Organic Food Spanish Fork UT

Ok, I’m addicted to organic foods and am a self proclaimed organic foodie! I guess you could say I’m a big fan of organic everything…especially organic food ; I founded a website called ‘Organic Authority,’ afterall!

As I trained to be a professionally trained chef in culinary school, it was the tasty flavor of organic foods that got me hooked on the organic movement (before culinary school, I could have cared less about organic foods and green what!?!). I simply couldn’t believe how much better organic foods tasted when compared to conventional ones!

As a chef-in-training, all I cared about was what produced the best tasting food products. And what I discovered was the critical secret behind high end chefs and five star restaurants: organic food. You can have all the culinary training in the world, but if you start with low quality ingredients, you get a low quality end product.

I also discovered that organic foods are simply more nutritious and a powerful healing tool for the human body. I look at organic food as the most delicious type of preventive medicine available to us!

But don’t just take it from me…other vetted resources agree that organic food is nutrient-rich and fantastic for your health…

Produce Producing Nutrients!

In a study published in March 2008 by The Organic Center , ¹ scientific evidence settled the lingering question: “Are organic foods really more nutritious?”

The answer is a resounding “Yes!” Consider the following:

• Organic plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, grains) contain higher levels of eight of 11 nutrients studied, including significantly greater concentrations of health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants.

• Organically grown plant-based foods are 25% more nutrient dense, on average, than their conventional food counterparts. That means they deliver more essential nutrients per serving or calorie consumed than conventionally-grown foods.

• Nutrients present in organic foods are “in a more biologically active form,” according to Neal Davies, a professor at Washington State University (WSU) and a co-author of the center’s report.

A+ for Organic Farming!

In another recent study entitled “Living Soil, Food Quality, and the Future of Food,” ² presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), several inspiring conclusions were offered about the health benefits of organic farming and its nutritional impact in food:

• Higher levels of fertilizer negatively impact the density of certain nutrients in harvested foodstuffs, which is called the "dilution [of nutrients] effect." Organic farming can, under some circumstances, delay the onset of the "dilution effect."

• Compared to typical conventional farms, the nitrogen cycle on organic farms is rooted in substantially more complex biological processes and soil-plant interactions; for this reason, organic farming offers great promise in consistently producing n...

Black Beans

We use canned organic black beans in salads, stews, soups and side dishes, as they're an excellent source of fiber, protein, folate, magnesium, vitamin B1 and iron.

At Whole Foods Market, we bought two different brands, both of which are available in 15-oz. cans: Westbrae Organic Black Beans (99 cents-6.6 cents per ounce) and Eden Organic Black Beans ($1.69-11.3 cents per ounce). At our local supermarket, 15-oz. cans of nonorganic black beans were comparably priced: Bush's Black Beans (99 cents-6.6 cents per ounce) and S&W Black Beans ($1.09-7.3 cents per ounce). All of these brands were similar in taste, so buying organic is clearly the right choice.

Tortilla Chips

Organic tortilla chips are usually baked instead of fried, so they're low in fat, with no to minimal cholesterol. Whole Foods' own brand, 365 Organic , tops the taste test and is competitively priced. We love the Organic Blue Corn Chips. A 10-oz. bag sold for $1.99 (19.9 cents per ounce) and beat the prices of all other brands. Our local supermarket happened to carry two brands of organic blue corn chips: Garden of Eatin' ($2.99 for 7.5 oz.-39.9 cents per ounce) and Guiltless Gourmet ($2.99 for 7 oz.-42.7 cents per ounce.).

The lesson here? Mainstream supermarkets charge a premium for organic foods, while markets that specialize in whole foods offer better bargains. As a base of comparison: Nonorganic yellow-corn tortilla chips were high in sodium and too salty for our taste buds. Prices ranged from $2.29 for the store's own high-sodium brand (14 oz.-16.4 cents per ounce) to $3.49 for a 12.5-oz bag of incredibly salty Doritos (27.9 cents per ounce).

Canned Soups

While we enjoy making our own soups from scratch, keeping a few cans of soup in the cupboard proves to be convenient, especially if you have culinary-challenged family members. At Whole Foods, a 15-oz. can of organic Walnut Acres Mushroom Barley Soup sold for $1.99, while Health Valley Organic Black Bean Soup (15 oz.) also sold for $1.99 (both equate to 13.3 cents per ounce). By contrast, the nonorganic supermarket brands were 15.3% more expensive-and heavy on the sodium: Campbells' Chunky Soups and Progresso soups were both priced at $2.99 for a 19-oz. can (15.7 cents per ounce). Once again, the organic variety was more economical-and much healthier.

Shopping Suggestions

Organic meat, poultry, and fresh fruits and vegetables usually cost more than their nonorganic counterparts, but you can save money by shopping at a farmer's market or alternative vendor.

"You don't have to pay exorbitant prices for quality organic meats, ingredients and produce," says Chef Tina Luu of The Art Institute of California-San Diego , who has been a longstanding member of the Boston-based Chefs Collaborative , a national network of more than 1,000 members of the food community who create sustainable cuisine by promoting local and seasonal ingredients in cooking. "Most cities will have several organic food outlet...