Kid's Healthwatch Thursday: Pesticide Exposure

Spending for organic food is worth it when it comes to our children. Their developing bodies are especially vulnerable to toxins found in our food and environment. Switching to organic food has an immediate effect on the body. Within 36 hours, pesticides may no longer be detected in a child's urine. On my website Project Green Girl, I have an article titled "Go Organic" which lists the produce with the highest levels of pesticides. This is a great list to start with, and the cost is minimal.

Recent Studies:

• A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition tested 815 2-year olds, and found those with an organic dairy diet experienced less eczema and wheezing than those consuming non-organic dairy.
• The BBC reported in 2006 that pesticide exposure from food can cause depression and memory problems.
• An organic plant-based nutrition program is believed to help ADD sufferers.
• Pesticide levels in children raise in the winter when more food is imported.
• Amniotic fluid and breast milk can pass pesticides to the fetus and infant, so the mother should also follow an organic diet.

For more information:

• "Organic Diet Cuts Kids' Food Pesticide Levels" from WebMD.
• "Organic A Choice For Our Children" from Dr. Greene.
• "Children And Organic Diet"--This is a must read if you're still not convinced.
• "Got Milk? How About Local Organic Milk?"--A short article from NRDC that tells you everything you need to know about milk.
• "Children's Exposure to Pesticides and Related Health Outcomes"--A very comprehensive article from the EPA.

Organic Freebies

Here's some freebies I found for organic products. Many of the samples also include a coupon.

• Dandy-Lyon Bites: Free healthy kid's snack.
• Explorer's Bounty Coffee: Free 1.75 oz. coffee sample.
• Wenaewe Pet Food: Free sample.
• Pollen Power!: Free sample of bee pollen.
• Teeccino Herbal Coffee: Free sample.
• Citrus Made Simple: Free sample.
• Hands On Book for Kids About Zebras: Free Ebook and project packet.
• Vegetarian Starter Kit: Free kit from PETA.
• Mothers of Organic: Free Welcome packet with recipes, newsletters, recipes, and giveaways.

Bruschetta Chicken w/ Leeky Pasta

This dish is one of my family's favorites. You can easily substitute the chicken cutlets for sliced eggplant. Enjoy!

Bruschetta Chicken

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Cutlets (or sliced eggplant)

Italian Panko Crumbs (can substitute Italian breadcrumbs)

1 cup Buttermilk

Olive Oil

1 container of cherry tomatoes sliced in half

Fresh Basil chopped

3 Garlic Cloves minced

1 cup White Wine

1 Tbsp. Butter

Dip cutlets into a shallow bowl with buttermilk and then roll in the panko crumbs. Coat skillet with olive oil, and add cutlets to skillet heated to medium-high. Cook approximately 3 minutes per side until cooked through. Put cutlets on a plate and set aside.

Add white wine, butter, and garlic to skillet. Cook until the wine is almost evaporated. Add tomatoes and cook 2 minutes. Add basil for 30 seconds.

Arrange cutlets on plate and pour tomato mixture over it.

*To cut calories: eliminate the buttermilk and butter.

Leeky Pasta

Ingredients:

1 Package whole grain angel hair pasta cooked

3 leaks

3 cloves garlic minced

1 Tbsp. butter

Olive Oil

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Thoroughly wash the leeks. You can soak them in water to remove all the dirt if that's easier. Slice leeks like green onions, and then cut in half again. They should be in half circles. They will all break apart during the cooking process.

Add some olive oil, the butter, and garlic to a skillet at medium heat. When heated thoroughly, add the leaks. Cook until the leeks get brown and a little crisp. They usually are a combination of brown and green. Add the pasta and toss until it is coated in the leeky mixture. Take off the heat and add salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with the chicken.

*To eliminate calories: limit the amount of olive oil and cut out the butter.

Save Money With Organic Coupons

I used to think clipping coupons was a waste of time until I discovered the website Money Saving Mom. Last week I saved $28 at the grocery store, and $18 at CVS. I've also got about 15 freebies coming to me in the mail. At Target, I spent a total of $4.50 for a 64 count of Pamper's diapers and an extra large Pamper's baby wipe refill pack. Consequently, I bought 5 sets of these before they stopped letting me use double coupons.

My point is that couponing works. These cost savings allow me the freedom to buy organic products without increasing my grocery cost. I've started compiling a list of organic manufacturers that have coupons on their sites. Most of them offer $1 off coupons. Please post a comment if you know of other sites.

1. Brown Cow Farm: Coupon for yogurt.
2. Earthbound Farm Organic: They have a whole section for coupons, giveaways, and contests.
3. Health Valley Organic: You can sign up to receive coupons.
4. Horizon Organic: $1 off milk coupon.
5. Earth's Best: $1 off 10 jars of babyfood.
6. Organic Valley Farms: Several $1 off coupons for milk, cheese, soy products, and cottage cheese.
7. Stonyfield Farm Organic: a whole page of $.50 - $1.00 coupons for milk, yogurt, YoBaby, icecream, smoothies, etc..
8. R.W. Knudsen Family Juices: $1 off an 8 pack of juice boxes.
9. Coleman Natural: take their survey and receive $5 in coupons.
10. Seventh Generation: I know this isn't food, but they have $6 in coupons on their site.

I'll post more coupon sites as I find them. Please feel free to share what you find with me.

Join me tomorrow on Recipe Wednesdays for a fabulous recipe for Chicken Bruschetta and Leeky Past.

Organic Grocery Scorecard 7/21/2008

I hit Publix today --my local grocery store-- to see how organic prices faired against the regular products. Here's the price difference for my bill.

Organic Food

Oranges $2.69 lb.

Blueberries $3.99 (6 oz.)

Apples $2.99 lb.

Carrots $1.99 (16 oz.)

Vidalia Onion $1.29 each

Chicken Cutlets $5.59 lb.

Chicken Broth $2.99 (32 oz.)

12 Large Eggs $2.00

Total: $23.53

Non-Organic Food

Oranges $1.99 lb.

Blueberries $2.99

Apples $2.49

Carrots $1.69

Vidalia Onion $1.29 each

Chicken Cutlets $3.99 lb.

Chicken Broth $2.59

12 Large Eggs $1.69

Total: $18.72

Difference in Cost: $4.81

Who says that organic food is so much more expensive than regular food?

Reading Organic Food Labels

Every time I go to the grocery store I have every intention of buying organic food, but then I look at the prices and end up buying the non-organic version. I get confused with all the different labeling types-- free range, organic, made with organic ingredients, natural, etc. --that I'm not sure what I'm buying. After a little digging, I found out how to read the labels:

If the label says:

1. 100% Organic: by law this food contains only organically produced ingredients with no synthetics.

2. Organic: 95% of the ingredients are organic, and the remaining 5% can be non-organic and/or synthetic.

3. Made with Organic Ingredients: at least 70% of the ingredients are organic and are approved by the USDA.

4. Free ranging or Free Roaming: This label is a little misleading. While most of us have images of animals roaming free outdoors all day, this is hardly the case. Producers are required to let the animals outside once a day...could be 1 hour....could be 5 minutes. Purchase with caution!

5. Natural or All Natural: This is a meaningless label. It could mean the food contains no artificial colors, or anything really. Don't believe the hype!

6. Made with Real Fruit: This means it contains a small amount of real fruit. The same can be applied to whole grains.

7. Organic labels for seafood: The USDA has no set standards for labeling seafood, so this label can be applied at will.