To Eat Organic or Not…That is the Question

There is an ongoing debate about whether one should eat organic foods or not. Some say eating organic is a no-brainer because of the potential ingestion of hormones, antibiotics, pesticides and other dubious additives found in conventionally grown foods. On the other hand, some argue that organic foods are similar in nutritional quality, yet they cost more and aren’t all that accessible. So what’s the real story? Let me give you some facts, along with my personal take on the subject…

1. Organic food is more expensive.

This is absolutely true, but there are legit reasons for this. Organic farming is more labor intensive and, in addition, the farmers don’t receive subsidies from the federal government. They also can’t produce the same amount of product in the same timeframe compared to conventional farms. This is because of organic regulations pertaining to grazing patterns, numbers of animals, crop distribution and other issues.

2. The USDA Organic symbol indicates that the product is at least 95% organic.

The symbol is typically found on single-ingredient foods like fruits, vegetables, eggs, cheese and milk. Multiple-ingredient foods can be either 100% organic (as the name implies), organic (95-99% organic), made with organic ingredients (70-94% organic) or they can simply list a few organic ingredients on the food label. Only “100% organic” and “organic” products are allowed to use the symbol mentioned above.

I bet you didn’t know it was this complicated…

3. Organic and Natural are not the same thing.

Natural foods don’t have any additives or preservatives, but they could have been genetically modified or grown with pesticides. Eating natural foods is great, but it clearly isn’t the same as eating organic. Plus, natural foods aren’t regulated in the same way.

4. If you’re trying to eat organic, try to eat locally grown organic foods.

Many advocates of organic farming point to environmentally friendly methods of production, which help to preserve the planet for future generations. Unfortunately, this idea of saving our planet doesn’t hold much water if you live in New York and you’re eating organic foods grown in California or some other far-off place. The transportation required to ship these foods to their destinations can have a significant impact on our environment. So, if you plan to make organic part of your “green” lifestyle, buy locally grown foods.

5. Research indicating nutritional differences is still in its infancy.

The prevailing theory states that organic foods are better nutritionally, but we don’t have a ton of clinical studies to back it up. There is some emerging research showing higher antioxidant levels in organic produce, and a nice summary of this can be found in the State of Science Review on The Organic Center’s website. There may also be lower protein content, but higher protein quality in organic vegetables and cereals. Despite this, several researchers still think a well-balanced diet improves health no matter how the food is grown (1).

6. Some foods cause more concern than others.

Some call them the “dirty dozen.” If you’re going to give organic a try, but aren’t going 100% organic just yet, purchase these twelve first!! These foods generally have the highest content of pesticides…

Peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach and potatoes

Here’s a list of the foods with the lowest pesticide content, so maybe you don’t need to buy these organic…yet.

Onions, avocado, sweet corn, pineapples, mango, sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and eggplant

7. I like to sit on the fence.

So where do I stand in all this? Good question. I think buying locally grown organic foods is a good thing. Consuming products free of hormones, antibiotics and pesticides seems like a good idea, but not everyone can do this. The foods are expensive and if you don’t live in a metropolitan area, organic food can be hard to find. Hopefully organic food will become more mainstream, and I sincerely hope more research is conducted to determine the true benefits of making the switch from conventionally grown food to organic. Keep in mind, however, organic food is not my first priority when I meet with clients…getting them to understand healthy eating is.

1. Magkos F, Arviniti F, Zampelas A. Organic food: nutritious food or food for thought? A review of the evidence. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2003;54(5):357-71.