If you’re like me, the word “organic” is shrouded in mystery. What does it mean? How does food get that label? Is it really better for me? Why is it so much more expensive? As I have taken some time to read up on this, I thought it might be helpful to pass along what I’ve learned. Let me preface this article by saying I still don’t have a solid judgment on this topic. What I seek to present to you now is merely the facts I have found.
Let me start by defining organic. It refers mainly to the practices used by the farm growing the crops; soil management, how and when the crops are grown or fed, and the chemicals used. This is not to say, though sometimes we are led to believe, these foods will be pesticide free. It only means the foods are grown with a lower level of pesticides than conventional crops. The food will still contain some pesticides. It is worth noting even conventionally grown foods will not reach the maximum amount of pesticide allowed by the EPA.
In my pursuit, I have read many articles on this subject and they almost all point back to a study presented by the Stanford School of Medicine. This study includes a comprehensive analysis of the research done on the benefits of organic foods to date. Here are the main points from the study.
- Are organic foods healthier for me? No. When comparing the nutritional value of organic foods versus conventional foods, “There isn’t much difference…” There were no consistent differences in the vitamins and minerals contained in the food save one nutrient, phosphorus. Organic food was significantly higher in this area, but they go on to note that; given our society does not have a deficiency in this area, this is of little concern.
- More research needs to be done. Stanford did not find any significant long term studies on the health ramifications of consuming pesticides. No study has tracked its subjects for longer than 2 years, which doesn’t really give a good picture of a person’s health.
- People need to be healthier overall. You know this though, that’s why you’re reading this article!
So, if the health piece is taken out of the picture, it really comes down to a matter of opinion. The reason organic foods are so much more expensive is because of the manner in which they are grown. The techniques the farmers use to generate their food is more costly and cannot yield as much crop as the conventional methods, therefore they need to charge more for their product. You might argue the farmers not using pesticides are being more environmentally friendly, and that seems to be true. But an article in the NY Times, argues that because they yield fewer crops, this isn’t necessarily true. As I have not yet dived deeper into the environmental side of this coin, I will not discuss it more here. The health side is my aim today.
If you decide organic is the way you want to go, here are some label reading guidelines I found on the Whole Foods Market website.
- 100% Organic. This has to be certified by an agent of a company that is accredited by the USDA, though their seal is optional. All components of the product must fall under the guidelines of “organically produced material, excluding water and salt.”
- Organic. 95% of the ingredients in this product are organically produced with the other 5% being made of “substances approved on the USDA's National List of non-organically produced agricultural products that are not commercially available in organic form.” The label may break down the percentages of the organic ingredients and the name of the certifying agent must be listed, but again the USDA seal is optional.
- Made with Organic Ingredients. This is the one to watch more closely. It only needs to have 70% of the ingredients be organic; the remainder just needs to be on the USDA’s National List of Approved Substances. The organic products may be listed, but the certifying agent must appear on the package and the USDA seal cannot be used.
I would suggest if you buy organic products, you buy them in smaller quantities. They don’t have the same preservatives as conventional produce, so they will not last as long. You might choose to only buy organic for certain things. For instance, I have read a fruit or vegetable that has to be peeled, like a banana or an orange, doesn’t have as high a risk of the pesticide contamination, so the benefits of it being organic are less. On the flip side, an apple’s skin is thin enough, so you might consider buying organic.
Whatever you choose, I’m happy because it means you’re eating fruits and vegetables and actively pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Enjoy something new in your world this week!