Organic – Does It Really Matter?

Is Organic Really That Important

Organic foods have become one of the most popular topics around the globe. People are becoming more concerned each day with the amount of pesticides that are being used to grow certain items of produce. Genetically modified foods are also a growing concern. Many of these are viable issues, but some make less sense than others.

There are some simple tips to figuring out what foods to buy organic, and which ones are not cost savvy. Here are a few guidelines to follow when making your final decision at the grocery store.

Fruit

The first thing you see when you walk into a grocery store is usually a plethora of fruits and vegetables all grouped into one giant space. This is the fist situation to avoid. Look for organic produce that is separated from the traditional. The reason this is so important is because the sprayers that keep the fruits and veggies cool and moist can actually wash pesticides off of the traditional produce onto the outside of the organic produce. If there is not a separation, ask your store manager if they would mind separating it in the future.

Oranges, bananas, cantaloupe and watermelon all have one thing in common – thick outer layers. Ok, so maybe they have more than that in common, but the thick rind is what I was talking about. With thin outer layers, the actual edible fruit is exposed to pesticides, so it is more important to buy fruits like grapes, apples, berries and kiwi organic. Take a look at the outer layers and make a decision, just remember, the thicker the skin, the less important it is to buy organic.

Vegetables

Vegetables work in much the same way as fruits. Tomatoes, while technically a fruit, are usually found in the vegetable isles and are important to buy organic because of their thin outer covering. The same applies for bell peppers, mushrooms, corn, green beans, cucumbers, and leafy greens. Vegetables like asparagus, avocado, broccoli and onions are fine to buy au-natural.

According to the theory above, asparagus and broccoli should not be on this list, as they do not have thick skin. There is a reason for this we will get to in just a second. Grains are also slightly different. While most grains do not have thick outer shells, they are not as important to buy organic because there are fewer pesticides used on that type of crop due to their delicate growing conditions, which is the same reason for the asparagus and broccoli. Not many pests bother these crops, therefore no pesticide needed.

Meat/Dairy

In the meat and dairy section, beware the term ‘Natural’ as it means absolutely nothing. ‘Natural’ is not an officially monitored term by the FDA and anyone is allowed to put it on their packaging without any repercussions. The only label to look for is ‘Certified Organic’ which has been approved by the FDA to mean the packaged food is, well, certified as organic.

Just remember that produce with thick outer shells or rinds are less important to buy as organic because the outer layer will be removed before eating. As with meat, just remember that there is no guideline to go with the ‘Natural’ designation – so look for the ‘Certified Organic’ label to be sure you are getting the best product.

Grass Fed Beef for Dinner

Grass Fed Beef –It’s What’s for Dinner

Nothing has developed from eating grains. Think about that statement for a minute. Can you think of any animal that has been able to eat only grains in order to survive and thrive? Absolutely not; so why should our beef be strictly grain fed animals? Not only are the cows grain fed, they are also kept in big pens and are shot full of hormones, antibiotics and steroids in order to keep them disease free and bulky enough to sell on the market.

If you look back fifty or sixty years ago, almost all beef was grass fed. Remember the whole cowboy routine where the cattle would be driven across the plains? That was how it was always done. The only problem with this method was it took a long for the beef to put on enough weight to slaughter, think four to five years.

Today, cattle are around 14 to 16 months at the time of slaughter. Now tell me how a cattle is supposed to go from 80 pounds at birth to 1,200 pounds at slaughter in just over a year. It takes enormous quantities of grains, protein supplements, antibiotics and growth hormones to put on that much weight that fast.

The most dangerous thing with a ruminant [cows are called ruminant because they have four stomachs and chew cud] on a grain diet is bloat. We commonly know about this issue with pets, but we never consider it with cows. The starch from the grain prevent gas from being expelled the normal way, so the cow’s stomach fills up with air and turns on itself, blocking the flow of blood to vital organs and pressing against the cow’s lungs. If this is not corrected immediately, the cow could suffocate.

Grain-fed animals are more susceptible to a form of cow heartburn, called acidosis. Usually this causes the ruminant to get very sick and need antibiotics. Many of the cattle farms today keep a continual stream of antibiotics flowing for their cattle so they do not have to continuously pay a veterinarian to come out and take a look at the same issue over and over. Why not solve the problem all together and use the antibiotics all the time?

This overuse of antibiotics is not only dangerous to the cows; it also has a lasting effect on us. Feedlot beef, as we know it today, would be impossible to maintain if it weren’t for the routine use of antibiotics. Unfortunately this leads to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, creating new super-bugs that are growing stronger against the antibiotics that we are using, forcing scientists to produce stronger drugs and cattle farmers to raise prices to cover these costs.

Grain-fed cattle also have a higher susceptibility to E. coli bacteria due to the acidity that forms in their intestinal tracts. Cattle digestive systems are naturally Ph neutral and the E. coli bacteria thrive in acidic habitats. This increases our risk of getting E. coli when we eat undercooked meat.

Unlike grain-fed cattle, grass-fed beef is not full of all the antibiotics and hormones and take the time to bulk up instead of trying to force it. Because of this, the grass-fed beef is not only lower in overall fat and saturated fat, but it also has the added advantage of providing more omega-3 fats. These omega-3s are found in grass, which is another source high in these good fats. Once cattle are fed grain, they start losing the omega-3s from their tissues and generally only have a remaining five percent left by the time they go to market.

Because of these high amounts of good fats, grass fed beef has a bigger flavor profile that beef is supposed to have. Also because of the omega-3s, grass fed cattle are almost four times higher in Vitamin E and are much higher in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which is associated with lowering the risk of cancer.

The next time you get a chance, try grass-fed beef and see what nature intended natural beef to taste like. Your body will thank you and the cattle farmers who are trying to do right by nature will thank you. Just one last tip, don’t expect the grass-fed beef to taste the same as the beef you have been consuming; it is quite different in process. Keep an open mind and let your pallet explore what real meat should taste like.

Pros and Cons of Slow Cooking

Slow cooking can really amplify the juices and flavors of food. A crock pot cooks your food very slowly, infusing the flavors and all the while being left unattended.  This allows more free time. But is everything about slow cooking good? Let’s check out the pros and cons and see if we can figure it out.

Pros of Slow Cooking

Everybody hates when the house gets all smoky and hot while dinner is cooking. That’s just one of the many pluses of using a slow cooker. Because of its design it keeps smoke in the pot and the heat around your food not around your house.

A lot of foods benefit from being slow cooked. A good example would be those “cheaper” cuts of meat. They are going to be more suitable for being stewed because long slow cooking (simmering) will soften not toughen the meat. Boiling takes away all the muscle and enhances the meat giving it that mouth watering taste.

Another plus with slow cooking is that it eliminates overcooking foods and keeps food from becoming bland. With a crock pot it’s off to other activities while your dinner is cooking at the same time. Talk about multi tasking.

Just a few ideas of things that can be made in the crock pot include: Pot roasts, meatballs, ham, turkey, stews, soups, chili, dips, vegetables, fruits and even desserts.

This is also a safer method of cooking. Since you’re using a lower temperature to cook the food it’s not going to be such a hazard. The lid stays over the food so there is no popping, sizzling or chances of someone being burnt. There are times when slow cookers aren’t always safe. There is a possibility that the ceramic could crack or steam can escape but that is a very low possibility.

Cons

When you slow cook food some of the nutrients are lost. This occurs mostly when cooking vegetables. Be sure to drink the broth that your slow cooker creates as it is very nutritive.

Another downfall of slow cooking is that is does take a long time until your food is ready to eat. If you’re looking for something quick then a slow cooker isn’t going to be your best bet.

It also presents a challenge when trying to cook all your food equally although there is a way around this. When cooking stews and soups there are many ingredients involved and everything is cooking at different speeds. Some dense vegetables like carrots take longer to cook than meat, since the crock pot is a long slow cooking process the vegetables should be added in first then the meat second. This will give vegetables a head start and keep them cooking right along with that cut of meat.

There are pros and cons when it comes to slow cooking foods. No matter which way you look at it there’s something to be said about throwing it all into one pot and walking away only to have a delicious meal waiting on you hours later. Try slow cooking and determine if the highs are worth the lows at the end of the day.  Win your race on creating delicious meals at a slow and steady pace.

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