our food from crop spraying for injection hormones is now causing disease and food allergies in our population. The following studies take note on this issue:
Findings In 1998, Chensheng Lu, a researcher at the Dept. of Health, U. of WA, tested 110 two to-five year olds in the Seattle area. 1. "109 children had higher levels of pesticide metabolites, but one had no signs."(294 p.) 2. "That child's family eat mostly organic"(294 p.) 3. "There was no evidence of pesticide metabo-lites in the 109 children's urine."(294 p.) 4. "Transformation is rapid, within 8-36 hrs. of switching to organic foods, the pesticides were no longer detected."(294 p.) 5. "When the team reintroduced conventional foods to the children...the metabolites returned."(294 p.)
What are the top ten foods known to help prevent the onset of cancerous cells in our bodies? What should I be eating?  10 Top Foods to Fight Cancer, by Eric Metcalf. Medically reviewed by Cynthia Hanes, MD.  http://www.everydayhealth.com/cancer-photos/top-foods-to-fight-cancer.aspx#/slide-3 Anti-cancer vegetables broccoli  brussel sprouts cabbage carrots  cauliflower  eggplant  green beans  kale  onions (red)  peppers  radishes  soy  squash  sweet potatoes tomatoes yams Anti-cancer fruits: apricots  blueberries  grapefruit  grapes  lemons  mangoes  oranges  papayas  peaches  persimmons strawberries,  organic tangerines THE 10-STEP ANTI-CANCER PROGRAM 1. Reduce stress. 2. Stay lean. 3. Increase exercise. 4. Limit dietary fat to 20 percent of total calories, with less than 10 percent of total calories as saturated fats. Eliminate hydrogenated fats. 5. Increase fiber to between 25 and 35 grams a day. 6. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. 7. Eat foods high in the antioxidants beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E. 8. Switch from red meat to seafood and soy products. 9. Eat foods high in calcium. 10. Consider daily supplements of the following: Vitamin C, 500 mg Calcium, 500 mg Flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed), 30 grams Acidophilus powder, 1 teaspoon Vitamin E, 200 IU Selenium, 100 mg