Why no Organic
Posted by I am NOT Tyler ... on Mar 29, 2007 · Member since Mar 2007 · 23 posts
HI Everyone this is my first post on the form or ever for that matter.I am 24 and live in Saskatchewan its in Canada. just recently chosen stop eatting meat and working on going vegan. I came to this sight looking for recipes. there are some good recipes here but i have yet to see any that put any emfice on organic ingredients. I don't know if using organics is a given or not but to me it seam kind of silly to respect animals like this and not the earth. maybe at the beginning of every recipe the poster could put "try use organic when ever possible" or something like that. Any feed back would be great thank
I think that with most of us, we buy organic and don't have to be reminded to. The key phrase here is "whenever possible". For some people, organic produce is very expensive and if their food budget is very small, they can't afford it. Other places, organic is still an idea and not something available in regular supermarkets. I think that in order to be as inclusive of all vegetarians and vegans as possible, it should stay like it is. We don't want to run anybody off because they can't afford or can't find everything organic.
Many recipes do suggest to "use organic whenever possible" some even suggest some organic brands.
I also take it as a given.... buying organic is just as important to me as veganism... possibly more so.
I agree that it is so important to use organic and local whenever possible. It drastically reduces the footprint we leave on the earth and increases the nutrition for our bodies. It seems to me like it would be too much extra typing to label everything 'organic'. Use your common sense and what you have on hand.
Hi. Nice to meet you. :)
I agree that sometimes organic is a matter of availability. I found the following article that approximates my approach.
The Top 10 Foods to Eat Organically
Excerpted from Your Organic Kitchen, by Jesse Ziff Cool. (www.care2.com)
Some conventionally grown foods are treated with more pesticides than others. Some retain more of the pesticides. Here is a list of the top 10 foods containing the most pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research group based in Washington, D.C.
You can sidestep harm and still eat vitamin-rich foods. If you cannot find these foods organically, here are some great alternatives that contain the same valuable vitamins and minerals.
High-Pesticide Food: Strawberries
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy Alternatives: Blueberries, raspberries, oranges, grapefruit, kiwifruit, watermelon
High-Pesticide Food: Bell peppers
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy Alternatives: Green peas, broccoli, romaine, lettuce
High-Pesticide Food: Spinach
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A and C
Healthy Alternatives: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus
High-Pesticide Food: Cherries
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy Alternatives: Oranges, blueberries, raspberries, kiwifruit, blackberries, grapefruit
High-Pesticide Food: Peaches
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A and C
Healthy Alternatives: Nectarines, watermelon, tangerines, oranges, grapefruit
High-Pesticide Food: Mexican cantaloupe
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A and C
and potassium Healthy Alternatives: U.S. cantaloupe grown from May to December, watermelon
High-Pesticide Food: Celery
Main Nutrient: Carotenoids
Healthy Alternatives: Carrots, broccoli, radishes, romaine lettuce
High-Pesticide Food: Apples
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy Alternatives: Watermelon, nectarines, bananas, tangerines
High-Pesticide Food: Apricots
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A an C and potassium
Healthy Alternatives: Nectarines, watermelon, oranges, tangerines
High-Pesticide Food: Green beans
Main Nutrient: Potassium
Healthy Alternatives: Green peas, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, asparagus
For some people, organic produce is very expensive and if their food budget is very small, they can't afford it. Other places, organic is still an idea and not something available in regular supermarkets. I think that in order to be as inclusive of all vegetarians and vegans as possible, it should stay like it is. We don't want to run anybody off because they can't afford or can't find everything organic.
And in some parts of the world, notably parts of Europe, "organic" is a very elastic label and sometimes is just "expensive." Here's a link to a thread I posted earlier this month:
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=15369.0
In case the article is no longer available, it turns out that for YEARS a certain seller of "organic, free-range" eggs has been selling battery-produced eggs under a false label. So in that sense, "organic" just meant "twice the price." You have to know your producers, not just trust a label.
Sorry to hear that red peppers are a high pesticide food. Even in the summer, organic ones are hard to find and the quality is usually -- let's say -- extremely variable.