There’s been bunches of buzz about the Raw Food Diet, and for good reason. It works! And the right kind of raw food is Healthier for you! Raw food is richer in nutrients and fiber, and the nutrients are in a form that is most easily digested by mammals, including humans.

But there is one huge mistake that many Raw Food Dieters are making. They’re buying commercially grown produce from the supermarket.

Why is eating Supermarket produce a huge mistake?

Large Scale commercial farming companies routinely use petrochemical fertlizers, herbicides and pesticides to both enhance and protect their crops, some of which are grown from Genetically Modified seeds. This growing method is meant to keep the plants free of insects and to increase the size. The problem with the result is that those herbicides and pesticides are poisons that won’t scrub off the produce completely, and the enhancement in the size of that food is from water bloat, which means less nutrients per pound of produce, as well as blander flavor. These petrochemicals are used on all non-organic supermarket produce — tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, raspberries, apples… anything grown by a large scale commercial grower for the supermarket chains. So even though you are consuming the food in a more natural state you’re also eating all of those poisons, which jeopardizes your health and the health of your family.

Many childhood ailments and chronic adult diseases have been linked to pesticide residue, including cancer. Genetically modified corn has now been linked to organ damage in humans, and to Bee Colony Collapse Disorder. Veterinarians have also documented more cancer in pets since the introduction of genetically modified corn into pet foods. Chemicals and genetically modified foods shouldn’t be a part of our diet. They were never meant to be.

Switch to organic produce and you have a nutritionally sound diet that tastes good and is good for you, without the downside of chemical or genetic contamination. There are other benefits. Organic food is nutritionally more dense, since there isn’t as much water content. This means that the same amount of organic food fills you up more. It also tastes better, richer. But supermarket organic produce is not the answer either. Most of it has been picked days, or even weeks ago! It comes from a farm a great distance away, sometimes halfway around the globe.

What’s the answer?

Grow Raw Food Organically yourself. It isn’t that hard to do. Even if you don’t have a yard for an organic garden, you can still grow your own raw fruits and veggies. Patios and balconies can be used for container growing, and many food items can grow on windowsills. You can also sprout seeds for fresh greens.

What are the additional benefits to homegrown raw food? The raw food you harvest out of your own garden is fresh picked the day you use it, rather than picked days, or even weeks before you buy it, like the grocery store versions! The raw food you harvest out of your own garden requires nothing more than your two feet to transport it to your kitchen, it doesn’t come from half a world away. And the raw food you harvest hasn’t been processed in a packing plant and subject to contamination with e-coli or salmonella.

Growing your own raw fruits and veggies organically will ensure that your diet is the healthiest it can be.