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Editor's note: all week, CNN Newsroom, Rick's List and Eatocracy are teaming up to take a look the effects our dining choices have on our minds, bodies and wallets. Tune into CNN Newsroom daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET for on-air coverage and join in the discussion here on Eatocracy. ALL COVERAGE Dan Howard takes time and care to keep his farm organically certified. This means obsessive care of the soil, eschewing chemicals in the form of pesticides and fertilizers as well as laborious hand-weeding - and it's reflected in his beans' price at the supermarket. Sonia Angel, a licensed dietitian, tells CNN's John Zarella there isn't a significant difference in the nutrient content between organic and non-organic produce. The difference, for her, is that it's safer because it's pesticide-free. So what does that have to do with the price of bananas? And isn't that awfully appealing? |
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PS: Something I forgot to mention–one of the things that makes farmers' market food more expensive is the size of the farm growing/raising it. Small production farming is more expensive than large production farming.
I manage two farmers' markets. I get both organic and conventional produce. I don't notice a difference in flavor. I think freshness is more logical re: taste. I also find that the conventional growers are trying to use as few herbicides and pesticides as possible. One of the reasons that organic food is more expensive is the amount of hand work necessary to weed and get rid of bugs. Also, there is the expense of certification.
I was part of the University of New Hampshire's Office of Sustainable Studies group that studied the future of food in New England several years ago. (You can get it online.) One of the participants owns an orchard in NH. He said that it was extremely difficult to grow apples organically as they tend to be misshapen, wormy, etc. Our UMASS orchard in Belchertown, MA is not organic–they use IPM, integrated pest management practices.
Some of my farmers use organic farming practices, but they aren't certified organic. If you shop at a farmstand or a farmers' market, ask the people selling about the food you are buying. We have chicken, pork, and beef at one of "my" markets. All are raised without antibiotics, or hormones, and are fed organic feed, hay, grass, etc., but none are organic 'cause these farms aren't certified.
Most folks will tell you that they prefer to eat locally grown/raised farm products rather than something grown organically from far away. I truly believe that the freshness and varieties of the local produce, etc. is what makes the difference in taste.
I would totally purchase organic products, if I was completely informed on the materials/methods each vendor (farms) used for production/farming. Being deemed organic is a little overrate. I would need to research every part of their "organic" system to understand why they're able to mark the product as "organic" and why they able to use the price point they mark it at. In conclusion, I think the best possible way to be organic is to be self sustain, and learn and grow your own. BTW, my organic is grandma's backyard:)
organic food has more flavor to me.
Educate yourselves!
Read SEEDS OF DECEPTION & GENETIC ROULETTE by Jeffrey Smith, founder of the Institute for Responsible Technology. They will open your eyes, and if you have a brain & care about what you ingest, will also scare the crap out of you!
Eating organic is the ONLY way to be sure you are not eating Genetically Modified foods....those on the market now (corn, soy, canola, alfalfa, beets, papaya, squash, zucchini and associated derivitive products, i.e.corn syrup/HFCS, soy derivitives, etc) are engineered to have pesticide in EVERY CELL of the plant, which may in turn produce unanticipated proteins that can cause allergies or worse. Those of you not eating organic and those those whose diets are only partly organic are guinea pigs and unwitting dupes in the largest uncontrolled science experiment ever. Thanks Big Ag!
GM foods were approved without any real scientific testing in '96, based on assurances from the biotech sector, and since then we have seen an enormous increase in allergies among children and adults, increases in incidences of gastro-intestinal diseases like Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis among children, and other health effects that have no known cause attributed to them. Coincidence? I think not...
Monsanto, Dow, Bayer, Cargill, Syngenta, Novartis and all the other biotech companies are getting away with murder...literally in some cases...although without proper scientific testing and adequate testing protocols, we'll never know for sure. (I can only say that because they haven't passed the so-called "Food-Disparagement Laws" in my state...although if they do, I'll still say it anyway....let them lock me up for speaking the truth.) Until then, we have to rely on the word of companies such as Monsanto, with a vested interest in promoting GM foods, that they are safe. Given the revolving door between the biotech companies and federal agencies such as the FDA, USDA & EPA, I don't expect that to happen anytime soon, as those agencies are all just as 'captured' as the Minerals Management Service was with BP.
kNOw GMO'S!!! GrOw ORGANIC!!!
FOOD, INC (MOVIE)
"Organic" doesn't always equal homegrown; look at the fruit, not the label. IMHO, tomatoes, squashes, and most fruits or veggies that ripen in a warehouse are Blah compared to homegrown crops. That is because the nutrients and natural sugars imparted from tree or vine don't make it into the fruit before they fridge it, spray it CO2, and ship it out.
I put in just one grape tomato plant in my backyard this year. That $3 investment has yielded pounds of flavorful tomatoes that add a punch to everything I cook. After tasting vine-ripened or tree-ripened fruits, you just can't go back to those ugly, green, pitted things they sell in the grocery store. I tend to kill everything I try to grow, but a trip to Trader Joe's or the farmer's market is always worthwhile.
As a master chemist, home veggie gardener, and comparison food shopper, I get a kick while walking through Whole Foods or Trader Joes and reading all the "green" pronouncements on the packaging. In America, our industries' influence on government allows for misleading definitions that would not be tolerated in most advanced nations. If you don't believe that, consider "free range" chickens. They can be called that if they're penned in extremely crowded, closed-in chicken houses for 23 hours and 55 min. per day, then allowed to go outdoors into a crowded pen for 5 min. each day. Look it up. EVERY American brand of extra virgin olive oil (considered more "green" by many than later, sometimes chemically aided later pressings) FAILED a test at America's Test Kitchen for quality -most weren't even 100% EVOO. EVERY European brand passed. The labels on many other products are spun to mislead one into thinking that no pesticides were used, etc. when close examination of the small print on the label indicates "minimized." DUH – every farmer tries to get the maximum yield with the minimum cost of pesticides, fertilizers, etc! So I don't even know if I'm getting "green" stuff: even the produce sold at the Amish Market in Annapolis, MD includes items that are shipped from other nations! I try to be as green as practical, but in America it's not too practical – or clear what you're doing!
Fortunately, usda certified organic food is regulated so you know what you are buying, including free range being included.
I like organic peanut butter. how about you?
I ALWAYS buy organic, even if the item is more on the expensive side. Good health is priceless and is a number one priority. I can skip going to the movies or out to eat one night a week in order to provide the best ingredients to my body.
i wasn't much of a food guy, i always bought the cheapest food. but after living in australia for 3 years, food here in the US tastes bland.
Regarding organic produce, there really is a lot of good science available to inform your opinion. If you have any intellectual integrity you need to be willing to change your mind when facts say what you think is wrong. Most people who are believers in the virtue of organic food seem unwilling to listen to what current scientific research is saying. And what its saying is that organic is not safer, cleaner, or healthier. I don’t have a dog in the fight except that I will not spend more money if there’s no proven benefit. And I’ve done plenty of my own taste and quality research to know there is no appreciable difference if both options are fresh and as local as is reasonably possible.
The only single benefit I can see from organic produce is the reduction in pesticide residues. Any othe perceived benefits, I'm convinced, is simply psychological enhancement. If you think it tastes better, it probably does. I grow small container garden, do not need pesticide, and will use compost when available, but I hit the plants with a dose of Miracle Gro now and then. They thrive, and the plants get all the basic nutrients they need from that and the regular soil in which they are planted. I think they taste great, and certainly better than the half-ripe organic stuff my grocery store sells.
I try to buy organic, although at the moment I am studying abroad and haven't quite figured out the food situation and I can't read labels very well without a dictionary... However I don't buy organic because it doesn't use pesticides, I buy it because I have more assurance that there were no human rights violations occurring in the process. I prefer to buy from local farmers, but I'll take what I can get. Other countries allow certain chemicals that are banned in the US, not because it will hurt the consumer, but because it will hurt the workers. Large fruit companies really do use these chemicals, and they are making real people sick. So I stick with organic. Even though I am a college student with very little money, I'll sacrifice on other things in order to pay for food I know has not been made under questionable means.
The one food that has the most amount of pesticides and a peel really surprised me: cantaloupe. I buy mostly organic fruits and vegetables, but not always those with a peel, but cantaloupe is very "tainted." Check out The Organic Center: http://www.organic-center.org. It's a great resource.
I use the criteria the author specifies here. It's nothing new. It has been relatively broadly available criteria for when to buy organic for quite some time. I also container garden on my patio & at a local communicty garden, (since I am a townhome dweller), and can and freeze as much as I can, (which isn't always much when I'm done eating it!). I also shop farmer's markets and co-ops with local producers who, while not organically certified, use less chemically and anti-biotically dominant agriculture methods. It's a bit more expensive, but I know where it comes from, who grew it, & their kids, and can see they care about sustainability and quality in what they produce. Whereas Con-Agra cares mostly about transferring your money to their shareholders at any cost, if they leave a few dead bodies in their wake, we so be it. It's the price of profit.
50 years ago, farming practices were drastically different – there was no 'organic' or non organic – there was just food. The cost of a gallon of organic milk closely mimics the cost of a 'normal' gallon of milk in the 30s, adjusted for inflation. While it might not have met the stringent requirements necessary for organic, it certainly was produced in a much more sustainable, locally oriented, less industrial chemicals, non GMO way.
I personally choose to spend extra money on meat, egg and dairy products that advertise humane treatment of animals, no added hormones, and no antibiotics in feed. I buy pasture fed beef, which is higher in omega 3 fatty acids than conventionally raised beef. If a farmer has an animal get sick, I am not opposed to them getting antibiotics, it is the routine antibiotics in diet that I object to. We get some meat directly from the farmer, and some from our co-op.
For produce, I try to grow my own in part and am working to increase what we can grow. In the summer I buy other produce from the farmers market. I tend to buy fruit in the grocery store, but only buy it in season or frozen. I put local products at the highest priority – for example, I but organic garlic in store when not available in farmers market because the conventional garlic is from china. But I buy non organic apple juice because the organic contains apples from argentina and china.
I realize organic food is not perfect – there are organic pesticides also. I do not fault any one for choosing differently than I do. And I realize organic food is expensive. I think the most important thing is to try to have a healthy diet with plenty of good nutritional food, lots of fruits and veggies, and to try to make the best choices you can, within your budget.
Amy, you should understand that organic meat is often associated with what is essentially animal cruelty.
http://inthesetimes.com/article/6330/the_cruel_irony_of_organic_standards/
...and feedlot-finished corn-fed beef *isn't* cruel to the animals?
See www. every – feedlot- fed- animal – ever- raised .com
Obviously a more legitimate taste test would be 2 unmarked pieces of fruit (or veggies) with the goal to see how many people chose which option. The test mentioned above would only test the pre-conceived notions about produce and therefore would really be useless as a genuine study.
It is interesting to me however, that many (I won't say all, although that would probably be more accurate in my experience) of the people that proclaim global warming, buy fresh, buy local, and organic to be BS, also place a very low degree of emphasis on courtesy and respect. Kindness, whether to other people, the land or animals, is high on my list of priorities, but it seems that many people place such a low value on anything other than themselves, their desires, or their immediate family that they lose sight of the effects of human actions. This is a generalization I acknowledge, but very much indicative of my observations.
A triangle test would be even better.
There's some items that I'll buy only in organic, usually the one's that you eat without pealing the skin off, like an apple. Of those, I will only buy if the price is OK and the produce looks fresh. Also, I hope that people will start demanding that companies label whether an item is Genetically Engineered. While we are somewhat informed of what's organic, we have no idea what has been produced this way.
Organics are BS. Watch the Penn & Teller's BS episode about organic products. They did a side-by-side taste test with people. When they tasted the one marked organic, they all said it tasted sooo much better, more flavor, better texture, etc.
Then they revealed that both samples were non-organic, and from the same piece of fruit or vegetable.
You should have seen the sputtering and bewildered expressions...it was great.
Organic is like global warming...BS.
It doesn't have to do with taste–it has to do with what you are NOT getting when you eat organic–lots and lots of chemicals and pesticides! When you refer to taste, you're just not getting the argument.
(Really?) You are so right on! And people, go and read Michael Pollen books and the must see Food, Inc. Most of these stuff I kinda knew in the back of my head. But to be eplained so thoroughly and in such a compelling way that how would anyone w/ any common sense and regards to the Earth and others be for Chemicals in our Foods. Corporations have for years try to hide from us the behind the scenes operation because they knew if it leaks out into major mainstream media, people wouldn't want to eat any of that stuff. I believe the huge part is education, and I dont mean just from schooling but also from your own family, friends, network, and information sources. Heck, these corporations fought tooth and nail on whether to label something organic or not. Even if it was a compromise, I do believe in the importance of true labeling.
—Another point that Pollen points out, we used to spend more on our food and less on medical costs and now the opposite is true. We spend less on food but ever increasingly more on the later.
—The bottom line is, support what you think would nourish your body and spirit. And yes, this means it does matter how and where foods are being produced. Kind of like GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT sort of thing. And no, I don't think of compost as garbage!
For all that use the argument that "testing has been done" on the chemicals that are used on our food...have you forgotten about all of the chemicals, drugs, etc that have been approved, marketed and then recalled due to serious side effects? We all have to make our own choices, but I think much of this issue is common sense. How many studies have been done on the long term effects (I'm talking about 50 or 75 years) of moderate to high consumption of pesticides? Most studies are much shorter term and in my opinion do not accurately reflect the results.
I grow as much of my own produce as possible, I have hens for my own egg supply and I buy pasture raised meats, milk here on the farm and make some of my own cheese. Can everyone do this? Of course not, BUT you can grow a surprising amount of produce in a 10X10 (for example) area, you can buy local eggs and locally raised pastured meats. The key is to get to know the farmer. Some misrepresent their practices, which gives all of us a bad name to some, but do farm visits, ask questions. You'll know an honest farmer just as you know an honest person in any business.
I have chosen to never use chemicals on my produce, even the ones labeled OMRI approved. I lose some to pests, but have found that a balance occurs when you refrain from using chemicals altogether...you aren't just killing the bad bugs, you are killing the good bugs too. We have lived in a society that is accustomed to instant gratification for too long. I think it's time that we (each one of us) looks at the impact that we personally have on the earth. Maybe you haven't seen the data that proves that X chemical has a long lasting effect on the natural soil microbes, but what if we find that it does? Can't just go out and buy another earth if we completely ruin this one...
I think that many people have chosen to take a stance against anything organic, or sustainable, etc, simply because to acknowledge awareness, would mean taking some sort of action and that might be inconventient. If we acknowlege that our chemicals are having a detrimental effect on the earth, we would then be forced to either admit that we are too selfish to make the changes that we should, or change our approach with often means more effort expended. It's simply easier to decide that all of the "organic business" is a rip off and some schmoe's scheme to make an extra profit. Never mind the huge profits the "mega companies" make by discrediting the risk of chemicals and their ability to "out market" any small or local food push. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I'm not blind to the realities either.
The "testing has been done' argument applies to organic produce as well. Rotenone (a natural chemical) was allowed on organic produce, then it wasn't, and now is again. Does it cause Parkinson's? Maybe, maybe not.
If you want your children to have memories like yours, take them back to India. The US doesn't have the climate to grow coconuts, papaya, mango, and banana trees.
Read about potential problems caused by HFCS in the food we buy.
http://www.sillylook.com/high%20fructose%20corn%20syrup.htm
I disagree with this writer's opinion in regards to the value of organic produce (i. e. – only buy organic produce that you don't peel). The use of pesticides is only part of the reason why inorganic produce isn't as good as their organic brethren. What about the chemicals that are sprayed deep into the soil that the produce is grown in? What about the enzymes used in inorganic produce to speed up ripening? What about the taste?
I have to simply state that organic milk, greens, vegetables, eggs, chicken do taste better. I grew up in India. We lived in a big city (Mumbai) and during summers we went to visit our family farm in the South. I have very fond memories of seeing all the wonderful animals – cows, goats, hens. We had couple of silk cotton trees in the backyard along with coconut, papaya, mango, banana trees & vegetables. Growing up I took all of it for granted. After living in US for a long time I wonder if my children will have fond memories like mine. Anyway, my parents who live here, have a house and plant vegetables in their backyard. They taste so much fresher! If I ever own a house I have to have a garden.
Organic fruits and vegetables do cost a lot of money. There is no question about it. Our current state of economy is not helping us however we all make sacrifices. Supporting local farmers and businesses is expensive but important.
Its hard however plan buying for organic produce according to your budget. Fruits which can be peeled can be conventional, greens – collard, kale, chard, mustards better to purchase organic, and, with veggies – go half and half. We need to do our part to eat better, exercise, and be healthy.
Eric is right (above comment). Many people think organic means zero pesticides. You are wrong if you think that. Organic growers still use sprays and some are nasty. I am a farmer and know what organic means.
Why isn't there a choice for: "I buy some organic, but for some produce, it just doesn't matter"?
Isn't this what the article is saying?
Non-organic produce has petrochemical residue on it. No thanks!!
- A
LOL!!! This discussion is hilarious. Its like watching Penn & Teller's BS: Organic Food Myths debunked and down right insulting for people who can't get rice on their plates daily! My grandparents ate bacon, gravy, biscuits, cornbread, and canned Green Giant veggies if they had a bad crop season. They lived to be over 90! Organic is a sugar coated word for "mind control" from corporations. Its just like buying a Marc Jacobs t-shirt that takes 10 cents to make in China. Idiots. Unless you grow your own food or harvest it yourself, you have no idea where it came from.
Every test I have seen has shown that organic foods are actually LESS tasty, and LESS nutritious than non-organic. Not to mention far more expensive.
Where was the option for, "I avoid organic foods, because I can think for myself?"
Obviously you've never conducted your own taste test...
Again, you are missing the point. People who buy organic don't do it because it tastes better. They eat organic because of what it doesn't have–a lot of pesticides and chemicals! I don't want that in my fruit. If you want better tasting–you eat local: fresh, ripe foods picked when they are ripe, not weeks before so that they can ripen on a boat/airplane/train on their way to the US grocery store.
Industrial Agriculture techniques are polluting ground water, contaminating the soil and air, and the monocultures and lack of soil roationlead to further soil nutrient depletion. The GMOS (Genetically Modified Organisms) have not been studied...we ARE the test. True organic farms have higher soil quality and the plants draw from that and have higher nutrient value. Industrial-Ag and multi-food corporations are doing a PR spin right now to make people think there is not a difference. And guess what...you DO pay more for conventional..it's just hidden. The hidden costs of tax subsidies and the cost of human health due to chemical/pesticide pollution and cleanup...factor those in and you might be singing a different tune. Are Americans healthy? How are we doing statistically? It's sad when you start looking in to the stats. Our family supports local, organic farmers as much as possible. The extra care they take with the soil is amazing. As for the mega multi-food corporations...do you really think they have your best interests at heart? How many of you would have called your grandma an elitist food snob for pulling a carrot out of her backyard garden...she most likely didn't inundate her soil with loads of pesticides. Sheesh! Let's level the economic playing field for organic farmers....give them a share of the taxpayer subsidies like the giant corporations now get and maybe we'll all be singing a different tune. The real ripoff is what the food corporations are getting away with: food that the taxpayers pay for that comes from polluted, deleted soil. The posts on here really show the lack of dot-connecting that is going on with American consumers and how easily they are bamboozled by corporate spin.
Two products where I found the taste difference between organic and non-organic were celery, and milk. In both cases I found the taste difference substantial.
In respect of organic celery I found it much less astringent, more flavourful, but mild and gentle to the taste buds, My children really noticed the difference and I would say our celery consumption is more then double from prior to the switch.
Likewise with milk. I was surprised about the taste diff between organic and non-organic, as where I live even regular milk is not supposed to come from cows with restrictions on inputs, but there was a difference, and to me it was substantial.
My other orgnanic musts when available are blueberries, strawberries, peaches, apples and pears. For meat, I try to buy organic cooked chickens (which are only avg $1-$2 more) for school lunch components as I know the darn things are otherwise pumped full of hormones and crap that is particularly damaging to the girls.
Totally agree James! Milk does taste better. And the chicken–can you imagine all the antibiotics we get from regular meats? I do buy natural and organic meats as much as possible for my daughters.
How long will it take for people to stop assuming "Organic" means "Pesticide Free" or "Chemical Free"? That assumption is completely FALSE. A few simple searches should pull up enough information online.
Organic farmers are allowed to use chemicals, they just cannot be synthetic and must be derived from natural sources. Natural, also, does not mean it is better or safer. Radon and Asbestos are natural! Studies were done on synthetic pesticides and about half were discovered to be carcinogens. They then looked at the natural pesticides organic farmers use and about half of them were shown to be carcinogens!
Another study looked at the efficacy of synthetic or natural pesticides. The synthetic ones would solve the problem in 1 or 2 applications. Some of the natural ones took up to 7 applications and the natural one was harmful to aquatic life.
About the only thing I feel worth paying for organic is meat where the animals are not given antibiotic filled food and hormones. It is around 70% of all antibiotics produced do not go to people but animals!
I like buying locally at the farmers market, but it is expensive. Organic isn't all it is cracked up to be. If you want to know what it is, look up the Federal Code, Title 7, Part 205. Skip down to § 205.600 – 619 for the list of nasty stuff that can be used in organic food production.
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=da59ecdb36285a3cc76b4697043dfe21&rgn=div5&view=text&node=7:3.1.1.9.32&idno=7
Thank you for posting this!! There are so many pretentious people that need to read it.
You failed to mention another MAJOR benefits of organic: non-GMO and non-toxic for bees.
Sabadilla is organic, first used in the 16th century. It can be used in the production of organic produce. It is highly toxic to bees.
Here is a link to how to farm while still conserving and protecting pollinators - http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/organic-farming-for-bees-xerces-society.pdf
Organic food is not pesticide free. Organic farming can and often does use organic pesticides and insecticides, such as sulfur and oil. They require about 8 times the amount of pesticide or insecticide as conventional farming, often returning lower yield per acre. Since there are no organic herbicides, weeds must be tilled, which greatly erodes the soil. Some of the organic insecticides have been shown to have bad side effects if high enough quantities. One is based off the chrysanthemum blossum, and has been shown to cause parkinson's disease in rats if in high enough quantities. There is no nutritional benefit, nor is it safer, to eat organic. Most people spend money on organic because they think they are buying from some ma-and-pop dairy or farm. Most of these organic producers are huge conglomerates. The enforcement on making sure something is organic is nearly nonexistant. Stonyfield dairy, which makes organic yogurt, gets their milk freeze-dried from new zealand and their blueberries from China. If you want organic seasonal food all-year round, then much of it comes from outside the US. I would posit that Chinese organic blueberries are not safer than American grown "non-organic" blueberries. People pay more for organic because they think it is healthier, tastier, and better for the environment. It is none of those things.
As Penn and Teller said: Organic Food is B.S. There is no benefits from organic food. It tastes worse than non-organic. It's a lie to assume that they don't use pesticides in organic food. Organic food doesn't mean they don't use pesticides, it means they don't use synthetic pesticides. The chances of you getting sick from eating nonorganic food is the same as you getting sick and catching ecoli from organic food.You get better tasting food, more consistent results, healthier and cheaper results if you eat nonorganic food. Eating organic food is a spit in the face to modern science, and health.
I grow a lot of my own produce, and I'm a master gardener, so I've researched this a lot. My take is that "local" and "sustainable" are the two terms that are more relevant than "organic" for me. I have friends who have organic certification and they have to jump through a lot of hoops in their cultivation techniques. I use no chemicals or pesticides or herbicides myself. I have a list of what produce has the most pesticide residue that is on my fridge and I use that to judge whether I should pay the extra for organic or not. Most of my grocery store purchases are fruits rather than vegetables, and I can shop at the local farmer's market year round when my own garden hasn't got what I need. Why poison yourself when you can avoid it? There are all these ways to judge what to buy and what not to buy, you just have to take an active part in your eating habits. It'll cost you more in the long run to treat cancer than to buy organic peppers and strawberries, right? I urge everyone to start growing their own.
the poll is ridiculously one-sided. it portrays the choice between organic and non-organic in the same light as buying first class or coach airfare – i.e., as if the only factor is cost. what about those of us who buy organic when it's available, but will buy non-organic necessities if there's no option? also, certain non-organic foods (such as berries, bell peppers, and other foods where we eat the skin) carry greater risk than others (like onions). if the risk is low, i will choose the local variety over something that required long transportation. most objective studies tend to show no difference in taste or quality. the real issue is exposure to pesticides and other chemicals. so some of us will focus on organics for our kids, but may be less concerned about the things adults (who grew up without the benefit of organics and thus have pesticides bioaccumulated in our bodies) eat.
At the end of the day, everyone gets to their destination on the same plane. The only difference is I will pass gas as I am boarding before taking my seat in coach, and it will be accumulated within the first class cabin.
It has been tested and tested again that eating organic is not any better than eating regular foods. It is a waste of time, energy and resources. It is completely inefficient and if it's not any healthier then what's the point?? The pesticides and other chemicals are tested many times before they are ever released to be used on crops, etc. The companies spend millions on that testing and it ensures that it's healthy. Don't worry about it. The worrying has been done for you.
I try and buy organic when I can, but some things are just way too expensive when on a budget. I made a point of buying organic grapes a few months ago, and ended up throwing 2/3 of the bunch about 36 hours after purchase due to rampant mold growth despite not immediately washing them and keeping them in the fridge. The ones I was able to eat were great, but I can't afford to spend half again as much for organic grapes and then throw most of them away.
I buy organic whenever it tastes better... which is most of the time. If there's no difference in taste, I don't care about the health benefits. I only care how it tastes
Here is a clue, folks. Instead of buying organic at the grocery store, buy local. Go to your local Farmer's Markets or even to your local farms to get fresh produce. Buy and eat what is in season instead of buying grapes from Chile or oranges from Morocco. The more you do this, the less food has to be shipped from all over the world to make it into your kitchen. If your local produce is organic, even better.
If there is something you really, really like and you cannot find it locally, you could always start your own garden, even if it is nothing more than a window box where you grow some tomatoes. It really doesn't take all that much time, and it has the built-in reward of tasting sooo much better than anything you could ever buy in the store.
For instance, when I started looking around my own local area, I was very pleased to discover that I had a wide variety of peach, apple and pear orchards within a 20 mile drive, as well as at least 5 local farmer's markets that run every Saturday morning through the growing season where I can buy just about every vegetable available in season, from corn to potatoes to Swiss chard to watermelon. In addition to this, I have my window box where I grow my on fresh herbs and a couple of planters on my patio that have some tomato plants.
I agree with you. Try to eat as many of your foods from local sources when you can. Do without some things when they are out of season. For instance, I only buy corn, blueberries and peaches when they are in season; the flavor is immensely better. I seldom buy tomatoes or strawberries out of season, mostly when I need some color in something. What you will discover is that you look forward to the food that you only buy in season, you savor it, and you miss it when the season is over. It gives you something to look forward to.
Would you make jams or jellies with out of season fruit? Of course not. The reason anyone makes them with seasonal items is due to the TASTE. What a concept.
The whole Organic thing is a scam. I think 20/20 did a show on this Organic food thing long time ago.. How do you trust the producer if he/she just change the label??
What about toxins in the environment? The comments in this article only account for the primary health of ones body. It doesn't mention damage to the environment like runoff of chemicals into watersheds and how it damages all of life which ultimately comes back to us in secondary health ways.
I buy organic sometimes – but since I eat out a lot it's self-defeating. My sister who is a cancer survivor ONLY eats organic.
I don't buy organic broccoli since the time I did and it had little bugs crawling all over it.
Bu organic AND local!!!
I prefer to buy locally grown fruits and vegetables so I frequently buy organically grown. They're fresher so they taste better.
I also prefer supporting my local economy and am willing to pay more to do that.
We buy as much organic as we can...but its expensive! Our solution: We built a few small garden boxes and are enjoying incredible organic produce grown in our own back yard – totally worth the effort.
some foods are better to buy organic than others, example potatoes are mostly water and therefore absorb a lot of the chemicals in the ground. The real question becomes, organic or local. You are usually better off buying from local farmers where the produce hasn't traveled for thousands of miles. Get your tomatoes, potatoes, peppers beans etc from farmers markets where the "food miles" are kept to a minimum.
I buy organic just like suggested in the article – if it can be peeled I don't buy organic. If not I always buy organic.
Look out for cantaloupe–it absorbs a lot of pesticides when grown conventionally: http://www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/TOC_Pocket_Guide.pdf
I don't believe that pesticides are removed by pealing a vegetable that has been sprayed every 3 to 5 days throughout its growing period and then sprayed again to kill the plant tops. I believe these pesticides go right through the food. I try to buy organic because I know it's healtier. Some things are not available or a prohibitively expensive, so I don't buy them and don't eat them.
I switched to an organic diet in May 2006. I started to seek out restaurants that served local or organics and started to eat in more often. These three changes saw my 5'7" frame drop from 215 lbs that May to to a super healthy 130 by that December. I never once restricted what I ate, counted calories, etc. I exercise less than I ever did and eat more fats and fun foods than ever before. The difference is that they are now made at home and aren't filled with pesticides and additives. The only thing that changed was my diet. After years of struggling with my weight, I've never had another worry. It didn't just work for me, but it also worked for my husband. Four years later, our friends finally caught on and converted to a diet free of growth hormones. Keep them out of your diet and you'll keep them off of your hips!
I dont typically buy organic, but sometimes I do, like as a special treat or if I am fixing a really nice meal. When I do, I don't buy things like bananas or other things with a peel, most of the pesticides and the like is in the skin and if you don't eat the skin any way, it wont make much difference. I also sometimes go to the farmers market if I want fresh produce.
im no hippy, but it does seem to taste better when it says organic
Nothing beats natural berries. Insects add to the nutritional value.
Meat group!
There's a difference in principle between organic and buying locally because they aren't necessarily the same (although both are equally as good, IMO). My first choice is local so that I know where my food comes from. The cost difference isn't nearly as bad then, because you're getting food from farmer's markets, your own garden, etc. You eliminate the cost of transportation, and the food is fresher, thus better tasting. You would definitely notice a difference in taste between local and store bought.
When that's not an option, I try to buy organic, within my budget.
I chose don't buy on principle should not be that expensive BUT because also i cannot afford to buy solely organic. IF it is healthier and worth it than it should be made less expensive to be available to everyone, EVERYONE and not just those of the few who can afford to eat at Chez Panache on a regular basis (consider that last statement metaphore!). It is ridiculous just how expensive organic is and frankly if investigated properly I think it would be found to be a rip-off in many cases. I don't say it shouldn't be a bit more expensive if the care of the soil and the product itself involves more work. But I've seen organic products that are as much as 5 times more expensive and I do not see any reason for such a mark-up.
One major reason that organic is more expensive is that organic foods do not enjoy the government funding that monsanto lobbiests are able to procure.
On the heals of the Time article that stated that there is no difference between conventional eggs, meaning death camp for chickens, and organic came the worst outbreak of Salmonella in recent history. We live in a country of misinformation where Cargill and Monsanto, etc. own our government.
I'd like to know why your question doesn't include whether a person is interested in the long-term effects of organic and non-organic farming. In the long term, if we don't care about what happens to the Earth as long as our veggies are a few pennies cheaper, we will be spending a lot more to clean up the destruction from Monsanto and other non-organic methods of farming, as well as from the cruel, environmentally unsound effects of factory farming of our animals.
I love to buy organic. Sometimes it is more expensive, but with certain things they are the same price as the regular. I also find that organic taste's better. Do a Raspberry test. If you have ever eaten wild raspberries like I did growing up, then you know how wonderful they taste. Buy a container of non-organic raspberries and one organic. You will instantly be able to tell the difference. My boyfriend was always against buying organic because he said it was more expensive. I bought some organicn rspberries one day. When he ate one he was in aww. He asked where I got them and why they taste so good. When I told him they were organic he said he didn't care if they were more expensive (which they were not) we were only buying organic raspberries. Now we buy organic strawberries and carrots in addition to raspberries.
Just eliminate one killer in your life like high fructose corn syrup. Read here http://www.sillylook.com/high%20fructose%20corn%20syrup.htm
I can't check the "I won't buy produce if it's not organic. More expensive, but worth it." box because it ISN'T necessarily more expensive, especially in the long run. Organic food arae often the same price or less expensive than non-organic foods and are grown in a way that preserves our Earth while the non-organic methods are depleting it. We are destroying our Earth with Monsanto-type and factory farming and it will cost more than a ton of organic veggies to clean it up.
I have my own organic garden at home with my hoophouse for warm weather vegetables . If I don't have it in my garden, I buy my vegetables organic – especially the ones that has high pesticides content even after washing (apples, spinach etc). My future plan is to be able to extend the growing season with solar for my hoophouse.
So what about the farmers growing the food, shouldn't they be protected from pesticides as well. So maybe you believe that the banana peel will protect you from harmful pesticides, my logic tells me that food while growing is systemically fed whatever you put on it. Hello! Maybe it's time we think outside of ourselves, and realize that whatever you spray in the air someone else is breathing and touching as it is harvested, as well as who ever lives near that farm is drinking that water that you've now tainted. But go ahead and peel that banana!
I don't buy organic for several reasons. The price on most items is definately prohibitive, especially when I'm on a fairly tight food budget and have to buy generic everything to make ends meet. But the main reason that I don't buy it is because of the toll it takes on the land to grow organically. And growing organically does nothing to help fight world hunger. You can grow so much more food on the same amount of land with the use of chemicals (that haven't necessarily been PROVEN to be bad for you). Theoretically that extra food could be used to feed those that need it.
yes, buy local and local organic if possible...save in paying for the transportation of your chemically processed food, it is making you SICK!!!!
I am a csa member – more to support local sustainable food and local farmers than my strong feelings about organic food. I also grow fruit on my property – all organic, more because I am concerned about attracting insects and bird populations and my family doesn't depend on the produce for survival (either to eat or sell). We get great tasting fruit that sometimes has blemishes. When the bounty is too great for us to use, can, etc., I bring into work and folks won't eat it because it doesn't look perfect. Sigh.
Having said all this, I am a biochemist/plant scientist and think that people are too chemophobic and don't really understand risk properly. Are pesticides bad for the farmers that apply them? Some are especially if the farmers don't take the right precautions. But many in the general public freak out too much about the pesticide residues on non-organic produce without considering the other risks of natural toxins such as aflatoxin from the mold Aspergillus on peanuts, etc.
And GE food is a separate issue. I highly recommend the book "Tomorrow's Table" to see a balanced rationale approach to this topic. It is written by an organic farmer and his wife who is a plant molecular geneticist.
I agree with your thoughts. I'm more worried about buying locally than I am about buying organic. We just started a shift in our food buying priorities. My goal is first, to cook more at home so that I eliminate preservatives. We hunt deer, so venison is usually in our freezer. We have a garden. I now want to make it a priority to buy eggs from local farmers and seasonal fruits and veggies from the farmer's market. I do buy organic cereals for my kids, and some snacks, but to buy all organic is far too expensive for a family of five.
Knowing where my food comes from is top priority. Using local resources, etc.
Organic is very labor intensive, takes longer, more work. That's some of the reasons it's more expensive. But I buy leafy greens, fruits, eggs at a farmer's market that has only locally grown food, pesticide free but not necessarily organic (when I don't grow my own). Some of the growers I personally know. I like the fact that I'm helping local farmers is a plus...it will all come back to me in one way or another. Plus, if more people buy, the price will eventually come down.
My husband and I worry a lot about what goes into commercially produced food and what we feed our family. But, we have very little extra money to afford the luxury of picky grocery shopping. However, we do buy organic food when ever possible, including free-range, organic and grass-fed meat. Most importantly, we hunt and eat wild game and we grow much of our own produce in our backyard garden and rarely need to buy produce or meat in the stores.
How could anyone think their health is not worth buying organic? I know it can be pricey but come on, how much money do most of you waste on frivolity during one month?
I grow my own. People have been eating pesticide laden vegetables for years. Now the buzz word "Organic" is printed on the container they believe it and have developed new taste buds to accommodate the new flavors.
Don't drink the tea, grow your own.
One big reason why I buy organic is because of what it means for the environment. Organic produce is farmed in an environmentally sustainable way, leaving healthier soil for future generations
"he difference, for her, is that it's safer because it's pesticide-free."
How is it safer? when my mom had cancer she was not allowed to eat organic foods due to chemo therapy(it compromises your immune system). The doctors said that organic foods have many more viruses and bacteria then pesticide foods, so eating organic foods would make her sick. I'll stick with pesticides..
Sorry about your mom. I won't comment on that or the doctor since I'm not qualified. But when I grow my food there are more bugs in the garden because: 1. I don't use pesticides and 2. I grow things that will attract good bugs that eat the bad ones. As a whole, bacteria is good for our system. They are there anyway and it helps to fight off disease. You have bacteria in and on your body right now. For example, I had a friend who children were always sick. At the slightest sniffle, she would send them to the doctor for antibiotics. But the were ALWAYS sick with something. IMO their immune system was comprised because she never gave their body a chance to development any immunity. Like a vaccine...which I think is a small dose of a virus that helps your body build up its 'fighters'. That's make take on growing pesticide free food...NOT A COMMENT ON YOUR MOM OR THE DOCTOR. Again, sorry about your mom.
I think your doctor was a quack. The doctors didn't tell my Father anything of the sort when he had cancer. Pestacides don't affect bacteria/viruses. They're designed to kill insects. It doesn't make your food sterile. On the other hand, many pesticides are known carcinogens (cause cancer).
LOL @idiotcnn
I didnt notice until I read your comment
I do not buy it on principle. As a plant scientist, I know much about the management of plant disease and insect infestations. It is not realistic to grow the amount of food that we need in this country and around the world by organic means. Organic is not the solution to food safety. It is more important that we work on safer, less toxic pesticides and more disease and insect resistant cultivars so that we can reduce the toxic chemicals to which we expose ourselves and our environment.
Very balanced viewpoint. I'm not particular about organic, just not loaded with pesticides. See my post below.
Teaching cultures to grow locally and providing infrastructure like water will reduce the demand to provide food worldwide.
We will always have challenges, but we need more responsible practices moving forward.
As for America, aren't we dealing with obesity as a health crisis.
Thank you Matthew!! If you're that worried about it wash your fruits/ veggies before eating. There are 6B people to feed in this world and Organic is not sustanable enough to support everyone..
@ idiotcnn What is the blatant error is? ;)
The thing about organic is that it isn't just healthier (though for produce, there isn't that much of a difference, even in terms of pesticides), it's also better for the environment.
Here here! CNN's coverage of organic food has really been awful - the reporting misses the big picture about the value proposition of supporting organic growing methods. Our country's citizens in general need to move beyond self-centered/short-sighted thinking, but the idea that journalistics would draw a box around a purchasing decision that only includes price and immediate personal benefit to the purchaser is laughable.
I'll buy organic, sometimes, but think it makes significantly more sense to buy locally, regardless of whether its organic. An organic apple is good, but not if it has to be shipped from across the country when I can buy an apple that's not raised organically from the farm next door.
Amen to that!
I absolutely agree. Local is my first choice.
by the way, has anyone noticed the blatant error in the title of this article?
Yes I noticed that as well lol
foods like bananas are prime organic fruits to buy, because the price difference is like 20 cents a lb. If you travel to honduras and some of these other central and south american countries producing massive amounts of bananas and see the conditions and hours and exposure of chemicals to the workers that are causing health problems and sickness, it'd be a no-brainer to buy organic. The smaller organic farms produce better tasting fruit with compassion for humankind.
If that's how they make their living, I'm not going to put anyone out of a job...ok, so it sucks, but so does being a coal miner...everyone needs to get paid and I'll support that economy by buying non-organic
Why not support the part of the economy (and the producers) not poisoning their workers?
the world would never progress if everyone thought like that. We need to support people/companies doing things better. While all farming for the entire world can't be done organically, we can make personal decisions for ourselves and our families that choose the importance of avoiding the chemicals and preservatives that have become the norm in the last 50 years. I don't have to expose my children to this stuff. They can suffer without another plastic truck or another video game this year. We all have choices, and if we keep choosing poorly nothing will improve. A lot of people think recycling is a waste of time, too, because its a small percentage of our waste... hey, what's on tv...
We need to continue to vote with our consumer dollars to make large food producers change thier practices around organic production and reducing GMO's.....check out the following article..
http://www.missionwellness.ca/nutrition-for-anti-aging/organic-nutrition/#more-427
after reading this article, http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/organicfood_disadvantages.htm I'll keep eating my pesticide fruits and veggies...yum!
Why? do you like being infertile and full of chemicals?
Really Steve? That article was poorly written and unconvincing. How in the world could plowing or tilling a field be more dangerous than poison being sprayed on your food? BTW, every field in plowed or tilled before planting. You should disregard this strange.
Enjoy having kids with ADHD, or becoming infertile so ADHD offspring isnt a concern
Consumers should keep in mind that conventional production of some fruits and vegetables can utilize systemic pesticides that are absorbed into the tissues of the plants. While the USDA and FDA have determined that the residual amounts of those pesticides are at 'safe' levels for consumption, they are nevertheless present and detectable in trace amounts for those vegetables and fruits.
As a certified organic farmer, I am prohibited from using anything other than organically approved materials for pest control. These allowed materials, (i.e. OMRI materials, Organic materials Review Institute), are environmentally friendly, botanical or biological in composition. There are certainly more and very important differences between organic and conventionally grown produce than just price and taste.
Thanks for your hard work, love the organic produce!
ORGANIC tastes much better and is much healthier.The best programme on ORGANIC food was done by DR SANJAY GUPTA.He gave very logical advices.If someone wants real advice on organic food they should request CNN to repeat it because its worth repeating a hundred times.
Most people won't spend 1 or 2 bucks more on organic, but are willing to drop 400 bucks for a ps3, 7 dollars for a cocktail, or 12 dollars for egg noodles and ketchup.
Priorities...I'd rather get drunk than eat a 5.00 carton of organic strawberries...at least I can justify spending the money on my fun time
Not to mention how much they will pay for a cup of fancy coffee!
Those are luxuries that we choose to splurge on. One time or infrequent expenses. And eating organic cost more than $1 or $2. Since we've had our first baby, we have gone organic and our grocery bill has more than doubled. That is an ongoing cost for the foreseeable future. Luckily we can afford it, but a lot of people can not.
"The difference, for her, is that it's safer because it's pesticide-free" – would someone like to confirm this with scientific evidence, please?
Thanks.
[no, I don;t believe anyone can, BTW]
So do you wait for science to tell you everything before you use common sense?
Anyone want to volunteer for the pesticide tests? Pesticides are nerve and hormonal toxins, small doses kill bugs and many other organisms, if you live 75 years how much of that stuff do you eat?
common sense.. do you have any?
I'm just going to eat cardboard...safer, exepct for those dang paper cuts on my tongue!
you are aware that natural pesticides can be used on organic farming? Just because they are natural doesnt mean they are safer, that is just common sense.
Sad, you ask for evidence but you've already made up your mind, obviously.
There are plenty of studies out there that show the detrimental effects of pesticide, but since you've already made up your mind I guess it's too much work for you to do a simple google search.
Pesticides are _poison_.
I buy organic if it is available. If not, then I usually buy all natural, grass fed, etc.
All natural and grass-fed are not regulated terms so have fun wasting your money!
Organic food can sometimes be more expensive, but it can be done on a budget: http://www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com/eat-organic-on-a-budget%E2%80%94it-can-be-done/
Price for me is not an issue, but availability is. I would only buy organic produce if it was more availble -choices-ripe. I shop at a military commisary and organic produce is very limited.
Their pesticides are in the form of cow waste and human waste because there are no guidelines...no thanks! Also, "organic" farming ruins the soil quicker and can only sustain a third of the population
You must be getting your information from Fox news. It would be funny if it weren't so sad to see how easily people are foolde by such nonsense. Pesticides from manure? Please educate yourself before posting.
She seems to be confusing the concept of fertilizer with pesticide. And she seems to think that non-organic crops don't use fertilizer. Hmm. Some people have no clue.
whatchoo talkin bout lisa
Lisa,
you really need to do some research about sustainable farming.as your "facts" are all wrong. Chemocals are destroying our nationsfarming. Visit an organic farm and look at all the frogs and other creatures living in the field. Ever see a frog or other creature at a chemical farm. Are you a mid-west chemical farmer?
This is absurd, while Lisa may not have worded her response correctly she isnt entirely wrong. If we ONLY had organic farming almost 7 billion people would starve to death. There is no way to sustain enough organic crops to feed the worlds population. It takes 3 times more land area to create an organic vs non organic crop. As to her point regarding the pesticides, she may have gotten the two confused but isnt wrong in saying that those waste products arent used in organic farming. While the same fertilizers are sometimes used in standard modern agriculture there also safe and effective chemicals that are used to kill any remaining bacteria. Of course we should all wash anything that was once in or on the ground but Ill take the one that has been at least partially sanitized any day of the week. Furthermore in excess of 20% of the "organic" food that you buy in supermarkets are imported from China where there is no regulation on how organic food is grown. I dont know about you but the thought of my veggies being in the same shipping containers as tainted formula, dog food, toys etc. just does not sound appealing and is a risk in and of itself. I debated long and hard about organic vs "normal" foods and I found no studies that showed any value whether it be fiscal value or nutritional value. I also didnt see these studies that people are referring to linking current pesticides that are used to cancer and so forth. Im not saying drink my Kool Aid or agree with me, all Im saying is that there have been so many misleading stories and so much propaganda that I think most people have a skewed view of the current state of agriculture. This is no longer the 70s and remarkable strides have been made in creating safe pesticides. Pesticides are used in ALL farming, organic or otherwise. Whether they are from "natural sources" or synthetic sources its supposed to do one thing... kill bugs... just look up BT bacillus thuringiensis... its in ORGANIC pesticides... it is a bacteria that is.. guess what... POISON. The point is let people eat what they want to eat but is it really worth it to eat "healthier" if it means starving the worlds population to do so?
Their pesticides are in the form of cow waste and human waste...no thanks! Also, "organic" farming ruins the soil quicker and can only sustain a third of the population
Lisa, you clearly dont know what you are talking about. Chemical farming kills all the beneficial organisms in the soil. Organic farming nourishes the soil and allows the plants to absorb more nutrients.
Hahaha. Organic farming ruins the soil? What? Pesticides in manure???
Are people really this dumb?
Have you ever read the rest of the news and comment sections?
Every time I think I read the stupidest thing i ever read,I click another link and they somehow one-up it
Of course!!! You haven't spent much time reading boards on varying news sites, have you?
Lisa is right.
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4019
If you want the skeptical breakdown of organic farming go here. Once again, this is just big corperations using america's stupidity to make money.
Oh and btw, look of the literature and you will find that studies overwhelmingly support the notion that there is not difference nutritionally between organic and inorganic. One is just much more efficient (by 3).-modern farming. And the pestacides they use have to be used in 3 times the quantity because they are less effective. These natural pesticides contain all kinds of toxins. You can read about that in the link i sent too.
i disagree wholeheartedly. I have been growing organically for over a decade and only use natural herbs/ingredients as bug deterrents. Use them once or twice throughout the grow season and no pests at all. Not to mention, people dont buy organic foods for better nutrition, they buy them so they do not have to eat products that have had chemicals sprayed on them to kill bugs, or synthesized fertilizers to make them grow faster and bigger.
There have also been studies now released identifying conventional pesticides as a cause of the rise in ADD and ADHD in children today. Many chemicals used in conventional non-org farming are linked to cancer and the like, however, like some commenters have noted, organic does not always mean safer when it comes to pesticides.
On another note, I feel that the author of the Skeptoid article you posted was looking to denounce organics before he even began writing. He made some interesting points. Though he lacked evidence for most of it, I can appreciate some of the claims. I just wish he had not gone in with such a snarky attitude so that I could read it and trust that I am learning the facts instead of just one man's opinion as supported by selectively chosen facts/studies.
In my own opinion, much of the debate would be moot if we did two things:
1) Shop/eat locally. Supporting local farmers is going to mean that you are supporting not only the local economy and possibly a small business, but typically the food will be more fresh (picked closer to when it's ripe which, organic or not, DOES mean it will have more nutrients).
2) Worry more about population. Vast amounts of nutrient runoff from conventional farming's fertilizer use causes algal blooms, fish kills, and other problems in the environment (same goes for manure from chicken coops and such). We need to stabilize and shrink the population some. Simply put, there are too many people on not enough land. Pretty much all of our problems – fossil fuel use, food production, urban sprawl, water shortages – would be remediated if we weren't adding to the amount of people who need those things. Before anyone rants about this point, I am not suggesting some horrific genocide or government program, we need to shift away from the norm of big families which is a holdover from agricultural times. This especially needs to happen in developing nations. Education of women in these areas is a huge factor, as well as children.
There is nothing in the article you cite that says that "studies overwhelmingly support the notion that there is not difference nutritionally between organic and inorganic." There is plenty of false information in the article, however. For example, the claim that "Trader Joe's is a supermarket chain specializing in organic, vegetarian, and alternative foods." This is not at all true. Trader Joe's does not specialize in organic or vegetarian foods nor do they claim to. I have no idea what "alternative foods" are.
and when i said lisa is right i meant lisa is sort of right.
How can you be so misinformed??
Ah yes – the FOX generation. Will the stupidity ever end? We certainly have a lot to look forward to in the future.
Human waste is forbidden in US agriculture (aka, 'night soil'). The article refers to human waste used in third world countries (China is cited in this case).
Modern farming practices strip out most of the inherent nutrients from the soil. These practices essentially destroy the soil's complex ecosystem and replace it (mostly) with 3 major chemicals. It's analogous to 'enriched' bread/flour - a dozen or so vitamins are removed, and replaced with 3 or 4 nutrients, and then they get to call it 'enriched' ! What a concept!
Why do you assume that organic is always more expensive? At my local supermarket, organic is often the same price as the non-organic. Also, the skin of the produce isn't the only factor. Remember, the soil and how it is supplemented is part of the equation. It's not just about spraying. And finally, the taste is noticeable. I've done blind taste tests with folks, and invariably they pick the organic choice as best tasting.
I'm in agreement with you about it not being more expensive. At my store, they have their own organic brand, which is very cheap (bread $1.99 a loaf–and it is organic). The half-gallons of their organic milk is the same price as the name, non-organic brand.
Chemicals kill, and we don't need to have anything like that in our food supply. Unfortunately, they cannot be avoided 100% of the time, but if something's organic and the price is right, you can bet it will be in my shopping cart!
I like to say, "Pay them now, or pay them later." I've been a vegetarian for 40 years. I'm 62 years old, and I'm in great health. I ride my bicycle 200 miles a week. Organic makes sense to me. After all, you really are what you eat.
I do an 18 week organic farm crop share. Its affordable unlike supermarkets/whole food stores when buying organic! It is unfortunately too expensive to buy organic all the time, but local farm markets can be cheaper, but with living in Maine, the farm market season only lasts 6 months.
You'll keep your opinion to yourself (in regards to the taste test)? Who's paying you off to do that?
You'd probably say the same thing if he chose one over the other.
Taste, isn't that the truth, I knew conventional vegetables have gotten more bland over the years but didn't know how much so until I bought organic. There really is a difference especially in fruit.
The flavor, texture and color of the organic fruits/veggies is so much better-I usually only buy the dirty dozen organic, otherwise just buy regular. Tomatoes-I hadn't enjoyed one in years, since living with my Gram who used to grow her own. Organic ones are flavorful and juicy, none of that mealy pulpy flesh you get if you don't buy organic.
Taste is always funny.... as well as look.
Watching the BBC they had a segment where they had organic produce (several kinds) compared against non-organic. ony two or three people guessed correctly which was organic based on taste, look, and smell.
I grow most of my vegetables organically. I have grandchildren with food allergies and I feel much of the problem comes from what farmers spray on their vegetables. I also shop for foods that do not contain a lot preservatives.