A Bodybuilder’s List Of Organic Foods

When it comes to feeding your body, bodybuilders in particular, you want to feed it with the best possible ingredients to achieve the best physique possible.

Bodybuilders typically eat a clean, healthy diet rich in lean proteins and vegetables. When shopping for groceries, it is important to make a list of a few foods that any bodybuilder, or person, should buy organic. Organic foods have become all the rage lately and for good reason. What makes a food organic? What foods should I buy organic? Read along to find out!

WHAT IS ORGANIC?

Basically, organic foods are those that do not contain any synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or ionizing radiation. Non organic foods do contain all of this junk! The USDA, United States Department of Agriculture, has come up with the definition of organic as:

“Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.

Before a product can be labeled “organic,” a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

How can you tell if a food is organic?

The US Department of Agriculture came up with three rules for finding out if a food is organic.

1. 100% organic – This means the food was made with 100% organic ingredients

2. Organic – This means the food was made with 95% of organic ingredients

3. Made with organic ingredients – This means at least 70% of the ingredients are organic. The other 30% has restrictions on what can be put in such as no GMOs.

When looking through your list of organic foods at the grocery store, make sure they have one of these labels! The number one label is best, 100% organic, but anything organic is better so make sure you pay attention to labels next time you’re grocery shopping.

LIST OF ORGANIC FOODS TO BUY

When buying organic foods, the pricing can be a bit higher. This is one of the reasons people are so hesitant to buy organic foods. However, the foods you do buy organically will taste better, fresher, support local farms, and don’t contain all the cancer causing junk nonorganic foods have.

Since bodybuilders are all about feeding their bodies high quality nutrition, they should follow this list of organic foods for their next grocery trip.

•  Apples. Apples are the most contaminated fruit so it’s best to buy them organic. If you aren’t buying organic apples, or fruits with a peel, make sure to peel the peel before consuming the fruit. The most amount of pesticides are on the peel of the fruit. However, the peel contains a ton of great vitamins and minerals so buy organic! You won’t miss out on the peel and you won’t consume any chemicals.

• Meat. Non Organic meats come from animals that were fed with antibiotics and growth hormones. Our human bodies do not need that. Consuming organic meats will ensure you do not get those additives.

• Dairy products. Milk, cheese, yogurt…all should be bought organic. Dairy cows are given antibiotics and growth hormones which can get into the milk when pumped. Organic dairy cows do not get these antibiotics or growth hormones, making them safer for the human consuming those products.

• Coffee. Coffee beans can be grown in areas where pesticides and fertilizers are used. Enjoy your cup of jo’ without pesticides and fertilizers and buy organic coffee. Also when buying coffee, look for the Fair Trade kind. This label means that the workers who work to get you that cup of coffee are treated kind and fairly.

•  Potatoes. Every bodybuilder loves a good potato when they are on their high carb days, especially sweet potatoes which are staple in most body building diets. Potatoes get twice the amount of pesticides as most fruits and vegetables. The ground underneath is sprayed with fertilizer and pesticides as well as the ground above where the potatoes sprout. Studies show that the pesticide level for sweet potatoes is a little lower than white potatoes but still, buying organic guarantees none of that junk!

• Eggs. A huge staple in a bodybuilding diet. Eggs should definitely be on your list of organic foods to buy at the grocery store. Organic eggs from the chickens that were not fed antibiotics or growth hormones. They are also produced in a pesticide free area. Think that the color of your egg makes a difference? Think again! When it comes to buying brown or white eggs, there is no difference. The color of the egg shell simply comes from the breed of chicken. Brown eggs are from brown chickens while white eggs are from white chickens. As long as they are USDA labeled organic, it doesn’t matter what color they are.

• Leafy greens. Buy them organic! Spinach has the most pesticides out of all the green leafy vegetables and it is known as the best for us. When buying non organic green leafy veggies, you may not be getting the best nutrition. Buying your greens organic can guarantee you’ll get the vitamins and minerals without the chemicals!

So here it is, a list of organic foods you shouldn’t live without! Do you have a favorite one that you prefer? Let us know in the comments!