organic.

I am often asked if eating organically is safer and healthier then eating conventionally farmed foods.  The answer is more complicated than one would imagine.  So let’s start with what is the difference between organic and conventional farming and practices:

Organic farmers can only apply natural fertilizers (i.e. compost), utilize accepted forms of pest reduction (i.e. traps, beneficial birds), and manage weeds naturally (i.e. crop rotation, hand-weeding).  Organic dairy and meat farmers must provide animals with organic feed and give them access to the outdoors. These methods, along with clean housing, assist in preventing diseases among the animals.  Organic products also prohibit the use of food additives, artificial sweeteners and fortifying agents.

Conventional farmers, on the other hand, can apply chemical fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, and give animals’ antibiotics and growth hormones.   Conventional products can also use preservatives and be treated with waxes.

Based on this information, one would quickly assume organic is healthier, and in many ways it is.  By consuming organic foods, you are limiting consumption of chemical fertilizer residues.  Although the government sets a limit for the amount of chemical fertilizers allowable in conventional foods, any fertilizer residue intake can still be dangerous.  Organic farming is also safe for the environment by reducing toxic run-off, limiting pollution, and conserving water usage.  Although organic practices when compared to conventional practices have many significant benefits, nutritionally there do not seem to be any.  When it comes to nutritional content, organic and conventional foods appear to be about equal (although research in this area is ongoing). 

If do decide to buy organically, look for the USDA certified label. This means the product follows the USDA government standards set to regulate how organic food is grown, handled and processed.  For products with more than one ingredient—such as cereals, snack foods, and canned and jarred foods—ingredients must be 95% or more organic.  Products that are less than 95% organic but more than 70% organic can bear the claim of made with organic ingredients.  Keep in mind, organic does not always mean healthy.  Organic products can be loaded with fat, sugar, and sodium...always check the nutritional label!

USDA organic label

If you only buy organic sometimes, make sure you choose to buy the foods that known for higher amounts of pesticides when conventionally farmed.  This includes:  apples, peaches, pears, nectarines, grapes, cherries, berries, celery, carrots, bell peppers, green leafy vegetables (lettuce, kale, spinach, collard greens), and white potatoes.  The produce usually considered “safe” to buy non-organically are asparagus, avocados, onions, corn, cabbage, sweet potatoes, pineapple, grapefruit, melons, and kiwis.

If you never buy organically because the cost is just too much for you, there are still actions you can take to limit pesticide exposure.  Always scrub fruits and vegetables before consuming them with water and try to buy in season produce.  The vitamins, minerals, and fiber found in conventionally grown produce outweighs the risk of residue consumption.  

Overall, the key points are to look for the USDA organic certified label when buying organically, wash fruits and vegetables with friction, and whether organic or not, still aim for a variety of fruits and vegetables everyday!

(Additional tip: calculate the amount of fruits and veggies you need everyday:  http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/)