Page 12 - Boca Club News - August '22

Page 12, Boca Club News

From The Professionals’ Desks

Healthy Answers – A Guide to Healthy Living:

“You Get What You Pay For!”

By Dale Brown, B.S., M.A., C.E.C. Dale it cost more, and no, there really was no difference in taste.” So 47% more expensive, but it depended on the product and where
is a motivational speaker who has spent why would I buy it if not for taste? you shopped. Consumer reports showed Trader Joe’s and Costco
many years as a Certified Life Coach The answer to my question is more about health benefits to have the best overall prices on organics.
and has written numerous articles and than it is a discriminating palate. In general, organic food is Sample costs and organic benefits:
e-books relating to self-improvement considered to be healthier than non-organic. Why? Organic • Eggs – cost about $2.00 more than conventional. Organic
and ways to build a high-performance vegetables and fruits have 20-40% more antioxidants, and – Hens are fed supplements, which increases vitamin A and
team. She is the author of the recently organic milk and meat may have 50% more omega-3 fatty acids. omega-3 acids that improves taste.
published book, “Small Steps...Big If a food is labeled “organic” it must contain at least 95% organic • Milk – Big difference in cost, as much as $3.5 a gallon
Changes: The Personal Stories of a Life ingredients. more than conventional. Organic – Cows are not treated with
Coach.” Her education and years of experience in physical Organic food meets a comprehensive set of standards that hormones.
fitness and training of elite athletes has enabled her to sharpen are verified with enforceable regulations. Organic farmers build • Beef – Approximately $3.00 more per lb. for 85% lean ground
her knowledge in many health-related areas. The following soil, reduce greenhouse gases, and reduce the loss of nitrogen beef. Organic – Grass-fed cattle have a higher ratio of omega-3
introduces a new approach to Ms. Brown’s series of columns into the groundwater. They promote biodiversity, do not kill acids that help reduce the risk of some diseases.
devoted to many topics that deal with the mind/body connection bees, frogs or beneficial insects. • Fruits/Vegetables – About $.10 per banana. Organic – Pesticide
and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Dale, a Bocaire Organic animals eat a diet free of excrement, whereas risk is lower and tastes better, providing it’s grown locally rather
resident, can be reached at dalebrown@lovingmondays.com. conventional farming picks up chicken litter from the bottom than ripened during shipping. Nutritional difference is negligible.
When I was growing up, no one gave a thought to anything of the coop along with garbage, plastic roughage pellets, and When deciding what products to buy that are organic,
organic. My Mum shopped at A&P, went to the butcher for assert it to be protein supplement. consider what gives you the biggest bang for your buck. Why
meats, and stopped at local stands for seasonal produce. Now Organic is free of antibiotics, as opposed to conventional pay more for produce that needs to be peeled or skinned, such
nearly 6% of the food Americans eat is labeled organic, and farming, which injects animals with antibiotics. as bananas, squash, or watermelon? Pesticides may not be as
organic food sales have doubled over the past decade. Organic farming allows animals to feed in their natural much a threat in this case. On the other hand, meat not treated
A friend recently told me she feels guilty if she doesn’t buy environment and range freely. Conventional farming may be a with hormones might be worth the extra dollar.
organic food for her family. As she puts it, “I know organic costs threat to the toxic effects of arsenic through the consumption As you can see, the issue of organic vs. non-organic is multi-
more, but I want the best products money can buy.” This may of animal products. If exposed to this metal, cows may excrete faceted. From a personal standpoint, it boils down to what’s
be true, but the difference in the price of some of these items it into their milk. most important to you and what you can afford to pay. If you
makes you wonder if you’re really getting what you pay for. Organic farming does not use synthetic pesticide or fertilizer, are on a tight budget trying to put healthy, nutritious meals on
Is the cost higher because the label reads “natural,” which means no residues exist. Organic crops build up a defense the table, you will have to pick and choose your products. If you
“hypoallergenic,” “free range,” or “organic”? Is it all a lot of against chemicals, which act as antioxidants to better protect the can afford more and are concerned about the bigger picture, you
marketing hype? What makes a product organic? Will my body from cancers and heart disease. may want to go organic.
organic banana be any different on the inside once the skin is Organic prohibits composting human waste for fertilizer. There are inadvertent benefits to helping the environment
removed? You may be asking yourself the same questions. Why the price hike? while helping yourself. Organic production was designed to
Not too long ago I came home with a carton of organic Half Organic food costs more because it must meet strict better the world by being kinder to the animals and not leave
and Half, expecting it to taste better than the usual brand I had requirements for USDA to certify it as organic. Crops are rotated the ground soaked with drugs and heavy metals.
been buying. The first question my husband asked was, “How more often, animal welfare standards are higher, and use of To me, the choice is fairly simple. Save the environment, help
much more did it cost?” and the second was, “Will it taste that chemicals is restricted. However, not all organic products cost the animals and, most importantly, keep myself and those I love
much better?” The answer to his questions were easy… “Yes, more. Based on product comparison, on average organics were as healthy as possible. More money, maybe, but well worth it!