Organic Overrated?

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Is Organic Overrated?

Just a few short years ago, if you wanted to buy organic food, you had to make a special trip to an out-of-the-way grocery store. Today, organic products are, well, cropping up all over the place. Are they really worth the higher price or is it just another marketing maneuver?

What Is Organic?

First, let’s take a look at what exactly it means to be organic.

“Organic foods are grown without the use of chemical fertilizer or pesticides and have not been processed using irradiation or added hormones,” says Ashley Mullins, R.D., L.D., CNSC, a registered dietitian at Baylor All Saints Medical Center. “As with any product, it’s important to check the label to determine exactly what you’re getting.”

Products labeled “100 percent organic” must contain only organic ingredients with the exception of water and salt, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Products labeled “organic” must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients. Products that are made with at least 70 percent organic ingredients are allowed to be labeled “made with organic ingredients.”

The Bottom Line

While organic food can cost up to two or three times that of regular foods, it may not be any better for you, Mullins says.

“From a nutrition standpoint, there isn’t enough research to show that organic foods are more nutritious than regular foods. The levels of pesticides currently used haven’t been found to be harmful,” she says. “Of course, there may be other benefits to buying organic, such as it being more environmentally friendly and, in some cases, fresher.”

It really comes down to personal preference and budget, adds Mullins. Whatever you do, don’t let your choice inhibit your ability to get the nutrients you need. “The most important thing to consider is the health benefit of consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables every day—whether or not they’re organic,” says Mullins. “That’s the biggest payoff.”

When It May Be Worth It

Want to buy organic, but don’t have it in your budget to do it across the board? Consider at least opting for organic when buying these fruits and vegetables, as they’re considered the top 10 worst offenders for pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group:

* Apples
* Celery
* Cherries
* Grapes (imported)
* Lettuce
* Nectarines
* Peaches
* Pears
* Strawberries
* Sweet bell peppers

[HairyGaul]

Jesus don't get me started! 'Organic' has just become a mostly meaningless marketing word like 'green'. What makes me crazy is that twenty/twenty-five years ago when I was a kid my family lived a mostly organic lifestyle. We grew all our own vegetables, raised a few animals for meat that we supplemented with hunting. The meat we did buy was raised locally and butchered in a real butcher shop. We had a farm nearby with free ranged chickens. They had an egg shop where you could go in and buy delicious brown eggs for a dollar a dozen. There were usually no people in the shop, you took your eggs and left the money in a coffee can. We did all of this mostly because we were poor! It was signifigantly cheaper to buy and live 'organic'. Now if you want to buy organic you have to be some affluent yuppie twat. I don't know what it's like in the UK but over here if you want to eat in a fit and healthy manner; i.e. no HFCS, no trans-fats, no weird hormones, you have to have money.

Sorry, rant over. Anyway I think organic is probably better for you generally even if it's just avoiding weird chemicals. But as the article pointed out there's not enough proof or even indication that the slight benefit is worth the cost. If you want organic to be worth it just grow as much of your own veg as you can. Even if it's just a few bushel baskets full of dirt on your patio.

One more thing on the rant. Organic fertilizer is shit. Chicken shit and cow shit mostly. They usually don't put that on the label--"Hey, your food grew cuz we buried it in shit!". I'd like to see how much the soccer moms would buy organic then.

[Scott]

over here if you want to eat in a fit and healthy manner; i.e. no HFCS, no trans-fats, no weird hormones, you have to have money.

exactly the same here, dude. the supermarkets constantly harp on about how cheap their food is ect but its all the shitty stuff they cut the prices of. If you want free range eggs you pay twice as much, you want free range chicken its more than twice as much. I can buy a kilo of frozen cheap beef mince (which I feed to my dog) for £1.42 I then buy 750g of a better quality for myself and its £3.85.

Another word they market which has no actual basis in anything to do with quality is 'Natural'. They fire that on any old shite as it means nothing really but probably fools people into thinking they are buying something half decent.