We hear a lot these days about the dangers of hormones and antibiotics and pesticides in our food. We’re also presented with so many “health” options at the grocery store: Hormone Free! All Natural! Non-GMO! Organic! Grass Fed! It’s down-right-out exhausting to try and figure out where it might be worth spending a little more money on healthier foods and where we’re best to buy conventional fare.

I’m going to make this as easy as possible for you.  Remember a few posts ago where I talked about the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen?  Let’s start there…

The Dirty Dozen

The dirty dozen is a list of fruits and vegetables that are 100% without a doubt worth either buying organic or not buying at all.   These are foods that absorb more pesticides more easily through their skin, which means even when you wash them, you’re not necessarily getting rid of the poisons.  The Dirty Dozen include strawberries, spinach, kale, collard & mustard greens, nectarines, apples, grapes, cherries, peaches, pears, bell & hot peppers, celery and tomatoes.  If you cannot afford to buy these items organic, it really is best to choose something else.

The Clean Fifteen

The clean fifteen on the other hand are foods that are lowest in pesticides and found to be the safest of all conventional crop. They include avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, onions, papaya, frozen sweet peas, eggplant, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, kiwi, cauliflower, mushrooms, honeydew melon and cantaloupe.  There’s no need to buy these items organic.

You can download a booklet containing both these lists here.

Processed Foods – Organic Mac & Cheese is Still Mac & Cheese

One of my rules of thumb is if it comes in a package that makes health claims in big, bright letters, put it back.  The reality is processed food is processed food.  The more processed it is, the less healthy it is – no matter what health claims are on the package.  Annies Mac & Cheese is no more nutritious than Kraft, and Justin’s Organic Peanut Butter Cups are no better or worse for your health than Reese’s.

When it comes to eating processed food you really are best to read the ingredients (less is best) and learn to read nutrition labels – not advertising – to make informed buying decisions based on your individual needs and not on the health claims. Do not bother paying more to buy processed foods organic, it’s just a waste of money.

Meat, Poultry & Eggs

There are a couple of studies that suggest a correlation between adolescent females becoming sexually mature at younger ages as well as males developing enlarged breasts and the hormone we consume in meats. Now keep in mind, to my knowledge, this evidence is still inconclusive – meaning it’s not confirmed.

In our house, we are meat eaters who believe protein is king.  We know that eating a plant-based diet makes it much, MUCH more difficult for us to meet our protein needs. When it comes to all land meats we buy grass-fed organic when we are able (when it’s on sale) but will buy standard otherwise.

Free-range (not free-run, they are not the same thing) organic eggs are the most expensive in most supermarkets and are the most nutrient-dense of all eggs, which have the highest levels of Omega-3 (regardless of the health claims on some packaging).  We will either eat farm-fresh or Free Range Organic (and as local as possible).

Seafood

Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet.  A well-balanced diet that includes fish can contribute to heart health and the proper growth and development of children.  With that said, nearly all fish contains mercury. And while for most people this isn’t a major concern, some fish does contain higher levels that could have an adverse effect on the nervous system.  It’s considered most beneficial to consume up to 12 ounces of low mercury fish or shellfish per week for most people.

Seafood high in mercury (that it’s best to avoid) includes shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.

Seafood low in mercury (that it’s beneficial to eat up to 12 ounces a week) includes shrimp, canned light tuna (albacore “white” tuna has more mercury than canned), salmon, pollock and catfish.

Dairy Products

Unless you’re lactose intolerant, dairy products can be a great source of complete protein and a few other nutrients.  With that said, dairy also tends to be fairly high in fat (not the good kind, either), and while we want a good amount of goods fats in our diet, with dairy it’s very easy to over-consume fat – which quickly increases overall calories.  I recommend purchasing skim or low-fat dairy whenever possible.

Butter

Unless you’re really into keto, butter is most often dismissed as a universally unhealthy ingredient. It is high in milk fat and it’s often nutrient lacking.  Grass-fed butter, however, while extremely pricey, appears to have a number of health benefits.  Grass-fed butter has lower levels of saturated fat (because the cows that it comes from graze on grass instead of grain), as well as other vitamins such as vitamin K and E, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids.  Some studies suggest that grass-fed butter in moderation actually has more benefits and fewer risks than those associated with standard butter.

Now we don’t eat a whole lot of butter in our house, but when we do it’s grass-fed for these reasons.

Start Small

Whew! This has been a long one. I’d highly recommend you bookmark this page and come back to it from time to time.  If all these things sound and feel overwhelming to you or if you’re just used to purchasing conventional foods don’t sweat it! Nothing needs to change overnight, or even the next time you go grocery shopping. Instead, think about small changes. Is there one thing on this list you could swap out for a better option next time?  If so, start there.

Integrate small changes that you can implement with as little sweat as possible and that you can sustain over a long period of time.  When those changes become second nature, then it’s time to come back and look for another.  One step at a time.