One criticism you may hear about a whole food, ketogenic way of eating is that “it is expensive” to buy organic, non-processed food (a bit more on busting this myth in a minute). I both realize and honor the fact that not everyone is rollin’ in the dough. Some have large families to feed on a limited income. We have a LONG way to go related to issues of food justice and helping everyone have fair access to food, regardless of race, socioeconomic class, or any other factor. In the meantime, for those of us who are not living on the edge of just surviving and are simply looking to save money where we are able, let’s pause to remember that, when it comes to our health:
We can either pay the farmer or the pharmacist.
For me, I would much rather pay the farmer!
Before I move on to the practical money-saving tips on what foods you don’t need to buy organic, I want to pause here to comment on this criticism. Where one directs their money tends to reflects their values. So, as Maria Emmerich (a vocal keto supporter) and Michael Pollan (a well-respected food journalist who is not exactly keto) remind us, it’s a matter of priorities.
How is eating a whole food, ketogenic diet expensive when it would be maybe $2 more expensive to purchase a whole-food organic rotisserie chicken for you and/or your family that could last a couple meals instead of that $5 highly-processed Hot-N-Ready pizza that will be gone in the blink of an eye and will cause you to be hungry again in an hour or so anyway? (Yes, research does show that carbs actually cause us to be more hungry, craving more carbs and continuing this vicious cycle of carb-dependence.) Plus, you could then use the bones from the organic chicken to make a bone broth soup for later! Talk about bang for your buck!
Or, why eat out at breakfast (an easy meal that can be naturally very cheap) when you could simply make that meal at home with quality, whole food ingredients? Better yet – why not skip breakfast with intermittent fasting to boost your cellular health? Do you really need that fancy new smartphone or that many TV or music channel subscriptions anyway?
In the end, you get what you pay for. After going keto, I am eating better quality whole foods that leave me fuller for longer and I fast intermittently, which has cut my grocery bill in at least a third, even when buying more-expensive, higher-quality products! So, keep in mind how a ketogenic/low-carbohydrate lifestyle will shift multiple aspects of your life even beyond your expectations. In the meantime, let’s see what you can pay a little less for without skimping on quality.
Help is Here!
Every year, The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit third-party organization that focuses on consumer awareness and environmental safety, comes out with two lists that are essential to keep in mind when looking to save some extra cash on groceries. The first list, “The Dirty Dozen,” is a list of the top 12 produce items that you will want to buy organic due to contamination and health risks related to pesticides and herbicides that are used on the vegetables. For instance, when EWG released this year’s list in March of 2019, they describe how they found chemicals that have been linked to cancer on over half of the samples of Kale that they tested! So much for not needing to think about not only what but the quality of what you are putting in your body, huh?
We are what we eat. And, I know you don’t want to be a cancer-causing chemical!
“The Dirty Dozen”
Here is the EWG’s “Dirty Dozen” of 2019, which you will want to make sure to buy organic in order to avoid potential health risks that defeat the whole purpose of choosing a whole foods ketogenic/low-carb lifestyle in the first place. The best news here is that the foods that tend to be on this list are fruits, so many of them aren’t even keto-friendly anyway.
- Strawberries (only keto-friendly in moderation…like 5 actual berries)
- Spinach
- Kale
- Nectarines (not keto)
- Apples (not keto)
- Grapes (not keto)
- Peaches (not keto)
- Cherries (not keto)
- Pears (not keto)
- Tomatoes
- Celery
- Potatoes (definitely not keto!)
Although “greens” like lettuce, swiss chard, collard greens (my personal favorite!), or herbs in general are not on this list, I would ALWAYS recommend you to splurge and buy these organic as they are produce that take a lot of water to grow and, therefore, may have a greater risk of contamination.
“The Clean Fifteen”
“The Clean Fifteen,” on the other hand, is where you can capitalize on some money-saving opportunities. There are often repeat items on this list over years, like avocados, given that the thick shell of the fruit (yes, avocados are a fruit!) prevents contaminants from being readily absorbed into the part of the food we actually consume even if pesticides and herbicides are used. So, save your money and don’t buy organic for any of the following items (unless you want to be an over-achiever):
- Avocados (one of my favorite whole food treats!)
- Sweet corn (definitely not keto!)
- Pineapples (not keto)
- Frozen sweet peas (not keto)
- Onions (keto in moderation)
- Papayas (not keto)
- Eggplants
- Asparagus
- Kiwis (not keto)
- Cabbages
- Cauliflower
- Cantaloupes (not keto)
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Honeydew melons (not keto)
Some Afterthoughts
To be clear, the above lists doesn’t mean that other foods not listed are “safe.” If you can afford it, buy as much organic produce as you can (and locally in order to support your local farmers and economic systems, of course!). One other thing to note is what “organic” actually means. As I detail in a previous blog titled the “Ethics of Eating,” if something is certified organic it means that no GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), even for seeds, can be used at any time. However, organic growers can still use “certified” allowed herbicides and pesticides. (You can find a list of the “Organic Materials” approved to be used on organic products by the Organic Materials Review Institute here.)
Lastly, while this article focuses on produce (e.g. vegetables and fruits), if you are curious about what animal products to by organic (hint: it’s ALL of them!) and why, you can find a guest blog written on this topic here. It’s even written by the CEO of Greenbury Market, an American-sourced direct-to-consumer craft butcher shop that sells USDA Certified Organic Grass-Finished beef and other proteins. You can even get 10% off your first order if you enter code “LotusLifestyle” at checkout.
Happy shopping.
