To buy organic or not...

So...as I continue to make changes in my diet, I am constantly making decisions about what I should or shouldn't be putting in my body and my children's body.  One of those decisions I make every time I go to the grocery store is, "Do I buy it organic???"  Of course, if money were no considerations, I'm sure we'd all buy everything organically grown...but unfortunately, money is a big factor in my decisions.  Unfortunately, the most unhealthy food is often the cheapest...those uber processed foods are so inexpensive because they use sub par, inexpensive ingredients, fillers and flavorings.  One of the most memorable patients I had during nursing school was a gentleman who was close to 400 pounds, but his lab work showed all the signs of malnourishment.  He was a poor man who was living in his car and had been for sometime.  He was buying processed, high calorie, low nutritional value food that made him quite obese, but provided his body with very little of what it needed.  I remember being very struck by him and in awe of his situation...and I remember thinking "How can someone be so overweight, yet be starving??"  I remember thinking how sad it was that he was spending the little money he had on the food he could afford, yet really getting little benefit from it...in fact, it was harming him.  Not only was he suffering from all the harm that comes to a person when they are obese, but he was also suffering from all the harm that comes from malnourishment.   

Of course organic food isn't the only food that provides complete nutrition.  To buy not to buy organic is a hotly debated subject.  Unfortunately, there's little regulation or enforcement as to what can be sold labeled "organic".  And even if things are made with organic ingredients, something filled with "organic cane juice" (a.k.a. sugar water) is not really the best choice.  There's lots of junk food showing up in the "health food" section of the grocery store...manufactures have just become creative with their labeling.  There have been several studies in the level of chemicals and pesticide residue found in different foods.  For instance, studies show very little difference in the amount of chemicals found in the meat of livestock who have been raised "organically" as compared to those who have been raised conventionally.  Even advocates of organic food will admit that there are several fruits and vegetables that aren't necessarily worth spending the extra money on.  Some of the produce that's largely agreed upon as okay to buy conventionally grown are: asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cabbage, corn, kiwi, mangoes, onions, pineapple and peas.  The produce that is widely agreed upon are worth the extra investment in organic: celery, apples, grapes, lettuce, cherries, pears, nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach, peppers and strawberries.  It's believed that the skin on these fruits and vegetables leaves them more susceptible to absorption of the pesticides.  The other thing to consider is that most "organic" produce is flown in from other countries, and although the regulations are on paper, enforcing those regulations is nearly impossible. 
So what do you do??  Do you pay the extra money for organic produce with the hopes that a farm in South America is truly dedicated to the cause??  I guess it's a toss up for me!  I try to focus more on what's in the food I'm buying...I keep in mind the list of produce above and do my best to buy the recommended organic foods organically and leave the rest conventionally grown.  I don't buy organic canned tomatoes for $3.00 a can, I buy a brand that's lists "natural" on the label, and who's ingredients list contains tomatoes, salt and water for $1.49 a can.  I've cut out high fructose corn syrup, trans fats and artificial sweeteners...and sometimes you have to go to an organic product to find it without those highly processed ingredients...but like I said earlier in the post, there's junk food in the health food section...so keep your eyes peeled and read the ingredients!  I also think it's vitally important to purchase foods grown locally.  Get out to your farmer's market and buy foods grown in your area, you'll be more likely to buy foods grown by someone who cares about the land and about their product, not to mention the happiness of their customers.  In this economy, buying locally may also help your pocketbook, as gas prices continue to increase...food prices will increase...it cost more to get foods from China to the US than it does to get them from your local farm to farm stand. 

My recipes today are for an oven fried chicken breast and roasted turnips and carrots.  Here they are:

Oven Fried Chicken

1/2 c buttermilk
1 T brown mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t hot sauce
salt and pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 t paprika
1 t dried thyme
1 t baking powder
2 t salt
1 t pepper
Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat over to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place a wire cooling rack on top of the baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. 
Mix buttermilk, mustard, garlic, hot sauce and salt and pepper together.  Add chicken breast and marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight. 
In a paper bag or large ziploc mix together flour, paprika, thyme, baking powder, salt and pepper. 
Shake extra marinade off chicken and place in flour mixture one at a time.  Shake around until coated, shake off extra flour mixture and place on cooling rack. 
Bake chicken until golden brown, about 40-50 minutes. 

Roasted parsnips

4 large parsnips, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
4 carrots, cut into 1/2 chunks
salt and pepper
2 T butter
1/4 tsp dried thyme

Preheat oven to 425.  Place all ingredients in a deep baking dish, toss to coat.  Cook covered for 20-30 minutes, uncover and cook for additional 10 minutes until parsnips and carrots are desired doneness.

Think about your food before you eat it...that's the most important message!!  Read the fine print, both on labels and on the signs in the grocery store.  Whatever you decide is most important for you and your family, is what's most important.  Read labels, shop locally and do your research!  In this day and age...when it comes to your food...trust no one but yourself!!  :-)  Hope you enjoy tonight's recipes!