Is Organic Worth it?

For a long time I struggled to answer this question. I already spent a fortune on food, and it felt like the added cost and inconvenience of eating organic fruits and veges was just one step too far.  

Enter Zach Bush MD, an amazing doctor from the States who developed the life-changing digestive supplement Restore. Zach specialises in gut health and soil health, exploring the connection between pesticide residue in commercially produced food and the terrible state of the microbe populations in most people’s guts. Read more here.

That was all it took. I was ready to invest in organic. Conscious of breaking the bank, I was put in touch with the organic supplier at my local Farmers’ Market. Life changing.

Picked fresh that morning, I have quite simply never come across such incredible fruit and veges. Crisp, flavoursome, seasonal and organic, creating an ever changing menu that comes at a phenomenally reasonable cost (equivalent to that of my local supermarket). If I purchased the same amount of organic produce from a local organic store, the price would be almost double for quality half as good.

Quality. Tick. Nutrients. Tick. But then there are the benefits I didn’t expect. Firstly, there is no middleman. I’m interacting with the people who actually grow the produce, so I know that they’re the ones getting the profit from their hard work. That feels good. Then there’s the fact there’s very little or no plastic on the veggies. More good feels. It’s such a different shopping experience to the supermarket.

Now for a dose of reality. I haven’t become holier than thou. Not everything that passes my lips needs to be organic. When eating out I don’t think twice about where the food has come from, but instead enjoy it with gusto.  But my market ritual has become one of the best parts of my week, so by default 70% of the time I’m eating organic. And within just a few months of eating this way, I can feel the difference in my body. A subtle lift of energy, a greater feeling of satiation after eating meals and better digestion. A welcome surprise for this organic sceptic.

So you’re convinced but with an already busy life it can be hard to find the time to get to the Farmers’ Markets. I hear you. Check out ooooby.org or bountybox.co.nz, organic vege boxes delivered fresh to your door each week. I love this cost effective way to eat organic or spray free seasonal produce, and it takes all the hassle out of shopping.