Should you go organic?

In an ideal world the answer would be yes! Organic food is not only better for the environment, but also for our health. Organic food has lower levels of fertilisers, pesticides and antibiotics – all of which can have a negative impact on our health. Even if you wash fruit and vegetables before using them, you can’t always get all the pesticides off them.

Organic food often also has higher nutrient levels. In organic fruits and vegetables, because the plant isn’t getting lots of fertiliser and pesticides the plant has to work harder to survive, and in doing so produces more beneficial phytonutrients – the very things that give us health benefits.

Similarly organic meat and eggs often has higher levels of omega 3 – the healthy fats that are good for reducing inflammation and balancing hormone levels.

So of course, ideally everything we ate would be organic. But sometimes this is not practical. Organic food is often more expensive. It can also be difficult to get hold of and the range can be limited in some supermarkets.

So, if you can only afford to buy some organic produce, here are my recommendations for what to prioritise:

• Buy organic meat, eggs and dairy produce – this is particularly important if you have any hormonal imbalances. Organic produce will have lower levels of added hormones, antibiotics and chemicals – all of which can upset the hormonal balance even further. If you can’t get organic, then grass fed produce is also better.
  
• Buy organic fruit and vegetables that are on the UK dirty dozen list (www.pan-uk.org/dirty-dozen). This list is reviewed every year and gives the fruit and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticides and chemicals within them. Eating organic for these products will reduce the intake of chemicals you are exposed to.
  
• Look at local veg box schemes or farmers markets – this can be an easier way to get hold of organic produce, but just check that their produce is organic.
  
• Grow your own fruit and veg – that way you can control exactly what the plant has been exposed to and it will be super fresh and so have a higher nutrient content. You don’t need a massive amount of space either – you can grow herbs on a windowsill, tomatoes in a grow bag and fruit bushes in a pot.
  
  Happy Organic September!

And remember do get in touch if you have any questions or would like to book in for a free 30 minute hormone health review to start thinking about how to get your hormones back in balance.

Content Disclaimer

The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this blog  are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this blog. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this blog. Emma Belton Nutrition disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this blog.