| When will the argument of organic vs. | | | | enough research to show that organic foods are |
| conventional food ever die? The answer is most | | | | more nutritious than regular foods." |
| likely never, especially since there's such an | | | | Fact #2: In fact, a recent $24 million (CAD) four |
| enormous amount of money at stake. | | | | year study conducted at the Newcastle University |
| With politically well-connected corporations like | | | | in England and funded by the European Union, |
| Monsanto leading the charge into the future of | | | | found the following: |
| food production with toxic pesticides and | | | | Organic milk has 60-80 percent more |
| genetically modified organisms, it seems almost | | | | nutrients than conventional milk. |
| impossible to stop the avalanche of misinformation | | | | Organic milk has higher levels of Vitamin E. |
| that permeates the mainstream media of today. | | | | Organic Cheese can have twice as many |
| The more you watch food advertisements and | | | | nutrients as conventional varieties. |
| news reports it's blatantly obvious that big | | | | Organic tomatoes, wheat, potatoes, cabbage, |
| industry spin-doctors are at it once again. It | | | | onions have 20-40 percent more antioxidants |
| seems they have taken a page or two right out | | | | than conventional fruits and vegetables. |
| of the tobacco companies propaganda playbook | | | | Organic spinach has been found to contain |
| of decades past. | | | | more minerals than conventional. |
| So what are some of the tactics used to | | | | Although this study did not obviously cover all of |
| convince you that organic food is a waste of | | | | the food available to consumers in supermarkets, |
| money? | | | | it stands to reason that any food grown or raised |
| Tactic #1: Utilize "experts" to dissuade consumers | | | | under organic conditions would hold more |
| from purchasing organic by stating over and over | | | | nutritional value than conventionally grown foods. |
| that organic food is way more expensive than | | | | Tactic #3: Downplay the havoc that toxic man |
| conventional food and that it may not even be | | | | made chemicals have on the human body by |
| better for you. | | | | claiming that, "The levels of pesticides currently |
| I find it interesting that most dietitians | | | | used haven't been found to be harmful." |
| recommend that consumers should check product | | | | Fact #3: My question is... harmful to what? A lab |
| labels to determine exactly what you're getting. | | | | rat? And who conducted these studies proving |
| Unfortunately that's tough to do when pesticides, | | | | that pesticides are not harmful to humans and for |
| herbicides, irradiation and genetically modified | | | | how long? My guess is scientists funded by the |
| organisms are conspicuously absent from food | | | | chemical companies themselves. |
| product labels. | | | | Most of the pro-agribusiness experts also forget |
| Fact #1: Because the organic food industry has | | | | to mention that none of these chemicals existed |
| been growing by leaps and bounds (from $1 billion | | | | 100 years ago and therefore they are totally alien |
| in 1990 to $20 billion in 2007 in the U.S. alone) the | | | | to the human body - so no one really knows |
| over all cost of organic food has been reduced | | | | what the long-term consequences will be from |
| substantially. In some cases certain organic | | | | ingesting them. |
| produce items at the local supermarket are | | | | Also, we have to consider the total toxic load on |
| actually the same price as their conventional | | | | the body from other sources such as shampoos, |
| counterparts. | | | | deodorants, perfumes, skin creams, hair dyes, |
| Even better still, I suggest shopping at local | | | | dish soap, laundry detergents, pharmaceutical |
| farmer's markets where produce is organically or | | | | drugs, cigarette smoke, automobile exhaust etc. |
| naturally grown (which is basically organic without | | | | We are literally swimming in a sea of man made |
| the government certification). There's nothing like | | | | chemicals on a daily basis and once again, no one |
| buying produce with the dirt still on it, directly | | | | can say for certain what the long term damage |
| from the people who actually had a hand in | | | | will be when they interact inside your body. |
| growing it - you can't get that in any | | | | So is eating organic food worth it? |
| supermarket. | | | | I mean really, what's the worst that can happen if |
| Tactic #2: Discredit any studies that unequivocally | | | | you continue to eat nutritionally deficient and |
| prove that organic food is more nutritious than | | | | chemically laden food? Cancer maybe? Don't |
| conventional food by using vague statements | | | | worry about that say the experts; they've got |
| such as, "From a nutrition standpoint, there isn't | | | | toxic chemicals to deal with that too. |