Organic

Small potential benefits aren't worth the extra price, imo.

I bought organic mixed nuts awhile ago- and they definitely tasted fantastic (lol). Although I'm not sure if it was the organic aspect or because I haven't had mixed nuts in awhile. Even my spouse seemed to notice how great they tasted, haha. But I always wonder about pesticides/whatever else they spray on our foods.

Organic farming uses organic pesticides.

Also, for what it's worth, I seem to recall reading something about the natural defenses that plants build up in the absence of pesticides can be potentially more harmful than pesticides in some cases

Hey all- so I'm just wondering what everyone's opinion on organic vs non-organic? Do you eat/supplement organic? Do you not worry about it? Are there certain foods you absolutely must buy organic (such as berries- I've heard it's important to try and buy organic berries)? What about your supplements? Do you buy them at your everyday local stores or hit the organic store?? What's your opinion or experience regarding all this?

The key thing about organic is that there are less toxins. With fruit and veggies, if they have a thick inedible skin, it probably doesn't make much difference. Eg a banana or Avocado. If they don't, it make a huge difference. Eg apples, peaches and all berries. For meats, I want food that is not loaded with growth hormones and anti-biotics as well as with lectin, which increases inflamation, from being grain fed. With meats I try to go for organic, free range, grass fed. As one person pointed out, this kind of meat is very expensive so I don't do this exclusively but I do as much as I can afford. With supplements, I buy them online. I try to use supplements that are made from food sources. A couple of good brands are New Chapter, Garden of Life and Spectrum. On supplements, I always buy good quality as IMHO, to not do that is wasting your money as the inexpensive supplements sold at many local stores have poor bioavialablity, uptake and utilization. That being the case, why take them.

I hope this is helpful for you!

For me soy, dairy, and eggs are an organic priority. Fresh produce is tougher because there is not much variety where I live. you can google organic dirty dozen to read about the potentially most contaiminated fruits and veggies.

I only drink organic rice milk or organic semi skimmed milk. ORganic veg and meat is so much tastier, I always buy free range organic eggs also. I do my best to buy organic wherever I can.

I think it is worth the extra cash as makes a huge difference, I struggle to eat non-organic carrots and brocoli as they don't even taste the same!

Organic for several reasons. First for health reasons. The chemicals used in growing vegetables I believe can have lasting harmful effects. bud nip (Chlorpropham) is used on many plants and are is not surface, but goes throughout the plant so it can't be washed away as many pesticides can be. Also the pesticides are very heavy on certain fruits, apples especially. Since I live in a part of the country where much of our vegetables and fruit come from Mexico, where there is little regulation on chemicals I am especially wary of non-organic.

Another reason that I buy organic is because I am fully opposed to several large chemical corporations for what I consider to be unethical and morally reprehensible activity. Monsanto being the main one. GMOs are a serious problem that are being ignored in our country. Despite what people are being led to believe GMO's (Genetically modified organisms) are NOT hybrids where they cross one type of tomato with another type of tomato. Instead they are inserting DNA from different organisms into different plants. One of the most recent is using actual human DNA inserted into rice to make a protein that is more easily absorbed by babies (used in formulas). Nobody knows the long term effects of these GMOs and once they are out there it's next to impossible to get them out of the food chain. Taco Bell in the 90s had to recall all their hard taco shells because some genetically modified corn was used in their taco shells and several children got ill (can't recall if they died or not). The corn had been modified with peanut DNA.

Added to that is the US Supreme court ruled you can patent DNA. Monsanto has been very unethical in their dealing with farmers of marginalized people in developing countries. Going in and "trading" for seed and then doing DNA sequencing of the native seed and patenting it. When the farmers find the GMO seed will not reproduce when saved from a crop (it is designed to not reproduce thereby tying you to the company and being in debt), they discover their native seed which was originally theirs is now "owned" by the corporation and they must now buy it. It creates poverty.

Many of the pesticides and herbicides are produced by the same companies that are engaged in GMOs. (Roundup is the most common herbicide that people know of)

So I buy organic because of 1) unknown effects of the pesticides and applications to the vegetables 2) to not support the corporations that engage in unethical practices.

I am blessed in that I have a family source for organic grass fed beef. I also grow as many of my own vegetables as I can. As to organic pesticides.... I used hot peppers, boil them in water and make a strong infusion. Dilute it and spray it on the vegetables and it takes care of almost all the bugs. And it doesn't change the flavor of the food at all. It remains on the surface. Of course you have to reapply when it rains but hot peppers over chemicals in my book any day.

I am not against all AG corporations. I was raised a rancher's daughter and believe in the right to make money, but not to the detriment of life and enslavement of other people (developing nations are especially at risk. In Nov. I was in Uganda and attempts were being made to talk farmers out of their banana pups so they could be sequenced so it is a real and current issue)