Going Organic: Is it Worth it?

The season of spending lazy weekend mornings filling up basket loads of fresh, healthful produce from local farms is almost here. As we gear up for the farmers to descend on our neighborhoods, we have to wonder, how critical is it to buy organic products?

First, let’s clarify what organic actually means. “Certified Organic,” according to the United States Department of Agriculture, means that farms do not use chemicals or chemical fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, herbicides or pesticides, genetic modification (laboratory treated seed) in production. Foods are less exposed to (cancer-associated) nitrates and contain no additives. Meats and poultry are healthy, grass-fed (no antibiotics, drugs or growth hormones here), and are not confined to small spaces.

A recent study from the United Kingdom showed that organic cows grazing on fresh pasture produce milk with higher levels of antioxidants and beneficial fatty acids such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-three fatty acids. A study from the Organic Center found that certain nutrients, such as vitamin C and antioxidants are on average higher in organic food. Prevention and meticulous care are the organic farmer’s tools to control disease, weed, and unwanted insects. Organic farming also improves soil, water and air quality and creates a more sustainable food system—one that protects farm workers from exposure to toxic chemicals and promotes our—and the environment’s—long term health.

Sure, eating foods that are free of pesticides and contain a higher amount of essential fatty acids, vitamin C, antioxidants and certain minerals is beneficial. However, at this time, the organic certification does not guarantee that these foods are either better for you or that they are completely free of contaminants by the time you purchase them. Organic crops may inadvertently get exposed to agricultural chemicals from rain, ground water and wind drifts. More recently, some manufacturers have tried to broaden the organic definition by allowing some food products to contain trace ingredients or additives.

Another negative is the additional cost for organics, due to the time consuming labor required to meet the government’s high standards. Plus, there are added fuel costs, carbon footprints, and reduced nutrient content, if foods are not grown locally.

So, what is a health conscious shopper to do? The uncontested main goal is for all Americans to increase their intake of fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains.  When possible, buy local and seasonal and support your local farmer.  Even if his products are not always organic, they can be less expensive and just as beneficial to your health. Some local farmers just do not have the resources to spend what it takes to comply with costly organic regulations and become Certified Organic, but do cultivate nutrient-dense, very fresh, healthful foods, nonetheless.

When it comes to feeding pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants and children, few argue that this population is better served by substituting certain conventional foods--known to have heavy pesticide loads--with organic products, to avoid potential birth defects, neurotoxic and reproductive problems in growing children.

Where to start? First: Avoid the “dirty dozen”—the produce most likely to contain high amounts of pesticides, especially the ones with edible skin —strawberries, peaches, nectarines, apples, blueberries, bell peppers, celery, spinach, cherries, kale/collard greens, potatoes and imported grapes. Secondly, heed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning of last year—in light of the outbreak of salmonella in alfalfa sprouts—avoid eating organic or nonorganic raw sprouts of any kind. And buy organic soy products, since much of conventional soy is genetically altered and treated with pesticides. A good source for more detailed information is the Environmental Worker’s Guide.

Pesticides in meat, poultry, eggs and dairy are not as great a concern, but the widespread use of antibiotics and growth hormones in these foods is worth considering if you are worried about anti-biotic resistant infections afflicting growing children, in particular.

All experts agree on some points when it comes to eating fruits and vegetables and meats:

• Wash and scrub all produce under running water, without soap.
• Remove the peel and outer leaves.
• Pesticide residues can collect in the fat and skin of meat and poultry, so trim away as much as you can.
• When picking your fresh produce, look for ones that are richly colored, un-bruised and heavy to hold. On packaged foods, it is critical to read food labels to see exactly what the food contains. Look for basic ingredients you can recognize that are minimally processed and have no unpronounceable additives.
• But watch out for products that claim they are “natural” since this term is unregulated by the FDA--there are no standards as to what is considered ‘natural.’ If price is no object, consider buying organics if you want food production to be more natural, more humane, and more sustainable.

You can "like" Yorktown Patch on Facebook and follow our Tweets.