Organic products in Mexico

Bhavna wrote:

Hello everyone,

As a consumer in Mexico, you may seek to maintain a healthy lifestyle by choosing mostly organic products. If you do favour such products, we would like to know more about your consumption habits.

Is it easy to find organic products in Mexico (cosmetics, food, etc.)? Where can we find them?

Are organic products more or less expensive than in your country of origin? What average monthly budget do you spend on them?

Can we rely on labels on organic products in Mexico? Are the origins of the products verified by an organization?

Are organic products part of Mexican culture? Have you ever tried to make your own organic products (candles, toothpaste, gardening, food)?

In your opinion, is the consumption of organic products only a fad or does it have real benefits on ones health?

Thanks for sharing your experience,

Bhavna

Excellent topic Bhavna,

Yes, Mexico tries to maintain a non-GMO organic culture. Many of the " organic" food items on U.S. shelves come from Mexico.

In some cases, organic is easy to find. Most supermarkets are trying to have some organic products on the shelves. I also shop at artesian markets that bring their products for sale. Fortunately more and more of those are showing up. I will be going to Merida this week-end to check the one there. I also shop in the people's market where I can find locally grown. The days of just walking into a store and buying are over if you care about your health at all.

The food corporations have tarnished the organic name to some extent. So it is best to read the labels very carefully. If you don't know what it is or can't pronounce the name of the chemical don't buy it. Mexico has its own certification labels also.

Generally, I think the products for sale here are cheaper than the U.S.  I tend to buy food from Mexico or Chile. Locally grown food. I do not buy  U.S. food in Mexico. I only buy Gensing from China otherwise nothing from China. I read labels very carefully and am often amazed about what is in those products.

I do have some organic stuff growing in my yard like oregano and moringa, but for the most part, I don't make my own organic, preferring to buy artesian products, do research, and asking farmers I know.  Can you buy nontoxic makeup, shampoos, toothpaste, etc. ?
Yes, but you have to work for it. You will not find it in the market, so check out every artesian market you see.  I picked up a healthy toothpaste in the U.S. from Amazon. They wouldn't ship it to Mexico and it is not sold on the health food shelves in the U.S. or here.

Is the consumption of organic a fad? No, there really is a difference in health and taste. People do not require chemicals on or in their food.  Can you trust organic? More or less if you are careful.  It depends on what is important to each person.

Thanks so much for this valuable information!

I do have some organic stuff growing in my yard like oregano and moringa,....I`m curious what you use the moringa for? How do you use it and in what amounts? There is a tree down the street from me and I started eating a seed each morning and Im not sure if I noticed much difference except maybe in my daily energy. Can I make tea from the long, crisp pods? Thanks for any info you can impart.

grmafluffy wrote:

I do have some organic stuff growing in my yard like oregano and moringa,....I`m curious what you use the moringa for? How do you use it and in what amounts? There is a tree down the street from me and I started eating a seed each morning and Im not sure if I noticed much difference except maybe in my daily energy. Can I make tea from the long, crisp pods? Thanks for any info you can impart.

Glad to help, its a wonderful if not scraggly tree. I've been studying it for a few years because it has been used for centuries as a medicinal plant. It appears to have all of the benefits of  Broccoli without that broccoli taste. It is said to be rich in antioxidants. Pretty much the whole plant is consumable or can be used commercially.

"The leaves of M. oleifera are rich in minerals like calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron, and copper [2]. Vitamins like beta-carotene of vitamin A, vitamin B such as folic acid, pyridoxine, and nicotinic acid, vitamin C, D and E also present in M. oleifera [8]."  (science direct)

It has been called the miracle tree. I use the leaves and have made tea from the flowers. The seeds grow quickly and the seeds can be eaten, but I Just tried them once because they are said to have an anticoagulant ( blood-thinning) property.
So I would stick to the leaves and flowers.  One of the most convenient ways of growing them for eating is in a planter box.   plant them densely in good organic soil then just cut some off to use in salads or in your case, tea. you don't have to grow a whole tree. So stick some of those seeds in the soil. It is a tough plant so it will just regrow.
How do I use it? I strip the leaves from a small branch and put them in a blender for a morning smoothie, sometimes I sprinkle them on other things like omelets. I don't know if the pod would be useful for tea, I have never tried that because I mostly drink coffee.