fbpx

Should I buy organic veggies and fruits?
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

By Andrea Holwegner, Health Stand Nutrition Consulting Inc.

You know that eating more veggies and fruit is good for your health. You have also probably heard that produce can contain pesticide residues and wondered about the safety of these. The debate on choosing organic versus conventionally grown vegetables and fruit can be summarized by examining a few things.

It is well established in scientific literature that cultures that eat a high level of plant based foods have health promoting effects. Worldwide most people consume conventionally grown produce and have a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other issues. Veggies and fruit contain health promoting phytochemicals, fibres, vitamins and minerals. If you are overweight getting enough veggies can also help you to lose weight. They add a significant amount of volume to help fill your stomach without contributing a significant amount of calories.

Buying local and supporting organically grown products will allow this industry to continue to grow and flourish. You are standing behind an industry that is ultimately saying “we care.” There is care for the ecosystem as a whole (environment, plant, farmer and consumer). If you are in a financial situation that could afford to buy a few organic items each time you shop, do it. Visit your local farmers market as often as you can. Ask questions about where your food comes from and how it is produced.

This week the Environmental Working Group released its 2011 EWG Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce TM. This is an annual guide where you will find a list of the Clean 15 TM which is produce lowest in pesticides and the Dirty Dozen TM which is produce they suggest you buy organic. To download a free copy of the guide for your wallet visit:www.foodnews.org.

The bottom line:

Simply put – just get enough veggies and fruit. Regardless if your produce is grown organically or conventionally they all contribute to good health. For adults getting 7-8 servings of veggies and fruit per day is ideal for health. While this may sound like a lot keep in mind one serving is equal to 1/2 cup of fresh/frozen fruits/veggies, 1/4 cup dried fruit, 1 cup leafy greens or 1/2 cup unsweetened juice.

Step outside of your comfort zone and choose a wide variety of veggies and fruit rather than limiting yourself to only a few. All plants have different nutrients and phytochemicals that benefit our health. Don’t just eat bananas, apples, tomatoes and lettuce. Each week fill your cart with a diverse mix of produce. Go for fresh, frozen and dried fruit as well as fresh or frozen veggies and canned tomatoes. Support local food producers and the organic industry as much as possible.

10 ways to get more veggies and fruit:

  1. Make a rule to have veggies at least twice per day (such as at lunch and at supper).
  2. Eat fresh fruit at breakfast daily or start the day with a smoothie
  3. Choose fresh fruit, unsweetened applesauce or dried fruit for snacks.
  4. Have two types of veggies at supper instead of just one since research supports that if you have more variety you will eat more.
  5. Make your salads more fun. Try adding fresh fruit (such as grapefruit, oranges, kiwi, strawberries, mango or grapes), grilled veggies (such as mushrooms, red peppers, corn on the cob or caramelized onions) or dried fruit (such as dried cranberries, raisins, dates, figs or apricots).
  6. Eat stir-fries more often as well as family favourites such as taco salad or grilled chicken Caesar salad.
  7. Load your pizzas with onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, peppers or spinach. For the adventuresome try grilled eggplant, sautéed zucchini or artichokes.
  8. Chop your raw veggies for the week all at once. Serve with hummus or your favourite dip.
  9. Consider vegetable soups such as mixed vegetable soup, roasted red pepper, butternut squash and others.
  10. Take the lead. Watch what happens when you make a fruit salad or take time to slice up the apples kicking around in your fridge drawer. Most people will eat more when someone else prepares it.

Thanks for reading!

Andrea Holwegner
“The Chocoholic Dietitian”

Share your comments and similar experiences here on my blog: www.healthstandnutrition.com/blog/

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

As seen in

  •  

Success stories

"I am a psychologist in private practice and it is very important to me that my clients have the best care with other health care professionals. For that reason Health Stand Nutrition is my only source for exceptional Dietitians. Andrea and her team provide highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and real world support to my clients who require assistance with food lifestyle. I trust my clients to them and you would be in excellent hands making them part of your health care team."
Adele Fox, Psychologist
“This is the first time I feel satisfied; my cravings have diminished dramatically and I have a whole new relationship with food. I am eating guilt-free for the first time in my life. My energy has also dramatically increased and I feel great!
Rhonda Jenkins, Nutrition Counseling Client
“The Dieticians at Health Stand Nutrition help you to take action on the science behind eating well by making it practical, understandable, and fun. Their office is cozy and not at all clinical or intimidating. I felt like I was sitting down with a really smart, caring friend who wanted to help me make the best choices for my lifestyle and food preferences. They really are the best in the business.”
Marty Avery, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I have come to think of the program as a one stop shopping excursion for everything one needs to know about creating a joyous relationship with food and our bodies. In a single word, the course has gifted me with freedom from the punishing rigidity of disordered eating, old stories that never were true, and body dysmorphia that did nothing but make me lose sight of a body that has done everything I've asked, despite my careless dismissal of her needs. Now when I look in the mirror I find myself shifting from harsh criticism to gentle gratitude.”
Lynn Haley, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“I spent 3 hours when first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I learned more from my Dietitian about food in those 3 hours than I had learned in all the years of my life. I also love the newsletter, there is always something to learn.”
Peter Whitehead, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I didn’t realize how strong my “diet mentality” was, and all the rules I had in my head about food. I was in a cycle of reward/punish/binge/cringe. I booked with your business very reluctantly, on the repeated advice of my doctor, to get my slowly rising cholesterol levels in check. I thought I knew everything about food, and my behaviour with food, but I was definitely re-schooled. My weight is creeping down, I feel good about my diet, exercise, body image, and lifestyle.”
Amy Floyd, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Thanks Andrea for an amazing presentation, I have heard all positive remarks from attendees and the evaluations show the same sentiment. It is really gratifying when a speaker does their “homework” and weaves in our profession’s day to day challenges within their content, you did an awesome job of this! You truly took the “die” out of Dietician! Your information on healthy eating and simplifying how we can work towards this as we are all so busy really hit the mark. Andrea connects very well with her audience; she is energetic, funny, and very approachable.”
Carole Ann LaGrange, Transfusion Medicine Safety Officer

Event Planner for Laboratory Diagnostic Imaging Annual Event

I am a family physician who sees patients with a myriad of eating concerns – from wanting to know how to plan healthy meals for active families, to weight loss, to eating disorders, and so on. I cannot recommend the Health Stand team highly enough. I have worked with (and been to!) other Dieticians in the past and too often find that they just ask for food logs and make suggestions that are easily obtained online or in books. The Dieticians at Health Stand offer much more than just telling clients what they “should be eating.” In contrast, the team really does more of a counselling practice, and they work hard to help their clients learn more about why their eating habits may be off track and not optimal for them, as well as helping people to effect change at a deep level that, most importantly, is sustainable for lifetime health.”
Dr. Deb Putnam, Family Physician

Nutrition Counseling Client & Referring Physician

“I am a busy mom, with kids in high level sports, working full-time downtown, and running our home acreage outside the City. I now have the knowledge and tools I need to plan for and manage the chaos of meal planning.”
Gillian Gray, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“As a construction company, we select speakers who can relate to our industry and its employees. Andrea’s message was delivered with humor and empathy. She makes people feel as though they can make changes without leaving behind every favorite food. Andrea focused her presentation on healthy eating as a way to keep energy high throughout the day. This message and the way it was delivered resonated with our predominantly male, blue collar culture. I would highly recommend Andrea as a speaker for groups such as ours. She will get your message across without alienating anyone in your audience – which is a huge hurdle when trying to introduce a wellness program in the workplace!”
Stephanie Wood, HR and Safety Manager

Fisher Construction Group, Burlington, WA

I found my Dietitian warm, funny, and skilled at teaching nutrition concepts without the overwhelm. The general approach of each session was to mix science with emotion, which was exceedingly effective in helping me shift my perspective on food from one of anxiety to one of joy and curiosity.”
Erin Kronstedt, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Excellent presentation! What a refreshing change to have a speaker inspire rather than “lecture” about nutrition. Your captivating stories, tips and overall approach to healthy eating uplifts and puts people at ease. It was great to hear we don’t need to strive to be perfect eaters, and that small changes really can make a difference in how we feel and in our health. Thanks to Andrea, we have solutions to our everyday nutrition challenges that can actually work in real life!”
Tina Tamagi, Human Resources

ARC Resources Ltd.

“Had I not joined this course I would have struggled with no focus, low energy, and mindless eating. Excellent teaching and motivation. This is not just a course, it is a nutrition club with mentorship, support, and connections with other people with similar situations.”
Lorri Lawrence, Pursuit of Healthiness online course participant

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This