Organic Foods

“(These) pesticides cause the inhibition of a very important enzyme in our neurological system.”

Alex Lu, Ph.D., Environmental Health Researcher, Emory University.

The apples and bananas that 9-year-old Leah eats are organic.

“I’m used to organics so it’s probably what I would go with if I had to choose,” she says.

In fact, since they were babies, almost all the food Leah and her older brother have eaten was grown free of pesticides.

“I want them to have the healthiest possible products in terms of what’s going into their body,” explains their mother, Jill Howard Church.

The average child has low levels of pesticides in his system, around 20 to 30 parts-per-billion.

But experts fear even those small amounts could cause harm to the neurology of the developing brain, and perhaps decades later, lead to Parkinson’s disease and other problems.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 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.” It can include meat, eggs, dairy products and other foods that come from animals that have been given no growth hormones or antibiotics. Foods and companies must be certified by a government-appointed inspector before they can be labeled organic.

One of the greatest struggles for parents is trying to help their children eat healthy foods. Parents play a big role in shaping children’s eating habits. For instance, when parents eat a variety of foods that are low in fat and sugar and high in fiber, children learn to like these foods as well. Don’t give up if your child does not like a new food right away. It may take a little while. With many parents working outside the home, childcare providers also help shape children’s eating and snacking habits. Make sure your childcare provider offers well-balanced meals and snacks, as well as plenty of active play time. If your child is in school, find out more about the school’s breakfast and lunch programs and ask to have input into menu choices, or help your child pack a lunch that includes a variety of foods. According to experts at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), there are options available for parents to help their children eat better, whether or not you decide to feed them organic foods:

• Give your child a snack or two in addition to his or her three daily meals.
• Offer your child a wide variety of foods, such as grains, vegetables and fruits, low-fat dairy products, and lean meat or beans.
• Serve snacks like dried fruit, low-fat yogurt and air-popped popcorn.
• Let your child decide whether and how much to eat. Keep serving new foods even if your child does not eat them at first.
• Cook with less fat – bake, roast or poach foods instead of frying.
• Limit the amount of added sugar in your child’s diet. Choose cereals with low or no added sugar. Serve water or low-fat milk more often than sugar-sweetened sodas and fruit-flavored drinks.
• Choose and prepare foods with less salt. Keep the saltshaker off the table. Have fruits and vegetables on hand for snacks instead of salty snack foods.
• Involve your child in planning and preparing meals. Children may be more willing to eat the dishes they help prepare.
• Have family meals together and serve everyone the same thing.
• Do not be too strict. In small amounts, sweets or food from fast-food restaurants still can have a place in a healthy diet.
• Make sure your child eats breakfast. Breakfast provides children with the energy they need to listen and learn in school

Experts at the NIDDK recommend the following selection for healthy snack choices:

• Dried fruit and nut mix
• Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables or fruit served plain or with low-fat yogurt
• Rice cakes, whole grain crackers or whole grain bread served with low-fat cheese, fruit spread, peanut butter, almond butter or soy nut butter
• Pretzels or air-popped popcorn sprinkled with salt-free seasoning mix
• Homemade fruit smoothie made with low-fat milk or yogurt and frozen or fresh fruit
• Dry cereals served plain or with low-fat or non-fat milk

Keep in mind that children of preschool age and younger can easily choke on foods that are hard to chew, small and round, or sticky, such as hard vegetables, whole grapes, hard chunks of cheese, raisins, nuts and seeds, and popcorn. Carefully select snacks for children in this age group.

U.S. Department of Agriculture
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Food and Nutrition Information Center
National Institutes of Health