You know that eating more fruits and vegetables is good

for you and your family. There is plenty of publicity on the

antioxidants in our produce and the broad spectrum of
vitamins and minerals we can get from eating fresh foods.
So how do you pick the best foods for your health?
In todays world we cant judge our food on looks alone.
When shopping in your local market your instincts will
likely guide you to the biggest, most perfect looking apple,
pepper or tomato. Bigger and perfect looking doesnt
always mean healthy produce.
Have you ever noticed how the displays are lled with
items that all look just about the same? The tomatoes
are the same size with no blemishes, the pears are the
same size, the orange and red bell peppers are uniformly
pigmented, and all the bananas are ripening at the same
rate. If you have ever seen a banana tree you know that
bananas dont all ripen at once. As a gardener I have
learned that little blemishes on my produce show where
the zucchini or tomato was touching the ground or a wire
support cage while it was growing.
Have you ever wondered why the nice looking tomatoes
you buy have no avor? The reason is they are picked
green so they dont get damaged in transport. They are
then gassed so they will be ripe and ready to eat upon
arrival at the grocery store. Tomatoes from a backyard
garden or local farm are bursting with avor and nutrients
because they were ripened on the vine all the way through
to maturity.
While it is nice to have kiwis and apples from the other
side of the world in the middle of summer, the down
side is we are missing out on valuable nutrients and
antioxidants that the fruits develop while maturing on
the plant. Buying foods that are grown locally will ensure
you are eating in-season produce that was tree ripened.
Florida mango season has just begun; try one in the next
few months and I am sure your taste buds will be pleased!
Vast amounts of our mass produced food is sprayed
with pesticides. The Environmental Working Group (EWG)
publishes a list of highly sprayed produce called the
Dirty Dozen. It is best to purchase the following items
organically because they are highly sprayed:
Apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, imported
nectarines, imported grapes, sweet bell peppers, potatoes,
cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, hot peppers, summer
squash, kale and collard greens.
Here is this years EWG list of foods which are the
least sprayed:
Onion, sweet corn, pineapple, avocado, asparagus,
sweet peas, mango, eggplant, cantaloupe, kiwi,
cabbage, watermelon, sweet potato, grapefruit,
mushrooms and papaya.
To receive updates about pesticides in our food supply
go to www.EWG.org
KNOW THE CODE
Upon visual inspection organic apples look just the
same as conventionally grown apples. All produce has a
sequence of numbers called a PLU code found on the oval
sticker or label. Codes that begin with a 9 are organic
and with a 4 are conventional. By reading the PLU
code I have been fortunate to nd organic treasures in
unexpected places. I once found organic peaches tucked
away in a small Spanish produce market for just over $1
per pound. It denitely pays to know how to read labels.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD
Another major concern is Genetically Modied Food.
According to the Institute for Responsible Technology,
the GM foods currently for sale in the marketplace are:
soy, canola,
sugar beets,
corn, Hawaiian
papaya,
zucchini and
yellow squash.
There are also
thousands of
products such as infant formula, alcohol, soy products
and packaged foods which contain GM ingredients. Stay
current on GMOs at www.ResponsibleTechnology.org.
Purchase foods that have the Non-GMO Project veried
seal, buy organic and download the Non-GMO Shopping
Guide for free at www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com
Choosing organic will ensure the safest methods have
been used to raise the food. Neither pesticides nor GMOs
are allowed in certied organic foods. Organic certication
is a valuable status with a long process for farmers to
attain. There are a multitude of local farms that do not
have this certication but use chemical free methods to
grow their food. The Central Florida Local Food Guide is a
great online resource for local farms and farmers markets.
Check out the farms in your area and meet the people
who are growing and handling your food. I love going to
the local farms here in Central Florida and seeing the
chickens, the rows of pumpkins and picking mulberries
right from the tree! It is impossible to completely avoid
chemicals in our world but do the best you can. Buy
organic, shop from local farms and try growing some
of your own food. Having a garden is a great learning
experience for your whole family. Deepen your relationship
with what you are eating one meal at a time.
Dr. Samadhi Artemisa,
Ph.D., A.P. has her
doctorate in Holistic
Nutrition. She is a
certied Iridologist and
Acupuncture Physician.
She is the owner of
In Joy Healthcare, a
holistic health center
here in Orlando.
She is an avid
gardener who supports
local businesses, local
food, recycling and
living green. Through
her work and teaching
she shares her
enthusiasm for nature,
being a good steward
of the environment,
her love of good quality
food and right living.
CHECK OUT HER COOKING CLASS JULY 27 IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO.
GET FULL DETAILS AT INJOYHEALTHCARE.COM. SCHEDULE AN
APPOINTMENT TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH TODAY (407) 252-1397.
By Dr. Samadhi Artemisa, Ph.D., A.P.
CHOOSE HEALTHY FOODS
FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY