The Real Reason to Eat Organic Food
When I first started writing my upcoming book Organic Manifesto a year ago, I fully expected to have lots of information about how organic foods are healthier for you because they are more nutritious. The more research I did, the more I realized that nutrition is the least of our worries. Aside from the fact that the nutritional content of just about ALL of our food has declined over the past 50 years, we are, as a rule, overfed. And good nutrition is available from many sources in our diet.
So I wasn't surprised in the least when a report was released last week by a British research team saying that a review of studies showed that organic foods aren't more nutritious than chemical foods. As it turns out, there are some significant flaws in the way that analysis was done, as reported by Rodale.com and others. But beyond that is a larger point: The quest for more nutrition should be the last reason to eat organic foods.
What's the first reason? The REAL reason we should eat organic foods? The real reason to eat organic food is that the thousands of chemicals used to grow chemical foods are causing horrific health and environmental problems. In my book (due out in March 2010) I discuss multiple well-documented studies from reliable sources showing that chemical pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and the GMO's used in chemically based food production, are implicated in, if not causing, the following health problems: diabetes, obesity, cancer, autism, Parkinson's disease, male sterility, genital deformities, female infertility, miscarriage, infant deformities, ADHD, hormonally caused gender confusion, asthma, allergies, accelerated aging, and smaller penises in boys, amphibians, and other wildlife.
I have also discovered (and reveal in my book) that the chemicals used to grow so-called "conventional food" are responsible for the majority of our climate-change problems, the majority of our water-pollution problems, the majority of our plant and insect disease problems, and the majority of our economic woes.
Sounds crazy, but it's true. You'll have to wait until the book comes out to find out the details. But in the meantime, for your sake, for your kid's sake, and for the planet's sake, keep on eating organic!
For more from Maria Rodale, go to Maria's Farm Country Kitchen.
Follow Maria Rodale on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mariaFCK
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" The real reason to eat organic food is that the thousands of chemicals used to grow chemical foods are causing horrific health and environmental problems."
That's it. That's the reason.
Corporations are not exactly the root of all evil, but pretty close.
Excellent points, I agree. However, for the world, how will we cope with the coming food shortages? Look at the real production numbers, we will have a global shortage.
With my host of diseases I ditched the chemicals basically. Fresh baked bread you have to freeze or refrigerate. It doesn't generate the high blood sugar numbers treated bread does. Fresh produce is abundant and reasonable right now. So stock up.
Eating organic foods is undoubtedly better for you, but it is also fairly expensive. What has occurred in the U.S. over the last couple of generations, which has impacted the health of citizens the most, is the lack of cooking skills. People don't know how to cook anything. If it's not instant, it's not done. And instant and prepackaged foods have a load of chemicals in them.
Schools need to take the initiative and implement cooking classes.
Farmer's markets -- best place to buy cheap organic foods of all kind.
I'll admit, I'd rather reheat than cook (actually, it's not the cooking, it's the cleaning up!).
Before you dump the responsibility on schools, however, let me offer my perspective as an educator. The push in education, thanks to No Child Left Untested, is to force all students to pass tests to theoretically be prepared for college, to the detriment of vocational programs, including Cooking/Food Services. In addition, there are states (NJ is one) that require HS students to take at least one practical arts course, which includes cooking. It would be great if those courses could include locally grown, organic produce, but you're right, the costs would be prohibitive for most school districts.
Personally, I don't buy organic whenever possible because I believe the food has more nutrients; I do it as a form of stewardship - for the land, for small, independent organic farmers, for my favorite local health food store, for my own health.
This is so similar to the Breastfeeding vs Formula debate. It's not that breast is best it's that Formula comes with a slew of health risks due to the chemicals used in it's manufacture. The same is true with Organic vs Conventionally grown food. I buy as much organic produce as my budget allows as I do not wish my family to swallow so many chemicals with their fruit.
I think I have to disagree. Breast is best all the way around. Cows milk is for cows not people. It is true that formula is filled with questionable items but even if it was certified organic I would think regardless breastfeeding is the way to go since we are not cows but people.
The report released last week definitely does not address the true reasons we who eat organic do so. No one has every said that eating organic was just more nutritious. This report did nothing else but support critics of organic choice. Even my own mother excitedly called me to tell me the reported findings to justify her skepticism. It's my choice to eat healthy, pesticide and antibiotic free; and to do my part to be a good steward of our planet.
I haven't seen the report and can't comment on it. However, I thought the whole issue of organics revolved around the effects of chemicals on our bodies (and our environment) ...not necessarily the nutrient levels of organic foods. It seems like semantics to debate about the nutrient levels of organics and misses the bigger picture of chemicals in the food supply.
Chemicals in our bodies heavily tax our immune system as different processes spend the energy trying to remove the chemicals (liver, kidneys, etc). The diversion takes away energy and focus from other areas where the body could be running at optimal levels or fighting off diseases (if the body can filter out the chemicals). It's a vicious circle ....the bodies inability to filter out chemicals leads to disease. Once disease sets in the body is busy trying to filter out the chemicals and unable to fight off the disease cause by chemicals in the first place.
The report released last week definitely does not address the true reasons we who eat organic do so. No one has every said that eating organic was just more nutritious. This report did nothing else but support critics of organic choice. Even my own mother excitedly called me to tell me the reported findings to justify her skepticism. It's my choice to eat healthy, pesticide and antibiotic free; and to do my part to be a good steward of our planet.
Hi Maria,
Thank you! I started eating organic about six months ago. i was anything but healthy. I ate just about anything and packed on A LOT of weight. Since making the changeover to organic food I can say that I've never felt better in my life. Not only have I dropped many pounds; I feel "clear headed" now, if that makes any sense.
It's also not as bad most everybody says it is as far as cost. Many companies are jumping on the organic band-wagon and the prices aren't as bad. It still costs a little more than your average chemical stew food, but the physical and mental payoffs far outweigh that.
Thanks!
You're right about the cost- as more companies get on board, the cost gets more and more reasonable. Fresh produce is still pretty expensive, but I'm so glad it's starting to come down!
I always thought the primary reason to "go organic" was twofold: minimize the intake of pesticides into your body, and keep the pesticides out of our soil (and, therefore, out of the streams, rivers, soil downstream, etc.). Any other benefits (such as more flavor, supporting local farmers, etc.) would be a pure bonus....
Otto...that was always my understanding as well. I never understood the debate being about which method provides a higher level of nutrients. To me, that seems like an entirely different issue (and a secondary one at that).
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