By Charlene Waldner
June 7, 2007 -- “You are what you eat” says it all, especially for those with active lifestyles and athletes in training. Our food choices greatly affect our health, body composition, performance and recovery. Having a healthy, well balanced diet is critical to an athlete’s performance. The same question is always asked: “Is eating organic food better for you than non-organic food?”
Nowadays you can purchase just about anything organic – from soup to nuts, shampoo to dental floss. Most natural supermarkets carry an array of organic groceries that now can be found in most local and big chain supermarkets. Stores like Whole Foods, Wild Oats and Trader Joe’s are a couple of organic super stores in the US that have just about every kind of organic food you could possibly need.
When discussing the option of buying organic vs. non-organic produce, Sue Boegman, registered dietician and nutritional consultant with Pacific Sport in Victoria, B.C., advised that it was better to buy locally grown if possible or from farmers’ markets. When choosing meats, you should limit canned tuna because of high mercury content, especially for women who are considering starting a family. A better choice would be to purchase smaller quantities of meats labeled “grass fed” or” range free” meats. Remember to always read the labels before you buy.
In today’s world of “too many choices” should one question the difference of purchasing an organic apple vs. a non–organic apple? When it comes to fruit or vegetables, most people find that organic products taste better - apples and carrots are sweeter in taste than non-organic variations. This is attributed to better soil quality resulting from better farming techniques.
Most non-organic produce is grown in a cocktail of poisonous chemicals. When discussing produce, the term “organic” means grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers and processed without food additives. For animals it means reared without the use of hormones or unnecessary antibiotics.
The cost difference in choosing organic over non-organic is insignificant, on some items, and is worth the extra cost. In fact, sometimes by price checking different stores, organic could be less expensive at times. I would tend to focus on purchasing organic fruits, vegetables and meats than on cereals, nut butters or rice cakes, for example.
Another important reason to shop organic is to protect the environment. Organic farming releases fewer pesticides into the soil and atmosphere and helps to sustain a stronger ecosystem. The pluses outweigh the negatives by protecting our wild life, insects and plants.
Purchasing locally grown foods from our local farmers’ markets is a win-win situation. It not only supports the community, but also helps the farmer earn a living off the farmland and continue to harvest produce.
You should choose the organic versions of grapes, strawberries, apples, cherries and raspberries as these fruits have thin skins, which will result in a higher concentration of pesticides.
Pesticides will enter fruits and vegetables through the skin, and so thin-skinned non-organic fruits should be avoided.
Vegetables to watch are potatoes, peppers, spinach and celery. Fruits with a thick skin such as bananas, mangoes and pineapple have very low risk pesticide count as do avocados, green peas, broccoli and cauliflower.
To reduce risk of ingesting pesticides, always carefully wash your fruits and vegetables. Adding a few drops of Grape Seed extract to your washing water will act as an antibacterial agent and will also aid in killing any parasites or bugs that maybe found.
Shopping organic is a lifestyle choice that can improve health, well being, help protect the environment and improve the taste of your food.
LifeSport Coach Charlene Waldner is an NCCP certified triathlon coach and champion athlete who has spent several years in the health and wellness industry working as a fitness instructor, personal trainer and coach.
Beginner and experienced triathletes are invited to join the LifeSport Team. Contact LifeSport Coaching (coach@Lifesport.ca) or visit www.Lifesport.ca