Eating Organically—It’s Not Apples to Apples

BY: Tara DelloIacono Thies

If you’ve been to the grocery store lately, chances are you’ve been faced with the question: should I buy this organic apple or this non-organic (conventional) apple? What’s the difference and does it really matter? Organic food is showing up everywhere. You used to have to go to the “health-nut” stores to find it—but now it’s impossible to ignore all the organic fruits, veggies, breads and snacks popping up in even the biggest grocery chains.

Recently, scientists, nutritionists and dietitians have taken a stab at the organic question, writing articles that focus on whether organic is really all it’s cracked up to be. They might say it in different ways, but they all agree on the main issues at hand:

• Our Environment—Organic farming methods provide a safer, healthier environment by returning nutrients to the soil and keeping air and water safe from pollution caused by toxic pesticides and herbicides.
• Our Health—Because of the earth-friendly way it’s grown, organic food contains fewer toxins, which translates to fewer unwanted chemicals in our bodies. There’s even mounting evidence that organic food may contain more vitamins and minerals.

Organic food differs from conventional food in the way it’s grown. It’s a system of farming that doesn’t use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or hormones. What do you think happens to all that fertilizer used in conventional farming methods? It goes straight into our rivers, lakes and oceans, harming the eco-system and contaminating the water we drink. Traces of it even go into the food itself!

Organic farming promotes healthy, rich soil that in turn produces plants that naturally resist disease and pests. Organic cultivation and standards of production use fewer natural resources and lead to less pollution in the air and water. This means that every time you buy organic food you’re supporting sustainable agricultural methods that result in less pollution, nutrient-rich soil, increased biodiversity and animal habitat protection.

How do you know if a food is organic? In 2002, Congress mandated that all products labeled as organic meet the standards set forth by USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). For more on organic standards and labeling, check out Why Organic Matters?

Sound too good to be true?

It gets better…

Science is just at the beginning stages of understanding the effects of pesticides and synthetic hormones on our bodies. Even without that evidence, I think it’s pretty compelling—doesn’t it just sound more sensible to choose foods that have fewer chemicals on them? The Environmental Working Group paints a pretty clear picture; they say that, on average, eating non-organic produce can expose you to 20 pesticides a day, while eating organic fruits and vegetables can limit your exposure significantly (to less than 2 pesticides a day).

And there’s mounting evidence about the health benefits of what’s actually IN organic food. Some researchers have found higher levels of vitamin C, minerals like iron, magnesium and phosphorus, antioxidants and phenolic compounds in organic berries and other fruit.

So what’s the catch? Why aren’t we eating organic all the time? The fact still remains that in many cases that organic apple may have a bigger price-tag—but, to me, it’s worth it. If the supermarkets were forced to label the non-organic apples with a list of chemicals inside them (even after washing), our decision would be a whole lot easier to make regardless of price.

But if you still can’t stomach the higher costs, try to buy organic versions of just those fruits and veggies on the MOST contaminated list:

If organic food isn’t readily available in your market just yet, choose produce that is on the LEAST contaminated list:

The bottom line is that it just makes sense to consume fewer pesticides and chemicals. Don’t let food costs steer you away from the healthier choice. In some cases where organic foods may be more expensive, think of it as a small investment in the health of your body, your family, your health and the planet.