| | |  Health & Beauty | December 2009 
Local and Organic: Still Your Best Choice
 Krystal Frost - PVNN
December 08, 2009
| | If you want to get the freshest, tasty, nutrient-rich foods available, you simply must seek out farmers, farmers' markets, and community-supported agriculture programs close to home. | |
Seems so, especially after seeing the film, Food Inc. (see trailer below) last Saturday afternoon at the Puerto Vallarta Film Festival. Seems pretty scary when it's all put together and the audience has to swallow it in 90 minutes.
The well-rounded film points out with overwhelming evidence what spurs these huge corporate food giants on, which apparently has nothing with providing wholesome foods to Americans. I say Americans, because the film was focused on those living in the US. We do have more options here in Mexico. It is still less expensive to buy veggies and fruits than to eat a burger and fries, not so it seems in the US.
Not only that, it has been resolved that local is fresher (duhhh) and organics contain...
• Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants
• Organic produce had higher levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc
• Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidant
Many food industry experts (I guess you can't trust these guys anyway) continue to state that there is little difference between organic and conventionally raised produce.
I suppose they do say that. Have you seen these guys? Most of them are about 50 lbs over weight, and ex experts and wizards from huge corporations like MONSANTO... Those are the same guys making the food and drug laws in the US. I wonder what they eat for dinner?
Food grown in healthier soil, with natural fertilizers and no chemicals, simply has to be more nutritious. It is common sense and common knowledge, though knowledge is greatly suppressed in the U.S. and beyond.
Speaking of knowledge... Have you seen the food labels? They are getting more ambiguous all the time. Just try and find out where that organic baby spinach comes from the next time you are in the cold room at Costco.
Do they ever mention what that plastic box was gassed with before packing. Take note that product packaging is not regulated. So, you know how they are ... anything goes ... How about a little preservative gas cocktail in that Brazilian packed organic spinach to keep them lively and fresh for a month? A little radiation helps to keep the mold off for at least a month.
Although the organic label has really only become widely popular in the last several years, it has already been greatly compromised. Whereas organic foods were once raised naturally, on small farms with great integrity. Now that organic foods represents a $14 Billion business alone in the U.S, big business has stepped in and tainted many of the principles upon which the organic label was founded.
Film Inc. mentioned there is an increase of 20% in organic food sales in the U.S. this year. Wal-Mart and Costco for instance, are now the largest organic retailer in the United States. According to the Organic Consumers Association, the mega-store is:
• Selling Horizon and Aurora Organic milk that comes from intensive confinement factory farm dairies
• Importing cheap organic foods and ingredients from China and Brazil
Consider:
If you want to get the freshest, tasty, nutrient-rich foods available, you simply must seek out real sources close to home. When I say "real sources" I'm referring to farmers, farmers' markets, and community-supported agriculture programs.
Know also that many small farmers raise their foods according to organic standards, yet are unable to afford the certification process to legally call them so. Certification costs anywhere from $3000 USD and up... that's a bundle of pesos. The lengthy and costly certification serves to push up the cost and price of organics.
It happens that we have been in the organic food business from the get go here in Mexico, I can tell you, Certification means very little. We find growers that wave their certification like a flag and meanwhile receive produce from all over and stamp certified organic on everything, not knowing, or caring how the product has been handled or produced.
The Bottom Line?
• Stick to eating food that comes from your community, and from nature. Eat meats, vegetables, fruits, cheeses, sprouts, herbs and more that come from a local source.
• Know your supplier. Organic labeling does not mean much when they are imports from far away places.
• Consider sustainability and the amount of energy it takes to get a veggie or meat product from another country to Puerto Vallarta.
• Allow yourself to feel good about supporting your local small farmers and sustaining the local economy.
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