YOU probably would have gone grocery shopping and faced a dilemma of whether to buy products labeled as “organic” or to resort to buying cheaper conventional produce. Evidently, organic foods have significantly gained popularity amongst the public over the years together with the growing concern towards a healthy lifestyle and the environment. Nevertheless, you may wonder whether it is worth paying a premium price to consume organic foods which are typically above 20 percent more expensive than their conventional counterparts. Most of us want the best for our family, but does a higher price signal superior quality?
A deeper understanding of organic food and farming is vital to make a more informed choice.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”block” ihc_mb_who=”unreg” ihc_mb_template=”3″ ]First of all, let’s decipher this buzzword that you often encounter when purchasing food. Among the many factors evaluated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in certifying foods as “organic” include soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives. Produce is considered organic if certified to have grown on soil that had no prohibited substances, such as most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, applied for three years prior to harvest. In addition, they should not have grown or handled using genetically modified organisms and are prohibited from having artificial additives with some minor exceptions. As for meat, they have to be raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors, fed 100 percent organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones.
With that being said, it is intuitive for many of us to be inclined towards purchasing organic foods as they undergo a more natural farm-to-fork process. However, do organic foods actually have a nutritional advantage, or is the hype merely a health halo effect?
Experts generally indicate that we are still lacking evidence proving that organic foods have more substantial nutritional advantages over their conventionally produced counterparts. Nonetheless, there are a few widely-known studies supporting the nutritional advantage of organic foods such as those showing that organic meat and milk are around 50% richer in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and that there are 20–40% more antioxidants in organic fruits and vegetables. The aspect of nutrition aside, organic foods do generally allow us to be less exposed to harmful substances such as pesticides, antibiotics, and growth hormones.
From a health perspective, it is not necessary to only purchase certified organic foods especially if you are looking for budget-friendly options. For instance, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), an American non-profit organization focusing on environmentalism-related advocacy and research, has come up with its trademark list of 15 foods that are least contaminated by pesticides such as onion, cabbage, and sweet corn which are called the Clean 15. For these foods, the exposure to pesticides is no different for non-organic certified foods from organic ones. Conversely, they have published a list of 12 foods most contaminated by pesticides such as tomatoes, bell peppers, and apples which are called the Dirty Dozen for which it will be a better choice to go organic.
Another example of the negligible effects of non-organic farming is the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) in the production of non-organic milk. Bovine growth hormones are used to increase the output of milk in cows. Nonetheless, about 90 percent of rBGH present in milk is destroyed during the pasteurization process and further degraded by the human stomach acid, leaving no physiological impact to humans. However, the use of rBGH increases the risk of cows suffering from mastitis.
The Soil Association, UK stresses: “When organic does cost more, you’re paying for the extra care organic farmers place on the environment and animal welfare. Organic farming practices improve soil quality, reduce pollution, enhance biodiversity, and treat animals more ethically.”
Even if not for health reasons, support for organic products is highly needed for ethical reasons and environmental responsibility.
In present times, apart from the high cost, a complete transition to organic agriculture is regarded to be unsustainable to feed the world as it produces yields significantly lower than conventional agriculture. While efforts are being made to address the shortcomings of organics, we have the responsibility to make an ethical choice within our own means. Before your next trip to the supermarket, you might want to give some thought to food! [/ihc-hide-content]
