Posted on February 26th, 2016

Should I buy organic food is often a question I get asked. There are many mixed reviews and opinions on this topic that it can get quite confusing.

To be able to call food organic, producers need to be able to make/grow a product without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides or any other artificial chemicals. Synthetic additives and antibiotics cannot be added to animal feed either.

There are studies that either state organic produce contains more vitamins and minerals as well as studies that indicate there isn’t any real difference. Eating organically is often more expensive and not always readily available depending on where you reside. While I tend to try and buy organic fruits, vegetables and meat when I can, I do prefer to support the local farmers at the markets on weekends.

It is more important to eats lots of fresh fruits and vegetables regardless whether they are organically grown or not due to the nutrients they provide. The best thing you can do is always wash them first as close to consumption as possible and rewash produce that is packaged or sliced to remove any chemicals and dirt. Buy your fruits and vegetables in season as it is often cheaper, they taste better and they provide you with a variety of nutrients.

While I do love meat I tend to eat more fish, eggs, and vegetarian proteins myself, but I do like to buy organic chicken and beef as I believe it tastes nicer and I like knowing that antibiotics in particular have not been used in their feed.

At the end of the day you need to stick to your budget, buy seasonally and enjoy everything in moderation. Our bodies, if working well are very capable of eliminating substances that shouldn’t be there and will look after you if you take care of them.

Be mindful that foods labelled organic don’t always mean that they are healthier. Read the ingredients on the packaged foods first and try and stick to fresh wholefoods where possible.

If you do buy organic produce you will only be able to buy what fruits and vegetables are in season and the fresh produce may look a little different in shape and size due to growing requirements.