The question I get asked most often (besides ‘what do YOU eat for breakfast’?) is “should I eat organic”? Unfortunately, the answer isn’t a simple yes or no – it’s loaded. How far did that organic food travel from? Do you want to support your local farmer down the road? Do you even know why you’re considering organic? Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and how it makes you feel.
WHAT IS ORGANIC?
In order for a food to be considered organic, it must maintain the USDA Organic standards. For crops (think fruits and veggies) these include the following:
- “Land must have had no prohibited substances applied to it for at least 3 years before the harvest of an organic crop”. Essentially, no harmful substances can be used on the crop directly. However, these harmful substances CAN be used indirectly in the farming of these crops. For example, as an insecticide, ammonium carbonate is used “as bait in insect traps only, no direct contact with crop or soil”
- “Soil fertility and crop nutrients will be managed through tillage and cultivation practices, crop rotations, and cover crops, supplemented with animal and crop waste materials and allowed synthetic materials”. I don’t know how else to explain this other than….be a good farmer with good farming practices.
- “Crop pests, weeds, and diseases will be controlled primarily through management practices including physical, mechanical, and biological controls. When these practices are not sufficient, a biological, botanical, or synthetic substance approved for use on the National List may be used.” In order to prevent pests from damaging crops, the producer cannot choose chemicals (approved or unapproved) as first-line defense. Only when physical, mechanical or biological controls fail can they turn to approved substances. An example would be using newspaper mulch as an herbicide. For a full list, click here.
- “Operations must use organic seeds and other planting stock when available”. Simple enough – organic seeds can only be used to grow organic crops.
- “The use of genetic engineering, ionizing radiation and sewage sludge is prohibited”. SAY. IT. AGAIN. FOR. THE. PEOPLE. IN. THE. BACK. No genetic engineering allowed. So your tomato won’t have pig genes, and your cucumber won’t grow a snout. And you won’t be eating your neighbor’s poo.
There are other standards for meat and poultry, but I won’t get into that….yet.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M CONSUMING AN ORGANIC PRODUCT?
This seal is GOLD. It tells you the grower has been inspected, which is important because it means the USDA Organic Standards are being followed.
DOES ORGANIC MEAN BETTER?
Not necessarily. Just because something is labeled organic doesn’t mean it’s healthier. Other factors have to be considered such as geography (how far did it travel to get to you?) and whether or not it’s a beneficial food, regardless of how it was produced. You can eat organic candy. But at the end of the day, candy is still candy.
Why does geography matter? Because the further your food travels to get to you, the less fresh it is. And here’s the kicker…. its nutrient value decreases significantly as well. So if you can, buy local whenever possible.
If you are thinking of buying organic but not sure where to start, click here. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) puts out a “Dirty Dozen” every year that ranks the most pesticide-ridden fruits/veggies. So if you’re thinking of buying organic, at least start with these items. They also release the “Clean 15”, which you can find here. These are the top 15 items that are safe to eat conventionally-grown (non-organic).
(This literally has nothing to do with this post, but I found it and had to share)
Until next time…
…eat food, not food products!