Why Organic?

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations.  Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.  Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation.  Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved inspector certifies the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards.  Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified also.

 

NO Antibiotics:  Recently the effectiveness of many antibiotics has begun to decline.  One possible cause is the overuse of antibiotics in healthy livestock.  Researchers believe this practice can lead to higher levels of resistance in bacteria that cause human disease and, as a result, may lower the effectiveness of the same antibiotics on our own bodies.

 

NO Added Growth Hormones:  Growth hormones naturally occur in all milk.  However, conventional dairy cows may be injected with additional growth hormones to increase milk production.  Several countries have banned these hormones because of potential effects on both human and animal health.

 

No Dangerous Pesticides:  Organic farmers never use harmful chemicals that can pollute our air, water or food.  Studies have shown that children who eat organic diets have far lower levels of pesticide residue in their bodies than children who eat mostly non-organic foods.

 

Reviewing 41 published studies comparing the nutritional value of organically grown and conventionally grown fruits, vegetables, and grains, certified nutrition specialist Virginia Worthington has concluded there are significantly more of several nutrients in organic crops.

These include:

 

In addition, organic products had 15.1% less nitrates than their conventional counterparts.  She also noted that five servings of organic vegetables (lettuce, spinach, carrots, potatoes and cabbage) provided the recommended daily intake of vitamin C for men and women, while their conventional counterparts did not.  Worthington said the results are consistent with known soil dynamics and plant physiology.

 

Some consumers add that they wash their fruits or vegetables prior to eating them to remove some of the residue.  In response to those who suggest thorough washing of fruits and vegetables to remove pesticides, the Environmental Working Group reminds them that in the tests conducted by the USDA the produce was washed before being analyzed.

 

"While washing fresh produce may help reduce pesticide residues, it clearly does not eliminate them," says EWG.  "Nonetheless, produce should be washed before it is eaten because washing does reduce levels of some pesticides.  However, other pesticides are taken up internally in the plant, are in the fruit, and cannot be washed off.  Others are formulated to bind to the surface of the crop and do not easily wash off.  Peeling reduces exposures, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the peel."

 

Studies have shown that there are a certain dozen fruits and vegetables that have been tested with a greater level of pesticides.  "The Dirty Dozen"  listed below were tested to have the greatest level of toxins.

Apples	Peaches	Bell Peppers
Pears	Celery	Potatoes
Cherries	Red Raspberries	Grapes (imported)
Spinach	Nectarines	Strawberries

 

 

Look for the word "organic" and a small sticker version of the USDA Organic seal on vegetables or fruits.  Or they may appear on the sign above the organic produce display. The word "organic" and the seal may also appear on packages of meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese, and other single-ingredient foods.

  

 

Source: "Nutritional Quality of Organic Versus Conventional Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains," by Virginia Worthington, published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2001 (pp. 161-173), available at: www.foodisyourbestmedicine.com/organic.pdf.