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Article #1: Why eat organic food?

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Within the food industry, defining the for higher nutrient density of organic
benefits of organic food is largely left foods. In some cases, this has happened,
to word of mouth, media coverage, and the generally due to conventionally grown
promotional efforts of organic advocates. produce being higher in water.
Major food and beverage corporations, Organically grown potatoes, oranges, and
like Kraft Foods, Heinz, Coca-Cola, leafy vegetables have more vitamin C than
Pepsi, Cargill, Unilever, General Mills, conventionally grown products.
and Campbell Soup, have rapidly moved to Phenolic compounds are also found in
acquire significant stake in both fresh significantly higher concentrations in
and processed organic products. Still, organic foods, and these may provide
the specific sales points of "organics" antioxidant protection against heart
go largely unmentioned on product disease and cancer.
packaging and in mainstream media Still isolated bits of research suggest
advertising. Claims of improved food that conventional agricultural practices
quality are regularly used in are degrading food quality. A study in
conventional food marketing, with "low the Journal of the American College of
fat", "low sodium", "whole grain", "high Nutrition in 2004, entitled Changes in
fiber", "vitamin enriched", "no USDA Food Composition Data for 43 Garden
trans-fat" and other commonly advertised Crops, 1950 to 1999, compared vegetables
benefits. By contrast, "certified analysed in 1950 and in 1999, and found
organic" is generally left to stand on noticeable decreases in six of 13
its own as self-explanatory, assisted nutrients examined (the six were:
only by general terms like "natural". protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron,
Meanwhile, consumer surveys have riboflavin and ascorbic acid). Percentage
consistently identified food quality as reductions ranged from 6% for protein to
the main reason for purchasing organic 38% of riboflavin, although when
food. Higher nutritional value, no toxic evaluated on a per-food or per-nutrient
residues from pesticides, and better level, usually no distinguishable changes
taste are often cited, as is the positive were found. Reductions in calcium,
impact of organic production on the phosphorus, iron and ascorbic acid were
environment. Whether organic food also found. The authors suggested that
actually delivers on these desires and the differences probably reflect changes
beliefs is controversial and the subject in cultivated varieties between 1950 and
of scientifically inconclusive debate. 1999, in which there may have been
The debate centers on a variety of trade-offs between yield and nutrient
specific and supposedly demonstrable content.
characteristics which proponents claim However, whether organic foodstuffs have
make organic food superior to the product a higher nutrient content is still
of conventional farming and processing. debatable. Studies have shown no clear,
Food safety Organic food proponents consistent results, and those that have
express concern over the potential suffer from significant experimental
negative effects of various chemical design flaws, according to the United
cultivation methods and genetic Nation’s Food and Agriculture
modification techniques used in modern Organization (FAO). Further, the FAO
conventional agriculture. The effect of found that in some crops, such as wheat,
pesticide residues from crop spraying, there appears to be a trade-off: in
the presence of veterinary drugs in meat conventionally farmed wheat the levels of
products, and the entirely unknown impact protein are higher, but the lower levels
of genetically modified varieties and in organic materials are offset by gains
breeds are all encompassed. in alpha-amylase and sugar contents.
Organic food is seen as avoiding Taste Many claim that organic food tastes
relieving these concerns by prohibiting better. This is primarily referred to
such practices. At present, there are no regarding fresh food.
definitive scientific conclusions on any It is possible that organic food taste
of these matters; individual studies are better simply because it is fresher.
cited on both sides of the debate. Because organic farms tend to be smaller,
Chemical contamination Organic food they often sell their products closer to
proponents cite the existence of reduced the point of harvest. Thus, organic
levels of pesticides and herbicides as a fruits and vegetables taste more "farm
way to reduce the long term risk of fresh" than comparable conventional
chemical consumption. A study published produce.
by the National Research Council in 1993 However, organic foods might also have
determined that for infants and children, more flavor because organic farmers often
the major source of exposure to breed with taste instead of marketability
pesticides is through diet. as the primary factor.
A recent study in 2006 measured the Conventional tomatoes, for example, are
levels of organophosphorus pesticide often bred to be perfectly red and round,
exposure in 23 school children before and to match the ideal appearance of a
after replacing their diet with organic tomato. They are also bred to resist
food. In this study it was found that damage in transport and storage, for a
levels of organophosphorus pesticide longer shelf-life. This means that taste
exposure dropped dramatically and is an attribute that has a lower
immediately when the children switched to priority. In addition to crop diversity
an organic diet. and selection practices, organic farming
The degree of risk posed by pesticide emphasizes soil nutrition, which can
residues remains uncertain. Pesticide use positively influence the taste of the
in conventional food products is heavily food. Tests by the United Nations FAO
regulated, with established, demonstrated that some apples,
research-based maximum residue levels specifically the "Golden Delicious"
(MRLs) below which residues are variety, have higher flavonoid counts
considered safe for human consumption. when grown organically. This suggests
Also, many pesticides are not cumulative that they do have more flavour.
in the body, and are regularly Some foods, such as bananas, are picked
eliminated. Notable exceptions include when unripe, then artificially induced to
heavy metals such as lead or mercury ripen using a chemical (such as propylene
which are sometimes found in foodstuffs or ethylene) while in transit, possibly
in countries which have lax food producing a different taste. The issue of
production standards. The U.S. and most ethylene use in organic food production
of Europe prohibit the use of inorganic is contentious; opponents claiming that
compounds containing heavy metals in any its use only benefits large companies,
type of agriculture including and opens the door to weaker organic
conventional. standards.
One area where organically produced food Environmental impact Every food purchase
is demonstrably different is in the supports the system that delivers it, and
reduction of nitrates, which are commonly if large-scale chemical production
used to stimulate production of methods are damaging to the environment,
conventionally farmed agricultural then purchasing these foods supports this
products. Nitrates reduce the damage. A main goal of organic farming is
transmission of oxygen in the bloodstream minimizing impact to the environment.
or may under certain situations become Sustainability Proponents of organic
nitrosamines, which are carcinogens. farming say that "conventional" farming
Organic foods do not use nitrates as a is unsustainable, because it relies on
fertilizer, and so present a reduced artificial inputs(synthetic fertilizers
nitrosamines risk, although the use of and other chemicals, machinery, etc.)
nitrates and the nitrate content of the that ultimately requires energy in the
final product in conventional foods is form of fossil fuels, and because the
regulated by region. [citation needed] land is degraded through soil erosion,
Organic methods of fertilization are not salinization, and other processes that
necessarily free from risk. Critics claim eventually render the soil infertile.
that using manure to fertilize organic Many claim that without cheap fossil
crops might increase the risk of fuels and government subsidies,
contamination by dangerous microbes like conventional agriculture would not be
E. coli.[citation needed] However, possible, and that despite technological
organic animal manure, typically that of advancements, there will eventually be an
cattle, is manure from animals that eat agricultural crisis as a result of
mainly hay and other organic, primarily depleted soil[citation needed]. The
non-grain materials. This is seen as a cultivation of monocultures, many acres
way to reduce the amount of E. Coli planted with the same crop year after
bacteria present, and the feces of year, increases susceptibility to pests
organically-raised cattle have only 1% of and diseases and depletes the soil, while
the E. Coli present in non-organic eliminating most native flora and fauna.
manure. Still, when using primarily In contrast, organic farming often
manure to grow organic crops, the risk utilizes intercropping, crop rotation,
for mycotoxin contamination is fallow periods, and integrated pest
significantly increased. Mycotoxins are management to promote biodiversity and
the result of molds found in some preserve the health of the soil while
varieties of cow feed, and even in very minimizing the risk of diseases. The main
small amounts they can induce liver goal of organic farming is
cancer if consumed over a long period of sustainability, so organic farms seek to
time. It is important to note that minimize dependance on outside resources
conventional farms also use manure as and be self-sufficient.
fertilizer but in much smaller Pollution Modern agricultural practices
quantities.[5] It should also be noted often result in large amounts of nitrogen
that many organic farmers consider using runoff from the heavy use of fertilizer,
manure directly as fertilizer to be an which pollutes watersheds. In addition to
unsound practice, and instead the manure posing a threat to human health and
should be composted first. disrupting aquatic ecosystems, this
Hormonal contamination Organic proponents sometimes results in algal blooms which
cite evidence that some chemicals used in deplete the water of oxygen resulting in
conventional farming, including fishkills. Pesticide runoff also causes
pesticides and herbicides, mimic hormones many problems.
- usually estrogen - when inside a Transportation Claims that eating organic
person. They claim that this is food is better for the environment are,
significant even at the minute levels however, frustrated by the fact that most
that the average person is exposed to. of the organic food sold today travels
The US government states that these the same great distances as conventional
chemicals are safe when used correctly, food. A UK study published in 2005 in the
but proponents claim such tests are only Journal of Food Policy found that maximum
done on healthy adults - and that environmental benefit would result from
children and fetuses might be at risk to purchasing food produced within a 12-mile
even small amounts of these chemicals. radius. Therefore, buying local food that
In Australia, the Government sponsored is not organic could be environmentally
Australian Total Diet Survey measures "better" than buying organic food that
pesticide residues found in typical has travelled hundreds or thousands of
Australian diets. The 2004 survey found miles. Many small organic farms, however,
all estimated dietary exposures to sell much or all of their produce
pesticide residues were below 16% of the locally.
respective Acceptable daily intakes and Efficiency Studies have show organic
therefore all exposures are well within farms to be more energy efficient than
the applicable health standards. their conventional counterparts. One of
Transgenic contamination Certified these studies as done with apple farms in
organic foods are not substantially the state of Washington. In that study,
genetically modified. The health risks the organic farms were found to be at
surrounding genetically modified foods least 7% more energy efficient. And
remain highly contentious. although some critics of organic farms
In the USA, a small admixture of a GM cite evidence that organic farms produce
variety is compatible with organic less yield than conventional farms, they
certification, as long as it is also found a much more substantial
unintentional. The USDA regulates the decrease in resources used. Critics of
organic production process, and does not organic farms cite evidence that organic
verify the actual composition of the farms produce less yield than
final product. So as long as the farmer conventional farms; one prominent 21-year
complies with the rules of organic Swiss study found an average 20% lower
farming, he cannot lose his organic organic yields over conventional methods.
certificate solely because of random However, that came with consumption of
presence of transgenic variety. In most 50% less fertilizer, and 97% less
European countries, certification rules pesticide.
are much stricter. Basically, any In comparing yields, a US survey
confirmed detection of transgenic plant, published in 2001 analyzed 150 growing
seed or feed can result in a loss of seasons of data on various crops and
organic status and cosenquent substantial concluded that organic yields were
economic losses for the farmer. 95-100% of conventional yields. Because
Other issues surrounding GMOs may also organic farms don't use toxic pesticides
concern consumers, such as the ownership and herbicides, there is more
of biological intellectual property by biodiversity in the soil. Besides higher
corporations, and reduction in crop soil quality - more life in the soil
varieties. allows for higher water retention. This
With estimates that pollen of some crops helps increase yields for organic farms
(eg. canola) can travel more than 5 in drought years where there is less
kilometers per year, we can be certain rain. During drought years, organic farms
that the technology and marketing of have been found to have yields 20-40%
organic foods will clash with the higher than conventional farms.
technology and marketing of GMO foods. In Large scale organic farms Many advocates
many countries, however, public awareness of organic farming view large scale,
is limited and the battles seem to take corporate owned "organic farms" as being
place with a small elite in the GMO against the spirit of organic farming,
industry and the NGOs that oppose them. since they tend to use unsustainable
Nutritional value Some organic advocates practices similar to conventional farms.
claim that organic food is more Summary Without exception, the
nutritious. It is important to note that fundamental claims of benefit are
the main objective of organic agriculture contentious and well-contended by various
is to produce food that does not degrade supporters of conventional agriculture,
soil and the surrounding environment over regardless of the fact that the food
long periods of time (known as industry establishment also has a
sustainability). The goal has never been significant stake in organic food. The
to produce food that is higher in hot button issue seems to be the effect
specific nutrients, but producing more of pesticides on people, animals, and the
wholesome food in general is often cited environment. This is still being debated
as one reason for farming organically. by experts in toxicology. There are
Increased soil quality, greater attention research reports, expert opinions, and
to quality, and selection of crop anecdotal evidence both supporting and
varieties for nutrition and taste instead rebutting them. The same holds true for
of size, appearance, and shipping the other claimed advantages.
characteristics are claimed to be reasons






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