I have been looking into the organic stuff a little more . Want to eat a little healthier but to my suprise its loaded with sodium out the wazoo??? anybody ever notice that??
Example DelMonte diced tomatoes :calories 25 sodium 250mg
Muir Glen organic same size: calories 30 sodium 350mg 100 mg more!!

Kraft Mac & cheese sodium 610mg (already pretty high)
back to nature organic mac & cheese 640mg

Why is that?

Riff pointed out to me the amount of fat in the 360 brand that they sell at WF

Remember, organic doesn't mean low salt, low fat, or anything else...it refers to chemicals, hormones, and growing conditions! Doesn't mean it's any better for you fat, sugar or salt wise, just less chemicals!

I eat organic products all the time. Like ladywine mentioned, organic doesn't mean that it is low fat or low sodium/sugar, it just means that it was made without using chemicals, growth hormones, antibiotics, etc. Plus, mac and cheese is full of sodium anyway!

I just dont understand why they promote that its so much better for you. Yes less chemicals but fat & sodium can kill you just as much. Its like saying im going to quit smoking cigarettes and start smoking cigars

It is incredibly hard to find *really* healthy things - I KNOW! When my kids started on table food I scoured the earth to find every no-salt-added product I could find. I look at all the stuff - trans fats, salt, sugar, etc. If something non-organic comes out better than an organic product in all those categories, I certainly buy it first!

I've said this a million times - it is SO inconvenient to try to eat healthy. It's no wonder our health has gone so downhill.

I think it's more along the lines of people feeling uncomfortable with no long term studies on how all this junk they put in food effects (affects? I'm confused after that other thread) people's bodies. I give my boys organic milk because I'm just not convinced all the female hormones they give the cows AREN'T getting through (I'd give it to girls too, just don't have any). I mean, think about all the things they tell nursing mothers not to use/take because it gets in their milk and then they're going to turn around and tell me that it isn't getting into the cows' milk????? My house isn't totally organic, but that's what the boys have the most of in the dairy category, so the mik is organic, but the cheese food (kraft singles) aren't. Look at how food makers now are scrambling to tell us their food is free of Trans fats. Do we need to eat things we can't pronounce? Do you know what they are doing to your body? I can watch my intake of fat/salt/sugar by choosing products that are organic or not organic that are low in those things, but to avoid the chemicals & hormones, I can choose organic. Isn't it Sunny D that promotes itself as being good for you because it has 10% real fruit juice? My kids love Hawaiian Punch, but they get Juicy Juice. They can promote it as being better for you because it is better for you to not be ingesting a bunch of random chemicals. You still have to make the choice of "if I eat Mac & Cheese tonight, I'd better not have chips for a snack 'cause I'm watching my salt intake" whether it's organic or not. Look around the milk section sometime & notice if the chocolate milk is really called chocolate milk drink...if it is, there's not enough milk in it to call it milk. Think about it.

im pretty fortunate
My son prefers the 100% juice we get welch 100% all the time
He prefers water, juice or milk over soda (he does not like soda)
He will eat grapes for a snack over anything he loves fruit kabobs also.
He asks before he eats something to see if its healthy or not and if its not he limits himself??? I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THAT COMES FROM but im taking full advantage of it in case it does not last .


Good point ladywine on the cow thing. I will for sure think about making the full switch.

this whole "organic" trend is a big scam imho.

yes, some fruits and veggies are going to be healthier for you without pesticides then with... however some of those pesticides are sprayed for good reasons! they didn't invent them to kill people, they invented them to help people!

people like me who are fat and lazy and like to eat chee-tos always want to blame someone else for our weight, so pesticides or chemicals or whatever are the new bad guy.

go into whole foods like i told barb and read the nutrition info on a lot of the frozen dinners they are just as bad for you as a hungry man. they cost like 3x more then regular frozen dinners because they are "organic" but so what? they are just as bad for you!

i learned the hard way the difference between things like regular rice and minute rice - that's a good example of something being "bad" for you. but uncle bens' makes regular rice as well as instant rice. i don't need to spend $5 on a box of "organic" rice.

i am sorry each paragraph here is starting with "i".

lately i am seeing some absolutely rediculous garbage that says "organic" on it - like trash bags and lip balm. "organic" is not something you use to prevent the "evil chemical cooties". if you believe it is go see the movie "SAFE" by todd haynes, because that's where you will end up believing all that nonsense.

im glad your ds enjoys 100% juice but that stuff is pure sugar, i will NEVER tell you how to raise your kids but any doctor or nutritionist will tell you the best thing they can drink is water, we all should drink a good amount of water to feel healthy, might as well teach him young!

those are all my lectures about health today - if you don't do what i say the boogie man will raid your fridge, etc..

ps shania twain rockz.

I'm lucky too mab - my guys don't like soda.

Riff, you're totally right about the juice thing, but I don't feel bad letting them have one mini box of juicy juice every 4-6 days! They do mostly drink milk or water.

And, since you're on your soapbox, remember, they thought Agent Orange was perfectly safe. I'm not totally against the chemicals, I understand the need for them in SOME cases, but I think they're over used. And I'm not convinced we need MSG in all our food. They put it in because your tastebuds "pop" when you eat it, so whatever you're eating tastes better. On the other hand, I don't want to go to the store every day to buy dinner with two kids in tow, so I appreciate preservatives. I am concerned that cows are eating ground up cows...last time I checked, cows were neither carnivores nor omnivores, yet that is how mad cow disease is passed on. Cows eating ground up cow parts. Like I said, I'm not against some chemicals, I just think they're over used and called "safe" without any long term studies. I think "they" are approving the use of things in food as long as it doesn't kill you or make you sick immediately. The powers that be have no idea what 40 years of eating all of this "food" with all the additives will do to anyone.

Give me chemical additives and preservatives please. I miss Diet Dr. Pepper with sacharine (sp) and appreciate the shelf life preservative provide. If I wanted organic produce, I would grow it. If I wanted organic beef, I could grow my own cow too. I determined after my MIL died of cancer almost 10 years ago, it doesn't matter how "right" you do everything, you're going to die anyway. SO... twinkies anyone??

I was justgoing to say that same thing!

I guess I'm one of the weird ones that believes in the organic stuff. As I said before, I know there's a whole lot more than "organic" that goes into making a food "healthy" and I DO look at the whole picture.

I know too many people (close to me, not just hearsay) who have had lifetime ailments (things like migraines, allergies, reflux, etc.) and have gone to a naturalist and been advised in healthful eating - to include going organic - and have been CURED of these things. We're talking life-changing stuff. So you can't tell me that it's all hype.

It bugs me to no end that companies charge MORE for LESS. They don't have to spend the money on all the additives, yet they charge us more.

It is really scary once you start reading in-depth about all the things that manufacturers are allowed to put in foods and not tell you. As long as it's under some certain percentage they don't have to report it. Certified organic foods do not have anything in them that is not listed. Plain and simple - I like that.

All that being said, we are really far from being 100% organic in our household! But if we ever had a health problem that I even remotely thought could be helped by going 100% - you better believe I'd do it. I do try to give my kids as much organic as possible. And I don't mean organic cookies. My kids eat healthy stuff. I get comments all the time about how deprived they are - never get candy or sweets. I don't care.

Stepping down off my soapbox now. LOL

stepping back up for a second.

Do you know that 100 years ago the onset of menstruation for girls was around 14? Now it is not uncommon for girls to get their first period before they are 10 years old! You can't tell me that it doesn't have anything to do with all the hormones they are fed in their milk and meat!

down again.

Luvcupons - I'm with you...I'm pro-organic.

In addition to buying organic milk, you should consider buying organic eggs too. I would really recommend it, especially if you have children. Chickens that produce organic eggs are not given any types of hormones and they are fed healthy food as well as are able to actually go outside. Most people don't realize the disgusting conditions that many chickens live in. Chickens that don't follow organic standards are often fed animal byproducts, are given hormones to produce eggs faster, and spend the majority of their lives living in a cage. Many even have their beaks chopped off so they don't hurt other chickens because they are in such close proximity. If you would like more information on this, go to www.themeatrix.com. It talks about the conditions of "factory farms." It is very educational. It really opened my eyes on how poorly animals are treated.

yup - we do organic eggs too. even though i cringe every time i pick up a box at those prices!! yikes

Yeah, there is a huge price difference, but after eating organic eggs for so long, I can't stand the taste of non-organic!