Friday July 25th, 2008
 |  |
 |
Organic: What's in it For Me?
Posted by Marisa Belger on February 6, 2006 - 10:09am.
I know organic is better. I just don’t know why. Though the U.S. Department of Agriculture created national standards for organic food over three years ago, the exact benefits of organic products are still unclear.
The Berkeley Wellness Letter breaks through the organic hype in this month’s issue.
Organic Defined Foods that bear the USDA Organic seal follow strict criteria that prohibit the use of most conventional pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, irradiation, and sewage sludge. Animals are raised on 100 percent organic feed and are not given antibiotics or growth hormones.
100 Percent Organic? Foods that are labeled “100 percent organic” are just that. Those that are simply “organic” must have at least 95 percent of organic ingredients. The organic authenticity sinks from there. Products that are “made with organic ingredients” must include at least 70 percent organic ingredients and anything under 70 percent is not permitted to bear an organic label on the front of the package — instead the organic ingredients can be listed individually.
Organic = Pesticide-Free (Doesn’t it?) Unfortunately not. Organic foods can be processed with botanical (i.e. non-toxic) and a few synthetic pesticides. Even if a food was grown entirely without pesticides, it’s tough to avoid contamination because conventional pesticides and other agricultural chemicals are already in the environment and they can also drift from neighboring farms onto organic fields.
Are Organic foods higher in nutrients? I’m sorry to see this organic myth debunked. Some studies have shown that organic produce is higher in nutrients while others have found no difference at all (no difference? why do I pay five dollars for a bag of organic spinach?).
Berkeley hits all of the hot organic questions in the full story. Is “natural” synonymous with “organic?” Are organic foods free from bacterial contamination? Are organic ice cream, cookies, and chips healthier than their conventional counterparts?
How often do you buy organic food? Do you think it’s worth the extra cost?
[via Berkeley Wellness Letter]
Image: Organic apple from newfarm.org
Related Shop Items
but not so much for my own health, as the health of the planet! I do buy organic as much as I can afford to, and especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables I put in my juicer, but my main reason for buying organic is to support sustainable agriculture…I don’t want to encourage the use of chemicals and pesticides that harm our whole eco-system.
Buying organic often means buying local, as opposed to buying from miles away, states away, even countries away. If we were all able to buy more food grown locally, organic food ideally, just think of the reduction in fuel and energy used to transport food. Good for the planet, and you help sustain local farmers.
But you can choose when to buy organic. If price is an issue, buy fruits and vegetables with skins that you eat, first and foremost.
people think we’re crazy because we truly believe in organic. Almost all of our food we buy is organic. It is so high on our list of absolutes that we forgo other less needed items just so we can afford organic. Example: cell phones, another car….expensive clothes… Don’t forget organic body and hair care…check them out on www.onegrp.com/jmtgreen29 this is important as well. Think about what goes onto your skin eventually absorbs INTO your skin!