5 Reasons To Eat Organic

5 Reasons To Eat Organic

It’s more expensive and it often looks just the same as conventional produce, so are there evidence-based reasons to eat organic food? There are many reasons why choosing organic is a good decision for your health, for animals and for the environment. Here, we run through some of the main reasons to choose organic, and answer some commonly asked questions about pesticides in our diet.

We are a team of qualified, experienced nutritionists who specialise in weight loss. If you’re looking to overcome your weight challenges, achieve your desired weight and maintain it long termwe can helpBook your complimentary call with our team today to find out more.

5 REASONS TO EAT ORGANIC

IT REDUCES YOUR EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES

Choosing organic fruit and vegetables means that your food hasn’t been routinely sprayed with numerous different pesticides. We have limited knowledge of the long term health impacts of these toxic chemicals. Don’t forget, they are designed to kill living organisms! It is understood that certain pesticides act as hormone disruptors and are potentially carcinogenic so clearly they are best avoided wherever possible. Washing alone isn’t enough to rid your food of them.

IT’S MORE NUTRITIOUS

Research has shown that organic food is naturally richer in essential nutrients. Non organic farming often uses synthetic fertilisers to fertilise soil so that it can be used over and over again, often for growing the same types of crops. This is known to lead to nutrient devoid soils. Organic farming is much more focussed on traditional farming methods – crop rotation and fertilising the soils naturally in order to maintain the health of the soil. More nutrients in the soil means more nutrients in our food.

IT’S MUCH KINDER TO ANIMALS

Organically farmed animals are genuinely free range and have to adhere to very high levels of animal welfare. Unlike most farm animals, organically raised animals aren’t routinely fed antibiotics. It’s believed that the routine use of antibiotics in farm animals could be a key contributor to the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance.

IT’S GM FREE

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are not allowed in organic food. If you want to avoid genetically modified food, opting for organic is an effective way to do so.

IT HELPS SAVE THE BEES

Not only does eating non organic produce mean you’re consuming unnecessary and potentially harmful chemicals, it also has serious consequences for the environment and wild animals as well as farm animals. Non organic farming methods and certain pesticides are largely responsible for the dramatic decline in bee populations. Save the bees… choose organic.

SO, WHY ARE PESTICIDES HARMFUL?

A new study showed a significant association between pesticide exposure and an increased risk of various cancers, including leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, bladder, colon, lung, and pancreatic cancers. It highlights that environmental pesticide exposure, particularly in agricultural settings, may elevate cancer risk to levels comparable to smoking. The research utilised geographic and population data to map cancer risks associated with 69 different pesticides across the United States.

Yes, you read that right, pesticide exposure may increase your cancer risk as much as smoking.

CAN PESTICIDES BE REMOVED BY WASHING?

Not completely, no. A new study challenges the effectiveness of washing fruits and vegetables to remove pesticides. Researchers found that systemic pesticides can penetrate deep into plant tissues, becoming incorporated throughout the edible portions of crops. Traditional washing methods are largely ineffective at removing these pesticides, as they are not just on the surface but distributed within the plant. The findings suggest that consumers may be exposed to more pesticides through their diet than previously thought, even when following recommended cleaning practices. The research highlights the need for more targeted pesticide delivery methods and a potential reassessment of current food safety guidelines regarding pesticide use and consumption. So rinsing your fruit and vegetables before eating them is not enough to reduce the risk of pesticide consumption.

WHICH FOODS ARE THE WORST FOR PESTICIDES?

Every year, the Environmental Working Group releases its list of the Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen, guiding consumers on pesticide residues in produce. Strawberries top the Dirty Dozen, which includes spinach, kale, grapes, and peaches, with 209 pesticides found across these items. The Clean Fifteen, featuring avocados, sweet corn, and pineapple, lists produce with the least pesticide residues. While organic is generally recommended, it’s not always accessible or affordable. Read the full list along with our guide on how to use it here.

HOW CAN YOU GO ORGANIC?

One easy way to access organic produce is to start ordering a weekly organic vegetable box from a company like Riverford. It can also mean a greater variety of vegetables in your diet and it supports the farm directly, rather than big supermarkets. Visiting your local farmers’ market or even trying to grow your own are also great ways to ensure you’re getting fresh, organic foods in your diet.

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WE CAN HELP

We are a team of qualified nutritionists who specialise in weight loss. If you’re ready to overcome your weight challenges, achieve your goal weight and maintain it long term, we can help. You can use this link to book in for a complimentary call. This is an opportunity to talk through your challenges with a member of our team and decide together whether one of our Intelligent Weight Loss programmes is right for you. Or contact us to request a copy of our brochure and we will get back to you soon.



LINDA ROBINSON

Linda is our Practice Coordinator, helping to keep the clinic running smoothly.

 

Originally from Texas, Linda completed her MBA at SDA Bocconi in Milan. Linda has worked as a Strategy Consultant across multiple industries globally in cities including Kyoto, Paris, Chicago and San Francisco. She developed an interest in nutrition whilst volunteering for an organisation that provides cooking and nutrition education to children and families.

Linda is now settled in London with her husband, two children, and her very bouncy, sociable dog.

SARAH LAW

Sarah has worked with hundreds of clients over the past decade to help them live in a healthy body that they feel confident in.


Sarah spent a large part of her teens and 20’s as a professional dancer battling with orthorexia and an unhealthy relationship with food and her body. This created a desire to understand the human body more so she could finally cut through the confusion and end the cycle of yoyo dieting. This fuelled her passion to help other women do the same.

 

Sarah specialises in supporting women who are struggling to lose weight due to underlying health issues. She’s helped many women manage their weight during and after the menopause, as well as clients with thyroid disease and immune system dysfunction. Sarah loves food and sharing healthy recipes with her clients. Her aim is to ensure that clients don’t feel deprived and instead, achieve their weight loss and health goals in a positive and sustainable way.

 

To enquire about working with Sarah, please contact us.

AILSA HICHENS

 

Ailsa is one of our most experienced practitioners. She specialises in helping clients to lose weight, develop a healthy relationship with food and finally feel comfortable in their skin. Ailsa’s mission is for everyone she works with to enjoy the journey and that working with a nutritionist should not be a punishment, but your access to a new possibility.

 

Ailsa is not only an experienced weight loss nutritionist, she is also a skilled coach. She helps our clients overcome emotional eating, destructive habits and self-sabotaging behaviours that have prevented successful weight loss in the past. Ailsa has spent years in clinic working with clients who have experienced yo-yo dieting and have discovered that long term weight loss is not just about eating less until you can stand it no longer.

 

Working with Ailsa you will be comprehensively supported, not only in improving your nutrition and lifestyle, but also your eating habits and your relationship with food. When you work on all these elements together, the results can be truly astonishing.

 

To enquire about working with Ailsa, please contact us.

Test Nikki is our Practice Manager, managing our team of practitioners and heading up the day-to-day running of the business. Nikki is involved in the strategic development of our practice, coming from a strong business background in town planning. A Florida girl, Nikki relocated to the UK in 2014 with her husband and two children.

NIKKI ANDRIANI

Nikki is our Practice Manager, managing our team and heading up the day-to-day running of our clinic.

 

Coming from a background in town planning, Nikki is involved in the strategic development of our practice, continually ensuring we are delivering the very best service to our clients.


A Florida girl, Nikki relocated to the UK in 2014 where she lives with her husband, two children, and her rescue dog Skyy.

STÉPHANIE ACHAR

Stéphanie is a skilled nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner with additional training in eating disorders, disordered eating and obesity. She believes that working towards both physiological and mental health is key in achieving optimum wellbeing.

 

Stéphanie’s personal experience of emotional eating and the ongoing struggle to find the right support led her to combine the science of nutrition with behavioural coaching to motivate and empower her clients. She specialises in helping people who struggle with their weight and their relationship with food. She helps them develop a healthier and more peaceful relationship with food and their bodies.

 

To enquire about working with Stéphanie, please contact us.

INNA WEARN

Inna is passionate about supporting women on their journey to improved health and wellbeing. She believes that the solution to effective weight loss does not lie in ever more restrictive diets, but a more sophisticated approach that optimises health and vitality, as well as promoting effective weight loss.

 

Working with Inna you will benefit from her in-depth knowledge of female health and hormones. She will support you in developing a healthy diet, lifestyle and mindset that ensures you reach your ideal weight and maintain it in the years to come.

 

Inna is passionate about food with a wide repertoire of delicious healthy recipes and meal ideas to ensure your weight loss journey is as enjoyable as possible!

 

To enquire about working with Inna, please contact us.

ANIA MASON

 

Ania is a firm believer that improving your health and losing weight should be a positive, empowering journey, not one centred around deprivation.

 

After being diagnosed with two autoimmune conditions in her twenties, Ania spent several years educating herself on the power of food and nutrition. She put it all into practise and changed her diet and lifestyle, reversing her endometriosis and thyroid disease. After experiencing such a significant improvement in her health, Ania had a big desire to help others. She embarked on a four year journey to study nutrition, graduating from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition with distinction.

 

Ania specialises in autoimmunity and works with clients who have underlying health issues preventing successful weight loss. Her expertise enables her to successfully support our clients with conditions such as hypothyroidsm (underactive thyroid), PCOS and diabetes. 

 

To enquire about working with Ania, please contact us.

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