ORGANIC FOOD

HEALTHY HABITS Organic Food

Benefits • Where to Find It

by Ann Marie Kennon • annmarie@lhtxdigest.com

The term “organic” refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. In the United States, the law requires produce to be grown and harvested without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms.

Organic livestock bred for meat, eggs, and dairy products are raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors (e.g., grazing on pasture) and fed organic feed and forage. Farmers and ranchers may not administer antibiotics, growth hormones, or any animal by-products.

Research has concluded, for most products, there is no significant difference in the nutrition between conventional and organic food.1 A 2016 European study did show levels of certain nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, were up to 50 percent higher in organic meat and milk than in conventionally raised versions. It follows, for the most part, the goodness is not what is in the food but what is not.

Organic produce does not have preservatives so it is sold fresher, often from nearby farms to guarantee viability. Experts recommend researching and buying in season; products are cheapest and freshest when they are at peak ripeness. All farming, by necessity, incorporates pesticides.

The difference, for organic produce, is the pesticides' origin—organic pesticides are derived from natural sources. These natural sources are usually plants, as is the case with pyrethrum (pyrethins), rotenone or ryania (botanical insecticides), or minerals, such as boric acid, cryolite, or diatomaceous earth.

Studies have shown a primarily organic diet may provide the following benefits. It gives children a lower risk of eczema and allergies. For all ages, higher levels of antioxidants found in certain organic foods can help strengthen immune systems and contribute to better overall health. The reduction in the amount of pesticides in organic foods may also be good for healthier, clearer skin.2

1 Mayo Clinic 2 www.medgroup.com 3 Environmental Working Group

WHERE TO BUY

Visit The Market at Indian Hill Ranch (12805 Hwy 29, Liberty Hill) on the third Saturday of the month; 9 am - 1 pm Jan - Oct / 9 am - 3 pm Nov & Dec. Santa Rita Ranch Farmer's Market opens for the

Spring on March 6, 2022. Visit them every other

Sunday from 10 am - 2 pm at 497 Santa Rita Blvd.,

Liberty Hill. Old Town Leander Farmer's Market at Smooth Village is open every Saturday 9 am - 1 pm; 203 W. Broade

St., Leander. The Wolf Ranch Farmers Market is every Saturday, 9am–1pm in the parking lot of the Wolf Ranch Shopping Center (corner of Hwy 29 & IH 35 in Georgetown).

These fruits and vegetables have the highest pesticide levels3, so are best to buy organic: Apples  Celery  Cucumbers  Potatoes  Grapes  Kale/Collard Greens Spinach  Peaches  Cherry Tomatoes Strawberries  Hot Peppers  Summer Squash  Sweet Bell Peppers  Nectarines (imported)