The Pros and Cons of Organic Foods

Much of the writing on diet and nutrition is more thanmay use manure as fertilizer that can introduce E. Coli
just informational. It often veers into the realm ofbacteria into the food that can only be destroyed by
values and ethics, recommendations about what youcooking.
should (or should not) do. Nowhere is this moreOrganic food producers often tout the lack of
evident than in discussions of organic food. But, whilepesticides used as proof that their food is healthier
advocates can reasonably debate the pros and consthan that produced by large industrial farms. And,
of an organic food lifestyle, it's beneficial not to loseindeed, that can be true. Thousands of reliable studies
sight of the objective science that can support eitherdone over decades show that high levels of inorganic
view.compounds found in some pesticides increase the risk
What Is Organic Food?of a variety of cancers.
In one sense, the phrase 'organic food' is redundant.But it's also true that the USDA has set levels for
If it isn't organic (in the sense that science uses thatallowable concentrations of pesticide residue in food
term: a compound based on carbon) it isn't food.sold to the public. There is no evidence that, at the
Clearly, something else is meant by 'organic', in thisconcentrations allowed (and frequently measured for
case.compliance), there are harmful health effects. All food
The generally agreed-on definition is: food grown andsold, 'inorganic' and 'organic', must meet stringent
marketed without man-made chemicals, such ascriteria before it can be legally sold to the public.
certain types of pesticides, or ones that don't containApart from potential toxin levels, are there
artificial preservatives.differences in the nutrition levels of inorganic versus
But given how pesticides and preservatives are madeorganic food? There, the jury is even more mixed.
today - from a wide range of substances oftenA French study that analyzed 12 different foods
found in raw nature - the line is a little fuzzy. Manyshowed that organic foods contained higher
pesticides, for example, are extracts of plants thatquantities of Vitamins A, B-complex, C, E and
contain chemicals that naturally fight insect invasion.essential minerals such as zinc and calcium. Another
Nevertheless, it's reasonable to regard organic foodrecent study published in the Journal of Applied
as that grown substantially without a wide range ofNutrition had similar results. Mineral content of organic
inorganic pesticides and preservatives used inapples, pears and others had lower levels of heavy
mass-scale food production.metals than those grown by non-organic methods.
Is It Better?Yet processed food is often fortified with vitamins
Organic food is generally more expensive, anywherethat the 'natural' food may lack to some degree.
from 50-100% more in most cases. For those whoCereals are a case in point. Commercially produced
place a high value on the purity and healthfulness oforange juice is another.
what they consume, it may well be worth theIf the level of nutrients in both types is high enough
difference. But is organic food actually purer orthat any excess is discarded by the body, and the
healthier?level of toxins low enough to cause no harm, does it
Unfortunately, there is no single correct answer thatmatter? All foods that aren't spoiled carry some
applies to all organic (or non-organic) food available onbenefit and some risk. It's simply a matter of degree.
the market today.Trade-offs are inevitable when deciding whether the
Some organic farms take great care to ensure thatextra time and cost to buy organic are worthwhile.
their food is grown to maximize nutrients, minimizeThose decisions can only be made by each individual,
harmful compounds and is delivered fresh. Othersaccording to their own circumstances and views.